Oh my god, it’s hard for us to put into words why we love Sicialian cauliflower so much! This preparation of cauliflower originates from Sicily. It’s a little acidic and briny, but also sweet and salty. Basically, the mix of ingredients create an umami bomb!
The roasted cauliflower is sweet and tender, a perfect contrast for the salty briny capers, vibrant lemon zest, and all those crunchy breadcrumbs.
Golden raisins add additional sweetness (not mad about it), while pine nuts add both nuttiness and crunch. You will serve this all the time — we certainly do! — with everything from veal saltimbocca to salmon piccata! Basically, it’s the Italian side dish of our dreams.
Ingredient Notes
- 1 head of cauliflower
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- multigrain breadcrumbs
- unsalted butter
- golden raisins (soaked in water to rehydrate)
- lemon
- capers
- parsley
- toasted pine nuts
- white wine vinegar
I love to finish vegetable side dishes with a healthy drizzle of a high quality extra virgin oil and sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It adds that extra oomph that makes dishes pop.
How To Roast Cauliflower
Roasting is my favorite way to cook cauliflower! It’s a dry method of cooking in the oven that creates a deep caramelization on the outside of the cauliflower, but a tender soft center. And, speaking personally, I find it so much more enjoyable to eat than boiled veggies!
- Roast the cauliflower. Preheat oven to 425F. Place cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet, then drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp Kosher salt. Toss to combine, then roast for 15 minutes. Toss cauliflower on the baking tray, then return to the oven and continue cooking until tender, about 5 minutes more.
- Toast the breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup breadcrumbs, stirring until evenly coated and toasted, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Rehydrate the raisins. Place ¼ cup raisins in a small bowl, then cover with water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Toss to combine. When cauliflower is cooked, place in a large bowl, then top with toasted breadcrumbs, ¼ cup raisins, lemon zest, 2 Tbsp capers, 2 Tbsp parsley, 2 Tbsp pine nuts, and1 Tbsp white wine vinegar. Add lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time, toss cauliflower, then taste and adjust seasoning adding salt or pepper as needed. Add remaining tablespoon of lemon juice if desired.
- Finish, then serve. Drizzle with finishing extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with a pinch fo flaky sea salt. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
For our other favorite vegetable side dishes, check out these roasted broccolini and roasted broccoli recipes! They’re loved by every single person in our family!
Is Sicilian Cauliflower Gluten-Free?
We use toasted breadcrumbs in our Sicilian cauliflower, but you could absolutely leave them out or use gluten-free breadcrumbs instead.
This recipe is just the best. In fact, I’ve made this sicilian cauliflower 3x in the past week. Who am I kidding? Running to the store right this minute so I can make it a 4th time before the weekend!
Next time, I’m making a full on Sicilian-inspired meal, filled with mozzarella arancini and caponata!
If you make our Sicilian Cauliflower recipe (and you really, really should!!), please let us know by leaving a review below!
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For more weeknight favorites, check out the following recipes:
- Weeknight slow baked salmon with herb-shallot butter
- Anchovy chicken
- Accidental vegan roasted vegetable salad
- Chicken milanese with fennel slaw
- Crispy roasted brussel sprouts
Sicilian Cauliflower with Raisins & Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, homemade or store-bought
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- zest of 1 lemon, about 2 tsp, plus 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- high quality extra virgin olive oil, for serving
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
- Roast the cauliflower. Preheat oven to 425F. Place cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet, then drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp Kosher salt. Toss to combine, then roast for 15 minutes. Toss cauliflower on the baking tray, then return to the oven and continue cooking until tender, about 5 minutes more.
- Toast the breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup breadcrumbs, stirring until evenly coated and toasted, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Rehydrate the raisins. Place ¼ cup raisins in a small bowl, then cover with water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Toss to combine. When cauliflower is cooked, place in a large bowl. Top with toasted breadcrumbs, ¼ cup raisins, lemon zest, 2 Tbsp capers, 2 Tbsp parsley, 2 Tbsp pine nuts, and1 Tbsp white wine vinegar. Add lemon juice 1 Tbsp at a time, toss cauliflower, then taste and adjust seasoning adding more salt or pepper as needed. Add remaining tablespoon of lemon juice if desired.
- Finish, then serve. Drizzle with finishing extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with a pinch fo flaky sea salt. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Notes
- Dish can be served warm or room temperature. We do not recommend freezing, as the topping loses its crunchy texture.
what do you think i should use instead of white wine vinegar? Thanks!
You could use any other light vinegar — red wine, champagne, even something with herbs, like tarragon vinegar! If all you’ve got is balsamic, you CAN use it, it’ll just have a much stronger taste. I’d go light vinegar.
I made this tonight as a side and it was sooooo good. We loved it. The flavors were great there’s not one spoonful left. This will be on repeat. Thanks!
My FAVORITE cauli recipe!! Love the sweet and salty vibes. Thanks for your feedback!! xo, Ari
This was an AMAZING recipe!!! Omgsh I feel like I could have eaten the whole batch myself- it was so good and so easy to make. We easily made it vegan too with vegan bread crumbs. This was heavenly! Served it with our vegan scallops. Totally making this again, and soon!
Thanks, Britt! It truly is my favorite way to enjoy cauliflower and I’m so thrilled to hear it translated well with the modifications. Yay! xo, Ari