Roasted cauliflower is transformed by spinach basil pesto to make it an incredibly delicious side dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes!
In an effort to incorporate more veggies into my diet, I’m looking for FUN ways to do just that. Because who wants boring steamed veggies when you can have deliciously flavored roasted cauliflower?!
Roasting cauliflower brings out such a delicious and rich flavor, which is complemented so well by the vegan spinach basil pesto. AND there’s enough pesto left over to serve with whatever else you’re eating. Win-win!
How to Cook Cauliflower
Preheat your oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the cauliflower into florets or buy pre-cut cauliflower (that’s what I did!). If you’re not sure how to do this, this article by Serious Eats on cutting cauliflower is super helpful!
Then spread the cauliflower on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss together until the cauliflower is evenly coated.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes (flipping halfway through). The cauliflower should be slightly golden. Remove from the oven.
How to Make Spinach Basil Pesto
I always thought pesto was so much harder to make, when it’s actually quite simple! The most important tip I could possibly give you is to use fresh ingredients.
Combine spinach, basil, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and salt in a food processor. Process until the ingredients are finely minced, adding water gradually to thin out the pesto. Use a spatula to push down the pesto as needed. And, voila, you’re done in less than 5 minutes!
What to Serve with Pesto Cauliflower
This pesto cauliflower would go so well with a simple baked salmon and roasted sweet potatoes. Especially because you can use the leftover spinach basil pesto as a sauce for the salmon. Yum!
Another delicious pairing would be linguine and shrimp, using the pesto to evenly coat both the pasta and the shrimp. I’m getting hungry just thinking about this.
Of course, feel free to get creative and combine the cauliflower with whatever your heart desires! Tag me on Instagram with your creations – I’d love to see what you come up with!
Love this veggie dish? Then you’ll absolutely love these other side dishes!
- Lemon Parmesan Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Maple Roasted Carrots with Lemon-Maple Tahini Sauce
- Lemon Ricotta Butternut Squash Toast
Pesto Cauliflower
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 lb 16 oz cauliflower florets
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
Spinach Basil Pesto
- 1 cup packed spinach
- 1 cup packed basil
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread cauliflower evenly on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Mix well to evenly coat the cauliflower. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is slightly golden. Remove from oven.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, make the spinach basil pesto. In a food processor, add spinach, basil, walnuts, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Process until ingredients are finely minced, adding water gradually to thin out the pesto sauce.
- Drizzle pesto over the cauliflower and serve immediately. Store leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Marta says
I love cauliflower and I love pesto, but I’ve never thought to make a dish with both! Thanks for the recipe!
Jere Cassidy says
I just had just cauliflower, seriously, however, I was being lazy and just steamed it. It was boring and not good. Now I am looking at your cauliflower with pesto. I will be making this next time.
Lesli Schwartz says
I roasted up some orange cauliflower last night and now wish I had this pesto to mix it with! Looks so easy and delicious. A perfect sauce for roasted veggies!
Stine Mari says
Roasted cauliflower has so much more flavor. And I love how veggie packed that pesto is – makes it so easy to eat a lot of vegetables!
Ramona says
I always have homemade pesto made and this is something I never thought of pairing. Please don’t ask why. I absolutely love the idea, thank you so much for the inspiration!
Jacqui DeBono says
This is a great recipe for a quick and easy (and healthy!), snack or to serve to guests as an appetizer. Pesto with anything is always good, and roasted cauliflower is especially flavourful.
Gail Montero says
I’ve been roasting a lot of veggies of late so I need to add this to my menu as it’s so tasty! Love the touch of green which makes this a perfect summer side!
Alexis says
I love pesto and roasted cauliflower but never thought to put the 2 together. This is amazing!