• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Butter & Baggage logo
  • Home
  • Recipe Search
    • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Biscuits
    • Breakfast
      • Muffins
    • Desserts
      • Bars
      • Brownies
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Cookies
      • Fruit Desserts
      • Pies, Cobblers & Crisps
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Sauces & Dips
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Chilis
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Search
  • Recipe Index
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes » Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Raisins and Pine Nuts

    Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Raisins and Pine Nuts

    Published: May 30, 2022 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump To Recipe
    A black platter with roasted cauliflower with raisins and pine nuts.

    Roasted cauliflower with garlic, raisins and pine nuts adds a bit of sweetness to an already delicious way to cook cauliflower. Roasting cauliflower transforms the flavor and gives it a nice crunch along with the panko and pine nuts. Raisins sweeten the deal so that even your veggie haters will love it.

    A platter of cauliflower with serving spoons.

    After making all of Taylor’s favorite comfort foods for the last month while she was home from college, I was searching for something a little lighter to go with dinner. Roasted cauliflower with garlic is one of my favorite sides to make but I wanted to jazz it up a bit.

    A head of cauliflower on a black background.

    Nana was riding in the car with me and I had her look through a new cookbook I had picked up to see what inspiration she could find. We saw a recipe where they added raisins to roasted cauliflower and we decided to see what we could come up with.

    This is a super easy recipe that you can throw together in no time. While we thought it would be good, I wasn’t prepared for how the slightly sweet raisins and garlic complimented the roasted cauliflower.  We all loved this so much that there wasn’t a crumb left in the bowl.  Even Nana was crazy about it.  Who would have thought to add raisins to cauliflower.

    The result is a savory side with a hint of sweetness from golden raisins. Panko and pine nuts add some crunch along with the crispiness you get from roasting cauliflower, and the combined flavors make a delicious lighter side dish that we make over and over again.

    A spatula full of roasted cauliflower.

    Why you’ll love it

    • Golden raisins are delicious
    • Roasting cauliflower brings out the flavor
    • Pine nuts and panko make it crispy
    • It’s an easy side dish that will go with almost anything you’re making for dinner

    Show Stopper Sides

    5 Tips to make your next meal Spectacular!

      We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

      What you’ll need

      Ingredients for roasted cauliflower with raisins.
      • Golden raisins – you could use any type of raisins
      • Cauliflower – you can find in any time of year but it is in peak season from June through September
      • Pine nuts
      • Olive oil
      • Fresh thyme – if using dry, just add about ¼ teaspoon of dried.
      • Salt
      • Pepper
      • Butter
      • Garlic
      • Panko breadcrumbs – Panko bread crumbs will create a crispier texture than regular bread crumbs

      How to make Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic

      Step 1

      Cover raisins with boiling water in a small bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes until plump and drain. You can do this step while the cauliflower is roasting.

      Step 2

      Cut cauliflower into equal-size florets and place in a large bowl, add pine nuts, olive oil and thyme and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

      A bowl of cauliflower florets.

      Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes.

      Raw cauliflower on a baking sheet.

      Step 3

      While the cauliflower is cooking, microwave butter and garlic in a small glass bowl for 30 seconds. Stir in plumped raisins and breadcrumbs.

      A small bowl of toppings for roasted cauliflower.

      Step 4

      Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and turn oven to broil.

      A pan of roasted cauliflower with garlic and pine nuts on a baking sheet.

      Toss raisin mixture with cauliflower and broil for about 2 minutes until golden brown.

      Roasted Cauliflower with raisins added.

       FAQs and tips

      Why does roasted cauliflower get mushy?

      If you overcrowd the pan as you roast the cauliflower, it will not bake evenly and become mushy.

      Should cauliflower be washed before roasting?

      Yes, you should wash your cauliflower before roasting. However, it is not recommended to wash your cauliflower until you are ready to cut it up and use it.

      Is roasted cauliflower healthy?

      Yes, one cup of roasted cauliflower has lots of vitamin C.

       MORE side dishes

      • Butternut Squash Salad Recipe
      • Roasted Cauliflower with Browned Butter
      • Roasted Carrots Recipe
      • 30-Minute Baked Mac & Cheese with Spinach
      A black platter of roasted cauliflower with garlic next to serving spoons.

      Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic

      Author: Barbara Curry
      Roasted cauliflower with garlic, raisins and pine nuts adds a bit of sweetness to an already delicious way to cook cauliflower. Roasting cauliflower transforms the flavor and gives it a nice crunch along with the panko and pine nuts. Raisins sweeten the deal so that even your veggie haters will love it.
      5 from 1 vote
      Print Pin
      PREP: 10 minutes
      COOK: 20 minutes
      Servings: 4

      Ingredients
       

      • ¼ cup golden raisins
      • 1 head cauliflower
      • ¼ cup pine nuts
      • 2 tablespoons olive oil
      • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
      • ½ teaspoon salt
      • ¼ teaspoon pepper
      • 1 tablespoon butter
      • 1 clove garlic minced
      • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
      Prevent your screen from going dark

      Instructions
       

      • Preheat oven to 400º. Cover raisins with boiling water in a small bowl, let stand for 5 minutes until plump and drain.
      • Cut cauliflower into equal-size florets and place in large bowl. Add pine nuts, olive oil and thyme and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges of cauliflower are toasted.
      • While the cauliflower is cooking, microwave butter and garlic in a small glass bowl for 30 seconds. Stir in raisins and breadcrumbs.
      • Remove cauliflower from oven and turn oven to broil. Toss raisin mixture with cauliflower and broil for about 2 minutes until golden.
      Barbara’s Tips + Notes
      • You can use any type of raisin.
      • If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use about ¼ teaspoon of dried.
      • Try to make the pieces of cauliflower close to the same size so that they cook evenly. 

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1serving | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg
      Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

      Explore Recipes

      Side DishesLow CarbBaked
      « Easy Grilled Ranch Chicken Recipe
      Lemon Strawberry Shortcake »

      Reader Interactions

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      Primary Sidebar

      Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

      More about me →

      Subscribe

      Game Day Favorites

      • Baked Buffalo Wings
      • Homemade Chex Mix
      • Sour Cream and Onion Dip
      • Buffalo Chicken Bites
      • Spicy Roasted Nuts
      • Cream Cheese Crescent Roll Appetizer with Mushrooms

      Popular

      • Puff Pastry Pockets for Breakfast
      • Steak Marsala
      • Queso Chicken
      • Sausage Balls Recipe with Flour (Non-Greasy)
      • Graham Cracker Bark with Chocolate
      • Mini Croque Monsieur

      Footer

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      COPYRIGHT © 2023 BUTTER & BAGGAGE | PRIVACY POLICY
      BRANDING & CUSTOMIZATION BY GRACE + VINE STUDIOS

      110 shares