Roasted Cauliflower with Pickled Cherry Peppers
This roasted cauliflower with cherry peppers recipe will go down as one of your favorite side dish recipes ever. It is the perfect combination of flavors and textures coming together in one salty, sweet, tangy, crunchy bite.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the breadcrumbs:
- 1 1/2 cups cubed sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 8 whole sweet pickled cherry peppers, seeds removed and chopped
- 3 tablespoons pickled cherry pepper juice (from the jar of peppers)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Toss the 1 1/2 cups of bread cubes with the 1 tablespoon olive oil and the 2 cloves minced garlic and season with the 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until toasted and crisp, about 15-20 minutes.
- Turn oven up to 475°F. Toss the head of chopped cauliflower with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with the 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the upper third of the oven until browned and tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and add the 3 tablespoons chopped mint, 8 chopped cherry peppers and 3 tablespoons of juice right onto the baking sheet. Toss it all together and give a taste. Does it need more salt? More pickle juice? Maybe a drizzle of olive oil? Add it! Transfer to a serving platter. Crush the croutons into smaller pieces and sprinkle over the cauliflower and serve!
Notes
- Pickled cherry peppers: Pickled cherry peppers come in sweet and hot varieties. Pick the one you'd like to use.
- Make ahead: This cauliflower is good hot or at room temperature. It's a great dinner party side because it can sit at room temperature for about an hour and still be delicious.
- Breadcrumbs: Make your own or substitute store-bought garlic croutons.
- Removing the seeds from the peppers: Cut off the stem then cut around the seeds in the middle. Any leftover seeds can be scooped out with a small spoon.