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Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower is a sweet and salty side dish that will get five stars from even the cauliflower haters! Oven roasted cauliflower meets a simple, gluten free and vegan friendly, sticky garlic soy sauce.

Cauliflower is such a delicious (& nutritious!) vegetable but it’s all in the way you prepare it. You may have been scarred by steamed cauliflower you had at a dining hall eight years ago, but I promise this recipe is nothing like that! My boyfriend is not much of a cauliflower fan and he actually ended up eating the majority of these Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower. The sauce is the perfect balance between salty, sweet and umami that truly elevates the cauliflower.

Why You’ll Love this Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower

It’s a nutritious and unique side dish!
It only requires about 5-10 minutes of active cooking time.
The cauliflower gets nice & golden in the oven.
The garlic soy sauce is sticky, sweet and salty.
It’s gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan friendly.
This recipe will convert all the cauliflower haters!

What You Need to Make Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower: A cruciferous vegetable that has so much potential when you cook it right and serve it with a really yummy sauce!
Olive Oil: This brand of olive oil is great! Discount code: MUNCHINWITHMADDIE for $5 off the “Drizzle” & “Sizzle” variety pack
Tamari (or Soy Sauce): Tamari is essentially just a gluten free version of soy sauce. Feel free to use regular soy sauce if you’re not avoiding gluten!
Sesame Oil
Garlic: 2 large cloves – but I’m not stopping you from putting more in!
Honey: The sweetness of the honey really balances out the salty tamari. For a vegan substitute, use maple syrup or date syrup.
Sriracha: For a small kick! Feel free to add more or omit entirely based on your spice preferences.
Ground Ginger: I used ground (dried) ginger in this recipe as I was out of fresh ginger, but either will work. If you’re using fresh ginger, I suggest starting with 1 tsp.
Tapioca Flour (or Arrowroot, Corn Starch): Tapioca flour is a grain-free substitute for corn starch and helps thicken the sauce. You can also use arrowroot starch or corn starch.
Optional Toppings: Sesame Seeds & Green Onion

What Should I Serve With This?

Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower is a great side dish or appetizer. To make it more filling as a main meal, I love to pair it with salmon (miso butter salmon, specifically) and some white or brown rice. Another option is to pair the cauliflower with tofu or tempeh for a vegan protein option. Now that it’s grilling season, why not try serving it with some simple grilled chicken breast or thighs!? Shrimp would be delicious too! The options are honestly endless, but I can promise that the Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower will be the star of your plate.

Tips & Tricks for Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower

Cut the cauliflower into small florets – Often, when you buy a head of cauliflower the florets are pretty large. If this is the case, cut the florets in half or quarters so that they are all roughly uniform in size. This way, the florets will get golden and tender without a crazy long roasting time.
Make sure the cauliflower isn’t overlapping on the pan – To make sure that the cauliflower gets roasted and crispy rather than steamed and mushy, it’s important to spread the cauliflower out on the baking sheet. You should be able to fit them all on one pan without overlapping, but if not then feel free to use multiple pans.
Flip the cauliflower halfway through cooking time – Flip them halfway so that they are crispy on all sides!
Start making the garlic soy sauce while the cauliflower is still roasting – To save time and make sure that the cauliflower is warm by the end of this recipe, start making the garlic soy sauce right after you flip the cauliflower (halfway through the cooking time).
Stir the sauce immediately after adding the tapioca flour – Tapioca flour (or arrowroot or cornstarch) can clump up quickly if you don’t stir it into the sauce right away.
Top with sesame seeds and chopped green onion – Of course these toppings are optional but I think they provide a really great extra crunch and burst of flavor! Highly recommend.

How Do Garlic Soy Roasted Cauliflower Leftovers Store?

I have to admit, we had no leftovers! Let’s just say, they were that good. Or maybe we just have big appetites lol. However, I imagine that these will store well in the fridge for at least a few days. I think they would even taste good cold! If you happen to make these as a meal prep or just attempt storing leftovers, please let me know how it goes for you in the comments or on Instagram.

Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.

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5 from 1 vote