Don't throw out cauliflower leaves! Instead, make Roasted Cauliflower Leaves which are so crispy and fun to eat, especially when served with spicy chili aioli. They're smoky, crispy, juicy, delicious. Oh, and low-carb too, if that matters to you.
A great healthy snack or side dish!
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Cauliflower leaf recipe
If you get your cauliflower from the farmer's market or in a CSA delivery, then your cauliflower might come with long cauliflower leaves still attached on the outside of the actual cauliflower head.
Those leaves are edible, healthy, delicious, and are very easy to cook!
If you've been following along on Babaganosh for a while, you'll know that I always try to reduce food waste, and that I like to use up every part of the vegetable (or the chicken or the salmon.... see my crispy chicken hearts and my salmon skin bacon recipes... nothing goes to waste!).
So when my cauliflower comes with the leaves still attached... I look at it as free bonus veggies! And I roast the leaves because they make a delicious side dish or veggie snack.
And so should you.
Related: Ways to Stretch the Meat Budget
Related recipe: Roasted Cauliflower with Parsley Pesto
What do cauliflower leaves taste like?
Cauliflower leaves have a mild cauliflower flavor. The edges of the leaves get crispy in the oven (kind of like kale chips), and the thick stem part gets nice and juicy. The rest of the flavor comes from the seasonings and the dip you choose: for this recipe, I made a mix of easy seasonings and garlicky smoky seasonings and an umami-rich chili aioli dip.
Related recipe: Fried Enoki Mushrooms with Chili Aioli
Chili aioli
This chili aioli is my go-to dip for veggies that could use a little smokiness, spiciness, and umami. It's super easy to make in a small bowl (mayo + chili sauce (I love this Zhong sauce!) + lemon juice, no serious measuring required) and has the perfect balance of creaminess, tang, and spice. Give it a try, trust me!
This recipe makes a little bit of extra sauce and it's so good with ANY roasted vegetables! So make sure to scoop up every last bit.
Ingredients
For the cauliflower leaves:
- Leaves from 1 head of cauliflower
- Olive oil in a sprayer (I love this refillable oil sprayer... or use about ½ - 1 tablespoon olive oil if you don't have a sprayer)
- ½ teaspoon salt*
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin (this adds nice smokiness)
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (this is one of my favorite seasonings EVER!)
*Instead of all these seasonings, you can substitute with your favorite seasoning mix or Cajun seasoning to make them spicy. Add salt if your seasoning mix doesn't have salt.
For the dip and for serving:
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce, paste, or oil (or adjust to taste since this stuff is pretty spicy! I LOVE this Zhong sauce)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- chili sauce for drizzling
- lemon or lime wedges for squeezing
Related recipe: Cauliflower Fritters with Dill Aioli
Equipment
- Large baking sheet (I use an 11x17-inch one so I don't crowd the cauliflower leaves. This helps them get crispy.)
- Paper towels to dry the cauliflower leaves
- Small bowl
Related recipe: Cauliflower Chicken Soup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil.
Thoroughly wash the cauliflower leaves, taking time to wash each one individually. Little worms and caterpillars like to hang out in there. Use a paper towel to dry the extra water, this will help them crisp up in the oven. Optional: cut the cauliflower leaves into 1-2 inch pieces. That will make them easier to eat, but I do love how awesome they look when they are whole.
Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl and mix well.
Arrange the cauliflower leaves on the baking sheet in a single layer. It's OK if the green parts overlap a little but try not to crowd them. Spray the tops generously with olive oil. Alternatively, you can combine the cauliflower leaves with ½ - 1 tablespoon olive oil and use your hands to rub the oil into all the leaves. Sprinkle a generous amount of the seasoning powder on top of all the cauliflower leaves.
Roast at 400F for 13-18 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves are crispy and the inner stems are softened (test with a fork). If the leaves are starting to brown but the leaves are still very firm, lower to heat to 350F.
While the cauliflower leaves are roasting, make the chili aioli dip: in a small bowl, combine the mayo, chili sauce, and lemon juice. Mix well and give it a taste. Add salt if needed, and adjust the flavor to your liking with chili sauce or lemon juice.
Serve the crispy leaves warm, drizzling with chili sauce or chili oil, squeezing some fresh lemon juice on top, and dipping into the sauce.
Related recipe: Air Fryer Cauliflower Steak
What to serve with cauliflower leaves
These roasted cauliflower leaves go with pretty much any dish for a main course. It's great with air fryer chicken, blackened salmon, and vegetarian dishes, such as sweet potato chickpea burgers.
Related recipe: Roasted Radishes
Reheating cauliflower leaves
These cauliflower leaves are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. If you have leftovers, reheat them in the oven at 400F for a couple of minutes, or until the leaves are heated through and the edges are crisp again.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Crispy Roasted Cauliflower Leaves
Ingredients
- leaves from 1 head of cauliflower
- ½ tablespoon olive oil sprayer - (or about ½ - 1 tablespoon olive oil)
- ½ teaspoon salt - (instead of the seasonings below, you can use any favorite seasonings)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce - (or paste or oil—adjust to taste since this stuff is pretty spicy! I LOVE this Zhong sauce)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- chili sauce - for drizzling
- lemon or lime wedges - for squeezing
Special equipment
- large baking sheet (I use an 11x17-inch one to not crowd the leaves)
- Paper towels to dry the cauliflower leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil.
- Thoroughly wash the cauliflower leaves, taking time to wash each one individually. Use a paper towel to dry the extra water, this will help them crisp up in the oven. Optional: cut the cauliflower leaves into 1-2 inch pieces, which would make them easier to eat.
- Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl and mix well.
- Arrange the cauliflower leaves on the baking sheet in a single layer without overlapping, if possible. Spray generously with olive oil. Alternatively, you can combine the cauliflower leaves with ½ - 1 tablespoon olive oil and use your hands to rub the oil into all the leaves.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the seasoning powder on top of all the cauliflower leaves.
- Roast at 400F for 13-18 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves are crispy and the inner stems are softened (test with a fork). If the leaves are starting to brown but the leaves are still very firm, lower to heat to 350F.
- While the cauliflower leaves are roasting, make the chili aioli dip: in a small bowl, combine the mayo, chili sauce, and lemon juice. Mix well and give it a taste. Add salt if needed, and adjust the flavor with chili sauce or lemon juice, if needed.
- Serve the crispy leaves warm, drizzling with chili sauce or chili oil, squeezing some fresh lemon juice on top, and dipping into the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Katie
Saturday 4th of November 2023
I thought I was the only one who knew the secret deliciousness that lies in the leaves! Thanks for highlighting ;-)