You gotta give it to cauliflower—it has really come into its own in recent years. It’s the ultimate “chameleon” vegetable. And there are few better ways to eat it than roasted and glazed.
This dish is the perfect balance of rich, sweet, and spicy. It takes less than 10 minutes of active prep time, with another 15-20 minutes to roast, making it the ideal side dish for a busy weeknight or a dinner party.
The 3-Ingredient Chili Caramel Glaze
The secret to this “candied” effect is the Chili Caramel Glaze. We use a combination of:
- Vegan Butter: We love Miyoko’s Creamery vegan butter for this.
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: For that piquant kick.
- Coconut Sugar: To keep it grain-free and give it that deep, molasses-like sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use regular butter and sugar? Absolutely. If you don’t have dietary restrictions, dairy butter and white or brown sugar work perfectly.
- Is this similar to Gobi Manchurian? It has a similar flavor profile but is much healthier since it’s roasted in the oven rather than deep-fried!
- How do I get the cauliflower extra crispy? The trick is to preheat your sheet pan in the oven before tossing the cauliflower on. That immediate heat sears the bottom and prevents sogginess.
This simple cauliflower dish is rich, sweet, and a great side for anything you have planned. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Main Dishes to Pair with Roasted & Candied Cauliflower
- Easy Chili Lime Grilled Shrimp Recipe
- 10-Minute Salt & Vinegar Chicken
- Pork Chops with Maple Mustard Sauce
- Grilled Lemongrass Chicken
Roasted Candied Cauliflower
Servings:
A quick side dish that makes cauliflower much less boring and a joy to eat.
Ingredients:
To Roast The Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower cut into flourettes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp allspice powder
For the Chili Caramel Glaze
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup thai sweet chili sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
To Garnish
- cilantro leaves
Directions:
Roast the Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 425 and put a pan in the oven to also heat.
- Toss together the cauliflower, olive oil and spices to coat evenly. Slide onto heated pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Turn heat off and let the cauliflower sit in the oven while you prepare the caramel glaze.
Make the glaze
- In a pan or wok, combine the glaze ingredients. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Put it all together
- Add the roasted cauliflower to the glaze and toss to coat. Place in a serving bowl and top with cilantro leaves. Serve warm.
We’re not vegan and don’t have any dietary restrictions. Would this recipe work with regular butter and sugar?
Yes, it would!
Reminds me of Gobi Manchurian only healthier since it’s not fried! Looks amazing. I’m going to try this on the weekend. Thanks for the recipe.
Vegan butter and coconut sugar, is that for Julia’s diet requirements? I assume I can use more readily available dairy butter and regular sugar or would turbinado more closely approximate the unrefined quality of palm sugar?
Yes! This recipe was modified for our family, but regular butter and sugar work!
Hey! Looks good. I know you’ve used vegan butter in other recipes, but I have never a seem vegan butter in sticks. Which brand did you use?!
Earth Balance!