Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Green Herb Sauce

This whole roasted cauliflower is not your average vegetable side. Our recipe calls for folding a piece of parchment paper around the head before roasting, which traps in steam and results in a texture so tender, it's practically scoopable. Remove the parchment toward the end of cooking to give the head a chance to brown—once it's deep golden in color and smells nutty, you'll know you're in business. While the cauliflower finishes cooking, take a few minutes to stir together a quick, zippy herb sauce spiked with garlic, mustard, and vinegar—tangy and bright, it’s the perfect complement to the warm, roasted vegetable. Whether you serve it alongside a holiday roast or feature it as a satisfying, meatless main, this whole roasted cauliflower doesn't disappoint.

Why Roast Cauliflower in Parchment

Roasting a whole head of cauliflower takes time, and prolonged exposure to heat can cause the exterior to become dry and tough before the inner core has a chance to cook through. To get around this, we fold a large piece of parchment paper around the cauliflower—this traps steam and moisture, speeding up the cooking time and making a succulent, ultra-tender result.

Known as "en papillote" (French for "in paper"), this style of cooking is often used for delicate proteins such as fish—like in this salmon recipe—or lean items like boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but it works just as well for vegetables.

How to Buy and Store Cauliflower

At the store: When shopping for cauliflower, choose firm, tightly packed heads that feel heavy for their size and are free of brown spots. Most cauliflower sold in supermarkets is the white variety, but you can often find orange, green, or purple cauliflower at specialty shops and farmers markets; any color will work well for this recipe.

At home: Before storing cauliflower, remove it from its packaging and transfer it to a large resealable bag or a produce bag, leaving the top open slightly to release moisture. (Wait to wash it until you're ready to cook; just like with berries, introducing added moisture can cause it to spoil more quickly.) Stash it in your refrigerator's crisper drawer, where it should last for at least one week.

2 Ways to Store Fresh Herbs

Unlike sturdy cauliflower, tender herbs like parsley and cilantro can degrade quickly unless stored properly right from the start. Here are two simple ways to keep them fresh:

1. Treat them like flowers: If you have the fridge space, add an inch of water to two mason jars, then place each herb in a jar, with the stems touching the water. Refrigerate the herbs, changing out the water every few days.
2. Wrap and store: Alternatively, wrap each herb bunch in damp—but not soaking wet—paper towels, then transfer to a resealable bag and refrigerate.