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posted February 15, 2021

Grilled Whole Roasted Cauliflower

This Grilled Whole Roasted Cauliflower is easier than you can possibly imagine, as minimum prep work is required and it is served family style for a tasty side you’ll make over and over again.

Grilled whole roasted cauliflower on a wooden cutting board with a striped towel and bottle of olive oil in the background.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

This whole roasted is an awesome side dish that is both hearty and low calorie. When I say hearty and low-cal in the same sentence, many of you would scoff, but as tons of you already know cauliflower is just that.

It is filling and almost meaty in its texture while being full of vitamins, minerals, and even protein! If you’re following whole30, paleo, or vegetarian/vegan diets, cauliflower is a saving grace of flavor and fulfillment. I’ve seen people roasting whole heads of cauliflower and eating them as one (i.e. me) might roast and eat a big hunk of beef. For us, it’s the perfect side dish but you go on and eat it however you see fit and enjoy!

I season mine liberally with my Homemade Sweet Rub, but any seasoning you love can be used. You can also purchase this Signature Sweet Rub pre-made and delivered straight to your door. If you’re not into collecting different rubs and spices, salt and cracked black pepper are delicious as well!

Olive oil being drizzled on a whole head of cauliflower.

Grilled Cauliflower Head

Simple sides are a busy mom’s saving grace. That’s why I am seriously obsessed with my grill. It takes any old veggie and turns it into something drool worthy (like broccoli, corn, or zucchini) with minimum effort. If it is grillable, I will find a way to make it happen. That’s just one less pan I have to clean up when dinner is over and a healthy veggie I won’t have to fight my kids to eat. 

Speaking of serving meals family-style, one of my favorite tips is to serve grilled meals in a large bowl or on a platter. Straight from the grill to the platter to the plate. No need for tons of serving dishes or bowls that you’ll just have to wash later and everything can be simply and beautifully arranged to make it feel like you’re getting this amazingly huge feast for dinner.

There’s something about big heaped on piles of food just screams hearty, even if it’s all low-cal veggies and lean meats.

Seasoned whole cauliflower on the grill grates of a grill.

How to Roast a Whole Cauliflower on the Grill

Roasting a whole cauliflower on the grill is as easy at it gets. All you need is super simple seasoning, a hot grill (charcoal or gas will work great for this recipe), and you’ve got a whole roasted cauliflower ready in under 30 minutes. 

  1. Trim. Remove large leaves from the cauliflower head and cut the stem off the bottom of the cauliflower so it sits nice and flat.
  2. Season. All you need to season this cauliflower is olive oil and sweet rub. If you don’t have any sweet rub on hand, you can also season this with your favorite seasoning or equal parts salt and pepper. Feel free to go as simple or complex as you want with the seasoning on this cauliflower. 
  3. Grill. With your grill preheated to 400 degrees F, place your whole cauliflower in a grill basket or on a grill-safe baking sheet (you can also grill the cauliflower directly on the grill grates, if desired. Place the whole cauliflower on the grill, close the lid, and grill for 25-30 minutes. You’ll know your cauliflower is done when you can pierce the flesh with a fork and it is nice and tender. The top will also be a gorgeous golden brown.
  4. Serve. You can enjoy this immediately. Slice into large pieces or sections to serve.

Can it get easier than this? I think not! Make sure to leave a comment below with your favorite way to enjoy this roasted cauliflower.

Grilled seasoned whole cauliflower head on a wood cutting board next to a chefs knife and a bowl of seasoning.

More Roasted Vegetable Recipes

Roasted Vegetables on the grill pack in all the flavor and all the nutrients. Check out a few popular grilled and roasted vegetable recipes from Hey Grill Hey below.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Grilled whole roasted cauliflower on a wooden cutting board with a striped towel and bottle of olive oil in the background.

Grilled Whole Roasted Cauliflower

This Grilled Whole Cauliflower is easier than you can possible imagine, as minimum prep work is required and it is served family style for a simple side.
3 from 2 votes
Prep Time : 5 mins
Cook Time : 15 mins
Total Time : 20 mins
Servings : 4 people
Calories : 105kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon Signature Sweet Rub (or equal parts salt and pepper)

Instructions

  • Trim the cauliflower. Break off any large and excess leaves on the bottom of the cauliflower. Use a large knife to cut the stem flat so the cauliflower sits without tipping over.
  • Preheat the grill. Start your grill and set the heat to medium. Allow the grill to preheat to approximately 400 degrees F while you season the cauliflower.
  • Season the whole cauliflower head. Drizzle the cauliflower with the olive oil and season with the sweet rub (or salt and pepper). Place in a grill basket for stability (if you have one) or onto a baking sheet.
  • Roast the cauliflower head on the grill. Put in cauliflower on the grill and roast for 25-30 minutes or until the flesh of the cauliflower is fork tender and the top begins to brown.
  • Enjoy! Serve immediately by slicing off large pieces for each portion.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
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**This post was originally published in August 2015. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.

Grilled Whole Roasted CauliflowerGrilled Whole Roasted CauliflowerGrilled whole roasted cauliflower heygrillhey.comGrilled - Whole Roasted Cauliflower

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