Oh YUM. This roasted cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins has quickly become one of my favorite side dishes. Roasted cauliflower, toasted pine nuts, and sweet, softened golden raisins are tossed in a warm lemon and olive oil vinaigrette with fresh parsley. We had it on the side of pork tenderloin last night- it would be delicious paired with just about anything.
This recipe is 100% vegan, Whole30/Paleo compliant, and aligns with the Mediterranean Diet in that it’s plant-based and has healthy fats from olive oil and nuts. For those of you following along, I’ve been posting Mediterranean Diet recipes all during the month of January, to start the year off with one of the healthiest diets out there. This definitely fits the bill!
If you are looking for a lower carb (or just saltier) option, skip the raisins and substitute with capers or olives instead.
And if you are looking for an even more budget-friendly recipe, try chopped walnuts or slivered almonds instead of pine nuts, which can get a bit pricey.
OK, so I just took a short break from writing this post to eat the leftovers for lunch. I had them cold straight from the fridge. This recipe is WONDERFUL in that it’s delicious warm right out of the oven, at room temperature, and even cold the day after!
You could make this in advance or bring it on a picnic as a cold salad, or take it as a side in your work lunches all week. Because there is so little water in the cauliflower after its roasted, it didn’t get soggy either.
Perfection.
This recipe couldn’t be easier to make. First, roast the cauliflower on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet in the oven, simply, with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet, then add more oil, lemon juice, and the raisins. This will enable the raisins to soften and plump slightly. Stir in lemon zest and fresh parsley, toss the cauliflower with the dressing, and there you have it!
Need a recipe to use up your leftover golden raisins from this? Try this curried chicken salad. YUM.
Here’s the printable recipe for roasted cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins.
Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Equipment
- Medium skillet
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cored and cut into florets (about 4 cups total)
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (see notes)
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- juice and zest of one lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the cauliflower on the baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Spread cauliflower evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing once, or until browned and tender.
- Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts (1/4 cup) carefully in a medium, dry skillet over medium heat. Keep an eye on them- they are easy to burn! Once they begin to turn fragrant and have a light brown color, add the raisins (1/4 cup), remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and lemon juice to the skillet. Cook for about one more minute on very low heat, or until raisins have softened and plumped a bit.
- Turn off heat and stir in the parsley (1/4 cup) and lemon zest.
- Toss the roasted cauliflower with the pine nut and raisin mixture. Serve immediately when it's warm, or allow to cool to room temperature so the flavors marry a bit. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Notes
- Money saving tip: For a more budget-friendly option, substitute chopped walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds for the pine nuts.
- Raisin substitution: For a saltier, low-carb option, substitute capers or olives for the raisins.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Gail
Oh how I love this recipe and I’m NOT a raisin fan at all . The flavors blend gloriously ! We serve it with farro cooked with varietal of mushrooms . Delicious !!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Sounds like a wonderful meal.
Jeanne Mclauchlan
Excellent recipe. I also added diced celery to the cauliflower and baked for 5 minutes had no parsley so added dill. Raisins add nice texture to cauliflower
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Ana
Could I use cranberries instead of golden raisins?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Definitely! It will have a bit more of a tart flavor but I think it would work well if you don’t have raisins.
Andrea
I made this recipe last night and it was delicious! The lemon and parsley work well with the roasted cauliflower. Raisins added a delightful sweetness and the roasted pine nuts added texture and flavor . Even the non-cauliflower lovers enjoyed this dish. I served this as part of our “meatless Monday” meal.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked it! It’s one of my favorite ways to prepare cauliflower.
Kamal
I think we’ll try this out this week – thanks. Always looking for more ways to use cauliflower.
Elizabeth
Yay! I think you guys will like this one :-)