Lemon Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Mascarpone is an easy yet impressive appetizer! This naturally gluten-free dish is savory, salty, and sweet!
I got my inspiration for this recipe from a trip to New York City with girlfriends. We had a very similar appetizer at La Pecora Bianca in Bryant Park. La Pecora served their roasted cauliflower with golden raisins and slivered almonds. I changed my recipe to include honey in the mascarpone and pomegranate arils which are full of antioxidants. This roasted cauliflower has become one of my favorite recipes to serve during the holidays!
If you are looking for another easy appetizer, try this Savory Roasted Sweet Potato and Mushroom Tart. This recipe uses a puff pastry, goat cheese, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms for a light and tasty handheld appetizer. Or, try these Crispy Honey Old Bay Wings. These wings are always a crowd-pleaser and perfect for football games!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients. This recipe uses basic ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store.
- Different! This recipe thinks outside of the box!
- Naturally gluten-free. There is always someone who is eating gluten-free when I am hosting. This recipe is naturally gluten-free so you can please everyone!
Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients
The ingredients to make the roasted cauliflower are pantry staples! Here is what you will need:
- Cauliflower florets are tossed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, and black pepper and then roasted until soft.
- Lemon juice and lemon slices for roasted with the cauliflower for some extra tang.
- Mascarpone cheese and honey are whisked together for a light and creamy cheese base.
- Pomegranate seeds top the mascarpone cheese and add a slight sweetness and pop of color to the appetizer.
Substitutions
- Mascarpone cheese is somewhat of a seasonal food item. If you can’t find mascarpone cheese at your local grocery store, substitute ricotta or cream cheese.
- Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, or turnips can be substituted for the cauliflower. These vegetables have a similar taste and texture to cauliflower when roasted.
- Substitute the pomegranate arils with golden raisins.
- The honey can be substituted with agave nectar or maple syrup.
Variations
- To make it spicy, add some red pepper flakes to the cauliflower.
- For extra flavor, add fresh herbs such as fresh thyme or rosemary to the whipped cheese.
- For more lemon, add lemon zest to the whipped mascarpone.
- To make the cheese even smoother, add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil or truffle oil for extra flavor!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower with the extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper and add to the baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Remove cauliflower from the oven and toss with the juice from 1 lemon. Add lemon slices to the cauliflower and roast for an additional 10 minutes for a total time of 20 minutes in the oven.
Step 3: While the cauliflower is roasting, add the mascarpone cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk the cheese at a medium speed until smooth and fluffy about 2 minutes. Add the honey, salt, and pepper to the cheese and whisk together until combined.
Step 4: Spread the whipped mascarpone cheese onto a flat serving tray or plate. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and top with the roasted cauliflower and lemon slices. Serve warm.
Equipment
- A stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a handheld mixer
- Rimmed baking sheet
Top tip
Make sure that the mascarpone cheese comes to room temperature before whisking. This will help the cheese to whisk evenly and avoid clumps.
FAQ
Serve the Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Mascarpone warm as an appetizer. You can add crostini alongside to make handheld cauliflower toasts.
Yes, you can make the whipped mascarpone cheese ahead of time! Simply whisk the cheese ingredients together and spread out onto a serving tray. Refrigerate the serving tray until ready to serve. When ready to serve, roast the lemon cauliflower and then top over the mascarpone cheese. I do not recommend making the cauliflower ahead of time.
To prevent the cauliflower from becoming soggy while roasting, make sure that the cauliflower is completely dry after you rinse it off before chopping. Spread cauliflower florets in a single layer on the baking sheet being careful not to overcrowd the baking dish. Roast the cauliflower until it is lightly golden brown in color.
Related
Looking for more appetizer ideas? Try one of these recipes:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Lemon Roasted Cauliflower:
Lemon Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Mascarpone
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 Head of Cauliflower chopped into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Lemons
- Seeds from a Pomegranate
Whipped Mascarpone
- 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil. Toss cauliflower with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake cauliflower for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss cauliflower. Add the juice from one lemon and slices from the other lemon. Cook for 10 additional minutes until cauliflower begins to brown.
- Add mascarpone cheese, honey, salt, and pepper to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix together until light and creamy.
- Spread whipped mascarpone cheese onto a serving dish. Place cauliflower chunks and lemon slices on top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Nutrition
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