Lemony Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
You can bake this delicious cauliflower risotto recipe in the oven! This healthy brown rice risotto is easy to make, requiring minimal stirring and effort.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Weāre seven days into our month away in Austin. So far, our daily routine has been moving at a more relaxed pace. I love it. Cookie and I are soaking up the sunshine and enjoying our walks around our eclectic neighborhood. Iāve learned how to get to the grocery store and Jeanine and Jackās place without the help of my phone, so I think Iām pretty much set! Iām going to do my best not to talk about this city non-stop for the next few weeks, but needless to say, Iām inspired.
This risotto is a riff on my mushroom risotto, which is one of my favorites. I used the same cooking method, which requires only minimal stirring. Brown rice offers more nutrients and fiber than white rice and offers more flavor (the more flavor, the better!). Both the rice and the cauliflower bake in the oven at the same time, so youāll have plenty of downtime to sip on leftover white wine while you wait.
I know there are still plenty of cauliflower haters out there. Ali is one of them and she even liked this lemony risotto! Roasted cauliflower is really another animal. When itās properly roasted, itās tender on the inside, crispy on the edges and nutty in flavor. It really shines in this peppery, lemony, texture-rich risotto.
In my mushroom risotto post, I mentioned that I had some ideas for how to make my risotto vegan. My big idea was to add a touch of white miso to make up for the umami flavor of Parmesan, but I tried it and it just tasted funny to me. However! The starch in the short-grain rice is responsible for most of the risottoās creaminess, so you could skip the Parmesan and add a vegan butter substitute or some extra olive oil in place of the butter. Vegans, please let me know if you give it a try.
If youāre on a cauliflower kick, donāt miss my cauliflower soup, favorite cauliflower rice, and roasted cauliflower tacos!
Le Creuset Cast Iron 3 1/2-Quart Round French Oven
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Lemony Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
You can bake this easy cauliflower risotto recipe in the oven! This healthy brown rice risotto requires minimal stirring and effort. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 5 cups (40 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (if your broth comes in 32-ounce containers, feel free to avoid opening another container by substituting 1 cup water for 1 cup broth in step 3)
- 1 Ā½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced into florets
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Ā½ cup dry white wine, optional
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
- Zest and juice of Ā½ lemon, preferably organic (about Ā¼ teaspoon zest and 1 tablespoon juice)
- Garnish: Ā¼ cup sliced almonds or a few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems and larger leaves torn into small pieces
Instructions
- Place your oven racks in the lower third and upper third positions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 4 cups broth (or 3 cups broth and 1 cup water), cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake on the lower rack until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but donāt worry!
- Immediately afterward, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil on your lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and some freshly ground black pepper and arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the pan. Roast on the upper rack until the florets are tender and the edges are deeply caramelized, tossing halfway. This took the full hour for me, but start checking the cauliflower for doneness around 40 minutes.
- In the meantime, toast your almonds in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and turning lightly golden on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine and butter. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the salt, a generous amount of pepper, pinch of red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice.
- Section off one-fourth of the cauliflower to use as a garnish. Chop any large remaining pieces of cauliflower into more bite-sized pieces before transferring three-fourths of the cauliflower to your pot of risotto. Stir in the cauliflower. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed.
- Divide the risotto into bowls and top with the remaining roasted cauliflower and a sprinkling of toasted almonds or fresh thyme.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my mushroom risotto.
*Make it nut free: Skip the almonds. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves instead.
Storage suggestions: This risotto keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for a few days.
Change it up: Feel free to substitute any prepared vegetables for the mushrooms!
If you must use white arborio rice: Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender to the bite, and proceed as directed.
If you donāt have a Dutch oven:Ā UseĀ a large saucepan instead, then carefully pour the boiling broth and rice mixture into a casserole dish. If the casserole dish has an oven-safe lid, use that; if not, cover it tightly with foil. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistās advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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This risotto sounds amazing! If you havenāt already, you should check out Easy Tiger Bake Shop on sixth street in Austin. I just love their pretzels!
Easy Tiger is on my list! Canāt wait to try those pretzels.
This looks lovely. I bet a couple hairs of saffron in there would be delicious?? xx
Great idea!
Sounds good to me. Iād probably add some cauliflower puree with evoo, nutritional yeast and garlic in it to help with the creamy factor as well as the taste.
Great ideas!
Yay, more ways to eat roasted cauliflower! This sounds like such a satisfying winter dish. So hot and creamy and delicious.
Who could possibly hate cauliflower when itās roasted and cooked in this fabulous recipe of yours?? Onion, garlic, cheese and wineāsimply music to my ears!
Sounds like a really delicious risotto! Putting it on my list :) thanks :)
I love roasted cauliflower, canāt wait to try this risotto!
A beautiful dish. It is flavorful and very healthy too. xo
This looks amazing Kate ā so creamy and comforting!
Looks amazing Kate!
I love risotto! This combination sounds divine!
This looks delicious!
Looks delicious! And please do talk about Austin non-stop!!!
I have lately seen it very often, people swaping rice for cauliflower. I would love to try it but I am a little bit scared of dealing with it, haha I think itās a little bit difficult to manage and cook. Idk I guess I just have to give it a try!
I have never tried swapping cauliflower for rice. I just added roasted cauliflower here. Itās not difficult to manage, hope you give it a try soon!
Yum! We love cauliflower and so excited to try this recipe out!
Oooohā¦this looks so yummy. Such a genius idea using cauliflower this way!
Cosy but still fresh, loving this! Enjoy Austin! We are heading there in the Spring, would love some recommendations!
Thanks, Emma! Iām sure Iāll have a ton of recommendations by the time I leave, but so far highlights have included Elizabeth Street Cafe, Sway, Torchyās Tacos and La Condesa.
Austin has always been on my traveling bucket list ā so glad you two are having a great time so far! Aaaand now Iām also adding this risotto to my cooking bucket list ā looks amazing!
Austin is so fun, hope you get a chance to visit soon! Thanks, Stephanie!
Yum! I made this tonight. It was a little soupy and I had to cook it down on the stove some. I used homemade chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. My husband ate every last bite. Iām going to have to try your mushroom risotto now!Thank you.
Thanks, Diana! Hmm, Iām not sure why yours was soupy. All of the liquid was absorbed when I took the lid off mine. The mushroom risotto is my favorite, enjoy!
Cauliflower risotto is one of my faves in winter! It is sooo creamy! I never made it with roasted cauliflower though (I usualy cut the cauliflower in small florets that I add in the pan with the broth, so that it cooks with the rice) so I guess I have to give it a try!
My tip for a vegan risotto : replace the butter and parmesan with cashew butter + nutritional yeast, both stirred in the rice in the end. Itās creamy and gives a cheesy taste to the dish!
Oh yum! Thatās a great idea, thanks Nina!
Do you recall how much nutritional yeast and cashew butter you used?
Regards,
Angela
Hey Kathryne,
I know you like yogaā¦ My favorite yoga teacher moved to Austin about two years ago and is teaching at a cute studio called Hyde Park Yoga Company. If thatās close to where you are staying, you should check classes her out. Her name is Jenn Coats.
Awesome! Thank you, Margarita. I would like to find a yoga studio here. I tried to go to one downtown but parking was insane! Iāll look up your friendās place.
This looks delicious!
Iām not vegan, but I hate cheese (I know, who hates cheese?? This girl). Iāve made a lot of vegetable risottos, and simply omit the cheese. It really isnāt necessary, and I donāt feel like itās missing anything. My cheese loving husband doesnāt even sprinkle any on top! Try it withoutā you probably wonāt miss it!
Definitely making this for dinner one day this week. Thanks, Kate!
You hate cheese?! Iām flabbergasted. :) Iāve tried risotto without cheese, itās very good! Hope you both enjoy this cauliflower version.
My husband and I are vegan, and I use an Earth Balance/coconut oil/EVOO combo when I make risotto (I wing itā¦). I also use more liquid than is traditionally called for so that the rice maintains its creaminess ā no cheese needed! This weekend, I made a lemon and asparagus risotto that was ridiculously good, but I never thought about putting in cauliflower. Iāll have to try it!
Your risotto sounds great, Lina! Hope you enjoy it with cauliflower, too.
thatās such a great idea to swap cauliflower for rice ā always looking for new ways to use it!
Mary
great idea! I love swapping cauliflower for rice, and your pics making me hungry!
Iām so glad that you are all having a great time exploring a new city! And talk about it all you want so I can live vicariously through you while I am trapped here behind my desk!
I must admit that I am a non-lover of cauliflower except when it is prepared in particular ways: roasted or raw. I canāt wait to try this risotto, and I love that it bakes in the oven!
Thanks, Amy! We are having such a good time here. Hope you love this risotto!
Maybe nutritional yeast could sub in for the parmesan? Iāve never cooked with it myself but one of my favorite vegan salads from this place we get sandwiches from has nutritional yeast coated kale chips and those things taste so cheesy!
Maybe so! I bet you could add it to taste.
Tried it today! Super delicious. I just substituted the rice with barley. It gave the recipe an even creamier texture.
Thanks, Roula! Glad it turned out well with barley!
This was delicious and the leftovers I had for lunch were even yummier. The parmesan cheese was a little clumpyā¦could it have been from using pre-shredded? Is there a trick to it?
Hmm, I havenāt encountered clumpy Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese is often coated with powder that is supposed to prevent clumping in the bag but can prevent proper melting, so that could be it.
I donāt think Iāve ever gotten my risotto that creamy before!!! I need to try your methodā¦anything that yields creamier risotto with less stirring sounds good to me!
How am I just finding out that youāre in Austin?! Isaac and I visited a couple years ago and LOVED it. There are so many great restaurants ā here are some of my favorites: Elizabeth St. Cafe (itās sooo good!), Second Bar & Kitchen, Food Heads (get a sandwich with roasted sweet potatoes), and Parkside (our friend works there). Have fun and enjoy. <3 <3
Ali and I are in Austin for the month! Weāve been to the first two places you mentioned, so good. Just added the latter two to our list! Thanks, Brittany! Hope you have a great weekend.
Love your website and all the delicious recipes you share! If you have time, you should try to go to Bouldin Creek Cafe on South First street. Itās a great little vegetarian and vegan cafe with a truly terrific brunch/really all meals :) And serendipitously, there is a wonderful french bakery, la patisserie, one block over on Annie street. It has the best macarons Iāve ever had! Hope you get a chance to try it outā¦
Hey Rebecca, thank you! Iāve enjoyed Bouldin Creek Cafeās offerings twice now. I will have to hunt down those macarons next! Thank you for the recommendations!
This is the perfect comfort food. My entire family loved it.
Thank you, Heather! Iām so glad to hear it.
I am not an experienced cook at all, but was able to figure this out without much difficultly and it turned out deliciously! Thanks for a healthy risotto recipe.
Hooray! Thanks, Elisabeth!
I am vegan and I love this recipe! As you said, I added a butter substitute (Earth Balance) and sprinkled in some cooking yeast flakes. Itās a great substitute for Parmesan cheese because it gives a similar flavor. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!! I recently found your website and will be subscribing for sure! :)
Thanks, Jillian! So glad this worked for you. Hope you enjoy my other recipes as well!
Forgot to rate thisā¦
I made a vegan version ā just left out the parmesan and added olive oil instead of butter. It was scrumptious! I didnāt add nutritional yeast because I was pleased with the flavor already, but Iām sure it would add extra yumminess.
Thank you, Karin! Your version sounds great to me!
could this be made on the stove instead of in the oven? It sounds delicious but I donāt have a dutch oven :(
Yum! Delicious dinner!
Hooray, thanks April!
Made this one for Super Bowl Sunday (not very traditional, but I had forgotten Sunday was Super Bowl and had already bought the ingredients). I invited my in-laws over to watch the game, and I cooked risotto (and chicken wings) and half-watched the game/commercials. My meat-eating in-laws and sister-in-law really liked it (said it was better than the chicken wings). My vegetarian husband was not so into itā¦said it tasted like mac-n-cheese and he hates mac-n-cheese. I also couldnāt get my 5 and 7 year old girls to eat it, but they are really picky too. I did add the wine, and there was definitely a wine taste to it, which the kids may have not been so into. The roasted cauliflower was perfect and so easyā¦I will definitely make cauliflower as a side that way more often. So, mixed reviews at my house, but I will still give it a 5 since lots did really enjoy it.
I would like to make this delicious sounding recipe, but I am a bit confused. Do you cook the risotto in the oven for an hour and then cook it for another hour while the cauliflower roasts?
Hi, Kate. I made this last night and it was delicious. I also left out the butter and substituted extra virgin olive oil (the one I use is on mild to moderate side so it doesnāt overwhelm a dish like this). Served it with flounder filet which I dust lightly with flour and pan-fry in EVOO. Once the fish is cooked, I remove it, add a little lemon and white wine to the pan to create a light sauce and drizzle that over the fish. The subtle lemon flavor so in the risotto and the fish complemented each other very nicely. The family loved it and I may adapt your method to all my risotto recipes. Thank you!
I just found your blog today and made BOTH this cauliflower risotto and your chana masala for dinner. They were delicious (but perhaps not meant to go together). My meat-loving spouse and 4 and 6 year old boys loved it too (not an easy feat). The toasted almonds were a wonderful topping. I had to use lime instead of lemon (whoops) because I didnāt have lemons ā but the rest I followed including the wine. Delicious!! I canāt wait to make more of your recipes!
Lisa
I had cauliflower to use up, so I searched your site for something to make with it. This was truly delicious! I did substitute 8 oz of water, as you directed, since the broth I had came in a 32 oz container, but did use the optional 1/2 cup of wine, and I donāt think the water took away any of the richness or flavor. This is definitely another one of your great recipes, and I loved how so much of it was done in the oven while still turning out so well.
I made this last week. It was amazing! I had leftovers for a few lunches, too. It made my week!
I know this isnāt new, but I just came across it ā and it immediately became a favorite fall/winter recipe! Kate, you totally nailed the risotto base, and I never intend to make it any other way; this version is so much easier, and the brown rice cooks up perfectly. I made a slight variation last night with roasted lemon slices, jalapeƱo, and broccoli, and I had to stop myself from licking the bowlā¦ok, I licked the bowl.
This recipe is sooooo easy and sooo yum. Only downside is the cooking time, so not suitable when famished, but as no constant stirring required, is a great recipe. Iāve added capsicums and mushrooms too at times to change it up wh is nice
Try nutritional yeast instead of parmesan? It really delivers that umami taste.
Appreciate the note, Uri!
This recipe was delicious! I used long grain brown rice and substituted the Parmesan with nutritional yeast! Didnāt add the white wine but it wasnāt missed. Rice was done in 60 minutes. Yummy and will definitely make this one again!
Thank you, Susan!
Iāll give this recipe a go! Iām vegan, but my Italian fiancee isnāt. Usually when we make risotto, it is creamy enough once youāve cooked it for long enough, so we leave a portion for me without the parmesan and then we add it for everyone else after.l Itās really easy just to leave it like that, but Iāll try with vegan butter to add creaminess and report back :)
Yes, please let me know!