Roasted Cauliflower Nachos
The following recipe and photography were provided by local blogger Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
Sure, you can serve these Roasted Cauliflower Nachos alongside your favorite party apps, but they shouldn’t be reserved just for gatherings! I’m always looking for new ways to serve vegetables at dinner and snack time for my family. Roasting cauliflower and serving it topped with classic nacho fixings is totally unexpected and an anything-but-boring bite can be served any night of the week.
Cauliflower can be pretty bland on its own, so seasoning it well before roasting is key. This recipe incorporates a number of Heinen’s spices, including chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder, to add lots of flavor. When cooking the cauliflower, be sure to give it lots of space on the pan (using two sheet pans, if necessary), so it can crisp up and not steam.
Roasted Cauliflower Nachos
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower, about 2 ½-3 lbs.
- 3 Tbsp. Heinen’s avocado oil
- 1 ½ tsp. Heinen’s chili powder
- ½ tsp. Heinen’s organic garlic powder
- ½ tsp. Heinen’s organic ground cumin
- ½ tsp. Heinen's smoked paprika
- Fine sea salt
- ½ cup Heinen’s organic black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ packed cup (2 oz.) Violife cheddar shreds
Toppings
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Heinen’s restaurant style mild salsa
- Olives, sliced
- Avocado, chopped
- Shredded lettuce
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Spray a sheet pan with avocado oil spray.
- Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut off the bottom stem. Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch steaks from top to bottom, then cut the steaks into 2-inch pieces. Cutting the cauliflower this way results in flatter pieces and more surface area for toppings.
- Toss the cauliflower pieces on the sheet pan with the oil and spices, then add salt to taste. Use your hands to coat the cauliflower well on both sides. Arrange the cauliflower pieces in a single layer, allowing space around the pieces so they don’t steam.
- Transfer the pan to the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, or until just fork tender. Do not overcook.
- Remove the pan from the oven and taste to see if the cauliflower needs more salt. Then, top with the black beans and cheddar.
- Return the pan to the oven for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
- Top the nachos with cilantro, salsa, olives, avocado and shredded lettuce. Serve with lime wedges.
