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Surely you’ve seen the different colors of cauliflower in the markets lately. Plain, boring white has been joined by purple, neon green and orange, for a riot of color that will take the blah out of any ordinary dinner.
When Frieda’s Produce, the distributor of specialty fruit and vegetables, sent over one of each color, I was inspired by the color palette. As I broke apart the gorgeous heads of cauliflower into individual florets, I thought they resembled fireworks.
Thus was born Fireworks Roasted Cauliflower, amped up with orange-infused olive oil and spiced with ground chipotle, for a burst of looks AND flavor. Parmesan always compliments cauliflower, and toasted walnuts add crunch. 
Happy July 4th! I’ll be watching the fireworks at a nearby high school. Will you?
Recipe: Fireworks Roasted Cauliflower
Summary: Tri-colored cauliflower bursting with chipotle chile flavor makes a perfect reminder of July 4th fireworks.
Ingredients
- 1 head purple cauliflower
- 1 head orange cauliflower
- 1 head green cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons orange-flavored olive oil (I used Hotel Valencia Blood Orange Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
- Sprinkle of ground chipotle powder (~1/4 teaspoon; more if you like it hotter)
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup California walnuts, toasted
Instructions
- Turn oven on to 375 degrees.
- Trim stems and leaves off cauliflower heads, and break them into individual florets. Cut large florets in half vertically, or even in quarters if they are very large. Add florets to a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat florets, and sprinkle with ground chipotle. Toss again for even distribution of the chile powder. Scrape onto a baking sheet with low sides. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. The heat from the cauliflower will melt the cheese. Break up walnuts and sprinkle on top.
- Serves 6 or more, depending on appetites.
Recipe source
Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious
Variations
Omit the Parmesan cheese for a vegan version.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Diet type: Vegetarian
Diet tags: Gluten free
Number of servings (yield): 6
Culinary tradition: USA (Nouveau)
My rating
Disclosure: Thanks to Frieda’s Produce for sending the cauliflower for recipe development. As always, all opinions are mine. The photos and recipe are Shockingly Delicious originals.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Made this recipe last night and my family raved. Thanks so much.
Susani,
So great to hear that!
I love all the colorful cauliflower you can get these days. So cool that you combined all the colors. I also love that you used orange infused olive oil and chipotle. Great recipe and post, Dorothy!
Thank you, Bill!
Lovely recipe! did you know I never bought the purple cauliflower because I thought the color would not “hold” after cooking it? I guess roasting is different… this looks so good!
Sally,
It DOES remain purple after roasting! I know that isn’t true of all purple foods (asparagus comes to mind).
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