Give Cauliflower A Sweet And Smoky Twist With This Easy Addition

Long gone is the reputation that cauliflower is boring. This vegetable might actually be one of the most versatile there is — what else can be pizza crust one day, rice the next, and even spicy buffalo wings over the weekend? But one of the easiest ways to upgrade cauliflower has nothing to do with substituting it for anything else — it's just about adding barbecue sauce.

When you roast cauliflower with something as sweet and sticky as barbecue sauce, it almost caramelizes the vegetable even more, turning the edges dark like little charred bits you'd usually only expect to get on an outdoor grill. And a thicker sauce also sits in all the nooks and crannies of the cauliflower's florets in a way that a dry spice rub never could. It's just really all about timing: If you roast cauliflower in the sauce too early, the water from the vegetable will release into the sauce, making the final dish a little too soggy. So instead, roast the cauliflower first with just salt and oil, then brush it with barbecue sauce before giving it a quick, final broil for that charred finish.

This is a great time to whip up your favorite customized, homemade barbecue sauce where you can adjust the flavor to your own preference — for example, more vinegar will give it a tangier finish, or you can increase the smoked paprika or liquid smoke to really emulate that outdoor grill feeling. Although, on a busy weeknight you can also skip the homemade route altogether and stick with a good store-bought barbecue sauce for an impressive meal that doesn't take much effort.

How you prepare your cauliflower will matter just as much as the type of barbecue sauce you choose. Cutting the cauliflower into florets will give you the most crispiness as there is more surface area, and small pieces can be coated by the sauce more easily as well. However, whole roasted cauliflower heads are undeniably dramatic. They are quite a statement piece to put down on the table, more of a main meal than a side dish or snack, and you can slice into them like a real roast as well. The sauce would give it a glossy, sticky, and crisp outer layer whilst the inside stays soft and tender.

If you're looking for serious crunch, consider battering cauliflower florets to totally change the texture before you toss them in barbecue sauce. By coating bits of cauliflower lightly in batter before putting them in the oven, you'll get something a lot closer to cauliflower wings which can then be drizzled or brushed with barbecue sauce toward the end for a smoky glaze. 

This sweet, smoky, saucy cauliflower would be incredible in barbecue-style roasted cauliflower tacos topped with some slaw, and it would also work well on top of salads. Or, just eat it as it with a creamy dip on the side. If you don't want to oven-bake, the air fryer can also work well in smaller batches. It crisps up cauliflower in a similar way, just without the need for as much oil.