Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower

Name: Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine); 1 tablespoon honey; 1 tablespoon white miso; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper; 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup crème fraîche; 2 tablespoons mascarpone; 1 teaspoon honey; dash ground pepper; pinch ground cumin

Published: March 26, 2017 By Urban Foodie Kitchen Last Updated: July 3, 2021 29 Comments

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Take your side dish to the next level with this cauliflower glazed with a miso sauce and then roasted to crispy perfection!

Crispy roasted cauliflower with a miso glaze on a black matte plate

I've always had a love-hate, well actually mostly hate, relationship with cauliflower. I would look at it on veggie platters and think - YUCK! Do you know what I mean??

The one lovely evening last fall that all changed! I was having snacks and cocktails with a friend at Soho House in Chicago. It was my first time there and she is a member, so I let her decide what we should order. She picked the Cauliflower Fritti. I'm pretty sure I made a face! She promised me I'd love it....I was pretty skeptical, but it turns out she was right!

Ever since that fall evening when I first had the Cauliflower Fritti, I've been thinking about how to make a version of the dish, so one cold weekend in January I started working on it. From the name of the inspiration dish, you might guess that the cauliflower I had at Soho was fried. Since I'm also focused on healthier food choices and not a big fan of frying food at home, I decided roasting was the way to go. Turns out when you roast cauliflower it gets a nice slightly sweet taste that is super yummy!

I'll admit, there were a few mishaps with this one, as getting the breading to stick to the cauliflower took a little bit of experimentation! Making the miso sauce somewhat sticky and individually dipping each piece in the panko let the cauliflower get nice and crispy, almost like if was fried, which is what I wanted to achieve. The result is super tasty and something I think you'll want to make over and over again!

Close up of crispy miso roasted cauliflower with a swirl of dipping sauce on a black matte plate

This miso glazed roasted cauliflower makes the perfect side dish that seems fancy but is really easy to make. At just over 30 minutes from start to finish, I often include it in my weekday dinner menu, especially if I don't feel like doing something too complicated. You can pre-make the miso glaze a few days ahead of time so all you have to do is toss and roast the cauliflower.

Miso glazed cauliflower florets on a baking sheet before roasting

Individual crispy roasted cauliflower florets on a baking sheet

Tips for Roasting Cauliflower

Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. It's easier to dip them in the panko if you don't have too many and they get nice and crispy if they aren't too large.
Some of the miso glaze will sink to the bottom of the bowl, so when you are dipping the cauliflower in the panko be sure to use up that glaze to get an extra coating of miso on each floret!
To ensure the cauliflower gets crispy, leave some space between each floret on the baking sheet. That allows it to get crispy on all sides instead of starting to steam which is what can happen if the florets are too close together.
The miso glaze that gets on the baking sheet will get super crispy and a little burnt. I like to scrape this up and toss it on top of the cauliflower when serving, as it has a nice taste and adds a little crunch to the dish.
If you are looking for another great side dish that will be a hit with your dinner guests check out

What to serve with Miso Cauliflower

If you are looking to create a complete meal try serving this roasted cauliflower with these Open-Faced Grilled Steak Sandwiches or this Pork Tenderloin with Merlot Cherry Sauce. And if you want to do something really different, it makes a great replacement for the traditional side of fries with this Caramelized Onion Gruyere Burger!

More great side dishes

things you may want for this recipe

Silicon Baking Mats – I've only recently gotten into using these but have discovered they are a lifesaver. Just line your baking sheet with one and they keep all the sticky, gooey stuff off of your baking pans. Depending on the type, the mats may develop some discoloration, but they still work just fine. Many, like these from Food52 are even dishwasher safe for easy clean-up.