Last Updated on February 14, 2021
If you are looking for a different take on your usual roasted cauliflower, try this dish! This Roasted Cauliflower with Matcha Salt has a Japanese flavor twist.
Why Cauliflower?
Matcha salt is typically a condiment for tempra. But we figured we could use it for other dishes as well. Matcha salt hasn’t gained the popularity yet compare to other Japanese condiments or seasonings such as soy sauce and miso. Actually, we even forgot that it existed (lol) but we wanted to introduce something different but still tastes good and vegan! If you are interested, read this post.
It’s best to pair matcha salt with neutral flavor dishes not to kill the lusciousness of the matcha. Now, we don’t really eat tempra. Especially at home simply because we don’t want to deal with the smell of deep frying food in the air for days. For this dish, we chose cauliflower for a couple of reasons. It’s accessible to anyone and it doesn’t have a strong taste. Also, it’s easy to prepare and oven-roast. It would be a great way to introduce the flavor of matcha salt this way!
The Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil (plus more for serving)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Matcha Salt (1:1 ratio)
- 1/2 tsp matcha powder (more/less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (more/less to taste)
We’ve emphasized on using “neutral flavor ingredients” so you may be wondering why we use toasted sesame oil. Believe or not, it actually works really well with the nuttiness of the roasted cauliflower and enhance the overall flavor even with the matcha salt. By the way, matcha salt is not cooking salt, so don’t season the cauliflower florets with it before roasting! For baking cauliflower, use regular salt to season them lightly (make sure that it’s not too salty.)
For the amount of cauliflower florets, we used the blend which is 1/2 teaspoon each on matcha powder and fine sea salt. You can certainly increase (or decrease) the amount of each ingredients to your taste.
The Steps
How to Serve
Matcha salt should be served on the side rather than sprinkle on the roasted cauliflower florets. Simply, take a floret and dip the tip into the matcha salt. As soon as it hits your tongue, you can taste the savory bite with umami and bitteness of the matcha in your mouth!!
Roasted Cauliflower with Matcha Salt
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil (plus more for serving)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Matcha Salt (1:1 ratio recommended)
- 1/2 tsp matcha powder (more/less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (more/less to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 425°F.
- In a large prep bowl, combine cauliflower florets, grapeseed oil, toasted sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the florets are evenly coated.
- On a parchment paper lined backing sheet, spread out the cauliflower florets in a single layer. Pop it in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the edges are slightly charred.
- Meanwhile, prepare the matcha salt. In a small bowl, combine 1:1 ratio of matcha powder and fine sea salt in a bowl. Mix until well blended. Set aside.
- When the cauliflower is done, take it out of the oven. Serve with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil for the finishing touch. Matcha salt should be served on the side. Dip the florets into the matcha salt as you eat.
