Buckle up—this dish is taking your tastebuds on an adventure. Garlic, lemon, parsley, basil and oregano come together to take our roasted cauliflower with charred lemon-herb pesto over the top.

If you're a fan of savoury, garlicky sauces (hummus, tzatziki, that kind of thing), this pesto is going to be right up your alley. We've paired it here with a full head of roasted cauliflower, to be served as a gluten-free side to your favourite protein, but it would also be delicious tossed with your favourite pasta.

Ingredients for Roasted Cauliflower with Charred Lemon-Herb Pesto

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, sliced into steaks approx. 1/2″ to 3'4″ thick
  • sprinkle of kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon, thickly sliced, seeds removed
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
  • 2 large sprigs fresh oregano
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
  • handful of fresh chives
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped slightly
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • juice of 1 lemon

Instructions for Roasted Cauliflower with Charred Lemon-Herb Pesto

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Remove outer leaves from cauliflower and the bottom of the stem, then slice into steaks approx. 1/2″ thick (you may have some smaller florets fall off—you can use them, too).
  2. Sprinkle with kosher salt, drizzle with olive oil and place on parchment-lined sheet pan.
  3. Slide into pre-heated oven and roast until charred at edges and tender when a fork is inserted into the thickest part.
  4. Meanwhile, sprinkle sliced lemons with salt and olive oil. Preheat your BBQ to medium-high, place lemon slices directly on the grill and cook for approx. 3-5 mins, until nicely charred and outer rind is softened. Set aside to cool before handling. (If you don't have a BBQ, or the weather's not cooperating, roast the lemons slices in your oven before roasting cauliflower.)
  5. In a food processor, add herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Roughly chop and add charred lemons. With the machine running, add olive oil until reaching the texture of a chunky paste.
  6. Remove cauliflower from oven and smear with as much pesto as desired. Serve alongside your favourite protein. Save any leftover pesto to use for another creation, like pasta or thinned out with more oil for salad dressing.

Find more of Pamela's gluten-free recipes at PamelasGlutenFreeRecipes.com.