Halloween Roasted Cauliflower Brain
Make this spooky and grotesque Roasted Cauliflower Brain for your next Halloween party or dinner table. This is a healthy and delicious plant-based dish that is gluten-free and low-carb. Everyone loves this scary side dish.
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or not, this is a fun dish to make.
If you have a picky eater on your hands, this may even tempt him or her to try roasted cauliflower (see my list of the best vegetables for picky eaters).
It can challenging to find healthy foods to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve, but this one fits the bill. You only need a few basic ingredients to transform a head of cauliflower into a devilish dish.
Tomato paste and Buffalo sauce help make the whole head of cauliflower look like part of a human body.
Recipe Benefits
- This Roasted Cauliflower “Brain” makes a real statement at a party. Thrill (or maybe terrorize?) your guests when you bring it out of the oven and present it on a serving dish!
- This healthy recipe is plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free, which means you can serve it to almost everyone.
- Cauliflower is budget-friendly and available almost everywhere, so you don’t have to search everywhere to find the ingredients to make this Halloween party recipe.
Key Ingredients
- Whole cauliflower is easy to find and budget-friendly. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that is full of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
- Buffalo sauce is a type of hot sauce that also includes some fat. It is usually creamy and spicy at the same time. See my list of the best gluten-free sauces, including my pick for the best Buffalo Sauce. You might also like my recipe for Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower.
- Tomato paste is a concentrated form of tomato sauce and it is easy to find and inexpensive. The tomato sauce is piped onto the head of cauliflower to help create the illusion of veins.
- Seasonings like garlic, smoked paprika, and onion powder add flavor to the cauliflower. Yes, you not only can eat the “brain,” but you should!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Prep your whole head of cauliflower by removing any parts of the stem. Lay it on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet and preheat your oven.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Two
Use a pastry brush or a clean paper towel to spread the Buffalo sauce all over the top of the cauliflower.
Step Three
Add the seasonings and use a piping bag (or zip-top) bag to add the tomato sauce into the creases of the cauliflower.
Step Four
Bake the whole thing for up to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve hot.
This is the absolute perfect dish to make for a Halloween dinner. It’s so gruesome that it’s funny!
Recipe Tips
- You can easily double or even triple this recipe, depending on the size of your party.
- You can prepare the cauliflower up to a day ahead of time before baking. Wait until just before baking to pipe on the tomato sauce, though.
- Be sure to use a gluten-free and vegan Buffalo sauce, if necessary for your guests.
More Healthy Party Recipes You Might Like
- Air Fryer Baked Apples
- Keto Deviled Eggs
- Cranberry Pomegranate Mocktail
- Vegan Pumpkin Fluff
- Instant Pot Baked Apples
- Sweet Potato Jack O’Lanterns
And, don’t miss my article with Healthy Halloween Snack Plate that would also be great for a party.
More Seasonal Recipes You Might Like!
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Halloween Roasted Cauliflower Brain
Make this spooky and grotesque Roasted Cauliflower Brain for your next Halloween party or dinner table. This is actually a really healthy and delicious plant-based dish that is gluten-free too.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 whole head of cauliflower, green leaves removed
- 2 tablespoons Buffalo wing sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Place the head of cauliflower on the baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush the Buffalo wing sauce all over the top of the head of cauliflower.
- Sprinkle on the paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Then, place the tomato paste in a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag). Pipe the tomato paste into the creases of the cauliflower to help make it look like a human brain.
- Bake the cauliflower for 30-35 minutes, or until it starts to turn a very light brown or tan color (don’t let it burn).
- Let the cauliflower cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- You can use whatever seasonings you like in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Halloween
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 66
- Sugar: 5.7 g
- Sodium: 163.8 mg
- Fat: 0.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.4 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.
Absolutely great Halloween suggestions!
Ohhhhhh, spooky!!!! And so yummy too.