Cauliflower Elote (Printable)

Roasted cauliflower in a creamy, smoky sauce topped with cotija and fresh cilantro.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Elote Sauce

03 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
04 - 1/4 cup sour cream
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Toppings

10 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet.
03 - Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until florets are golden and tender.
04 - While cauliflower roasts, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, and salt in a large bowl.
05 - Add the hot roasted cauliflower to the bowl with the elote sauce and toss until well coated.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cotija cheese, cilantro, and extra chili powder.
07 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted cauliflower gets these gorgeous crispy edges that soak up the creamy sauce like tiny flavor sponges
  • You get all the indulgent satisfaction of elote without wrestling with corn silk or dealing with messy corn on the cob at dinner parties
  • The sauce comes together in minutes and keeps in the fridge for a week, so you can elote everything in sight
02 -
  • Work quickly once the cauliflower comes out of the oven because the sauce adheres better to hot florets than room temperature ones
  • The cauliflower keeps getting better as it sits in the sauce, so don't stress if it rests for 10 minutes before serving
03 -
  • Cut your cauliflower florets to roughly the same size so they roast evenly
  • Let the roasted cauliflower sit for just 2 minutes before tossing with sauce so it doesn't slide right off

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