Crispy Black Pepper Turmeric Cauliflower and Garlic Noodles.

Bold, peppery cauliflower with a sunny hit of turmeric meets twirl-able garlic butter rice noodles. It’s cozy, a little spicy-sweet, and ready fast. Cauliflower tossed with turmeric and black pepper, roasted until crispy, then served over saucy garlic butter rice noodles and topped with a spritz of lime and fresh Thai basil. We’ll roast the cauliflower until crisp, toss noodles in a garlic-coconut sauce, then finish with lime and fresh basil or cilantro. Every bite has hints of crispy, creamy, spicy-sweet flavor. So delicious!

Why You’ll Love It

• Crunchy, creamy, and saucy in every bite.
• Pantry spices, simple method, highly customizable.
• Great meatless main that still feels hearty.

Ingredient Notes

• Cauliflower: Cut into similar-size florets and dry very well so they roast (not steam).
• Spices: Turmeric, ginger, and lots of black pepper. Bloom in hot oil for a deeper, toasty flavor before adding garlic (garlic scorches fast).
• Honey + soy/tamari: Add toward the end of roasting so sugars caramelize without burning; toss to coat for shiny edges.
• Cashews: Add halfway through so they toast, not char. Nut-free? Use toasted sesame seeds or pepitas at the end.
• Noodles: Rice vermicelli is delicate and saucy; wider rice noodles are chewier; angel hair is a non-GF option. Rinse rice noodles briefly to prevent clumping.
• Butter & coconut milk: Butter (or ghee/vegan butter) + a splash of coconut milk creates a silky sauce that coats, not pools.
• Finishers: Lime juice and Thai basil/cilantro brighten and balance the richness.

Happy St. Patrick’s day everyone!! How are you guys celebrating? I didn’t roll out any new Irish-inspired recipes this year (sorry). But I sure hope you guys are celebrating in some way today. My brother Creighton would be SO excited if you ate a corned beef sandwich for him. I’m 120% positive he’d just about die and go to heaven if I made him one. Sadly for him, it’s just not in the cards today. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a delicious recipe to share.

Because I do! And it’s personally one of my favorites.

With my older brother around so much over the past few months, recipes have been swaying heavier on the meat and chicken than I’d like. He’s one of those “guys-guys” that believes no meal is complete without some kind of meat. Since I love to cook for others, I’ve tried my best to cater a bit more to him. Remember those cheesy gordita crunch tacos? Yep, all his doing.

But today, it’s all about the cauliflower and the noodles. So, my kind of food.

The Inspiration

I’m such a big fan of cauliflower these days, but especially roasted cauliflower that gets a little crispy and crunchy. It all started when I made this Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Pesto Pasta back in January. And then followed it up with Cauliflower Tinga Tacos. Ever since I’ve been loving any form of roasted cauliflower.

And that kind of brings me to this recipe. It’s a mash-up of a couple of recipes that I make on repeat and has a bit of a Thai inspiration to it. Sounds a little different, but trust me, this is different in a good way.

Recipe inspiration

The cauliflower is the shining star of this recipe. It’s oven-roasted with lots of turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Throw it in the oven, then about halfway through cooking, add some cashews to the mix. Then toss on a little honey and soy sauce. The honey helps the cauliflower caramelize and become sweet and spicy. By the time it comes out of the oven, it’s extra crispy with just the right amount of char and so much flavor. It is delicious! Especially atop a big bowl of creamy garlic butter rice noodles.

Fun fact, before we move onto those noddles? Using the two spices together packs anti-inflammatory powder and plenty of antioxidant properties. But even cooler? Pairing black pepper with turmeric is said to help your body better absorb the curcumin that’s found in turmeric.

Soo, you see? Very healthy. I love when delicious food is also nutritious.

Step by Step

Roast the Cauliflower

• Toss florets with oil, turmeric, black pepper, ginger, and salt. Spread with space on a hot sheet pan.
• Roast until edges are deep golden, then add cashews; roast briefly more.
• Pull pan, drizzle/toss with honey + soy/tamari; return just until sticky and caramelized.

Make the Garlic Noodles

• While the cauliflower is roasting, make those noodles. Boil rice noodles and toss them in a hot pan full of butter and garlic. Yes, noodles, butter, and garlic…but then add a touch of coconut milk for a little more sauce and additional creaminess.
• I like to use vermicelli rice noodles, but you could use any variety of rice noodles, or even angel hair pasta. The noodles are meant to be saucy, so once you toss them with the garlic butter sauce, be sure to serve them right away.
• Boil noodles to just shy of tender; reserve a splash of cooking water.
• In a skillet, melt butter/oil; add turmeric + pepper, then add garlic until lightly golden and sweet.
• Stir in coconut milk, a splash of soy/tamari, and a little noodle water; simmer to a glossy, clinging sauce. Toss in noodles.

Bring It Together

• Spoon saucy noodles into bowls, top with crispy cauliflower + cashews.
• Finish each bowl off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and fresh basil or cilantro. Add extra black pepper or chili crisp if you like heat.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat

• Make-ahead: Roast cauliflower and cool completely; cook noodles and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking; keep sauce separate.
• Storage: Store cauliflower, noodles, and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
• Reheat: Re-crisp cauliflower on a hot sheet pan or in the air fryer. Warm sauce gently, loosen with coconut milk or water, then toss with noodles.

Looking for other easy dinner recipes with a Thai flare? Here are a few to try:

30 Minute Creamy Turmeric Chicken and Noodles

Oven Fried Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Chili Sauce

Weeknight Chicken Meatball Khao Soi.

Lastly, if you make this Crispy Black Pepper Turmeric Cauliflower and Garlic Noodles be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!