This roasted cauliflower with tahini is a flavour-packed side dish that pairs perfectly with any Middle Eastern or Mediterranean meal. Or serve the tahini cauliflower with pita bread and salad for a plant-based main.
Servings6
Equipment
- Baking sheet – I use a half-sheet pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cauliflower florets, from about 2 medium-sized cauliflower heads
Shawarma-style marinade:
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes, or red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
Tahini sauce
- ½ cup tahini
- 4 tablespoons water, more as needed
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cauliflower salad toppings (optional):
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 3 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate rubies
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower florets in a large mixing bowl. And mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the marinade over the cauliflower and mix until well-coated. Set the cauliflower aside to marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight to get ahead.
- Preheat oven* to 450 °F (reduce convection oven temperature to 410 °F). Once hot, add a rimmed baking sheet to preheat in the oven for 5 minutes. I use a half-sheet pan.
- Carefully arrange the marinated cauliflower florets in an even layer on the hot baking sheet. Place it on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. And roast for 15 minutes, then stir and flip the cauliflower pieces to brown evenly. Return the cauliflower to the oven for a final 10 to 15 minutes. The cauliflower should be golden brown outside and tender inside.
- While the cauliflower roasts, make the tahini sauce. Grab a small bowl, and whisk together the tahini sauce ingredients. The mixture will turn grainy before it turns smooth. Just keep on whisking. Your tahini sauce should be thick and creamy. Add more water if your sauce is too thick, only a teaspoon at a time. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- I prefer to spread the tahini sauce on a shallow serving plate and top it with roasted cauliflower. But you can also mix the cauliflower and tahini sauce in a salad bowl. Finish with parsley, almonds, pomegranate seeds, and a generous grind of black pepper with salt to taste. And serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- I tested this recipe in a conventional oven, though I suggest convection oven temperatures based on industry standards. Every oven is different, so use your senses to adjust your oven temperature accordingly. You want the cauliflower to be tender inside and well-browned on the outside. The size of your cauliflower florets also impacts the cooking time.
- This tahini cauliflower recipe uses a shawarma-style spice mix. You can replace all ground spices with 2 tablespoons of shop-bought shawarma spice mix. Or use more of the spices you have available. See ingredients and substitutes for more substitute options.
- You can serve the roasted cauliflower hot from the oven, or allow the tahini cauliflower mix to cool to room temperature before sprinkling the toppings.
- Refrigerate leftover tahini cauliflower in an airtight container for up to 3 days.