If I were a dish, this roasted cauliflower recipe is the dish I would be as it’s packed with a bunch of middle eastern and Mediterranean flavors I love and incorporate into a lot of my cooking (and eating!). This roasted cauliflower is inspired by one of my absolute favorite dishes at one of my favorite restaurants in Brooklyn, Mimi’s Hummus. Since moving from Brooklyn, I miss it and have been craving it like crazy — so I tried my my own version and it came out SO GOOD! If you’re ever in Brooklyn, make sure you check out Mimi’s !
The cauliflower roasts at a high heat after being tossed in a bunch of spices like cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Then gets smothered in a lemony tahini sauce that is basically a soft tangy treat for your tastebuds. And, it goes even further when a generous sprinkle of feta cheese is added on top, along with rich buttery pine nuts and mint leaves.
This roasted cauliflower dish takes no more than 25 minutes from start to finish and would be great served along side a roasted or baked chicken, would even be great served with rice or another grain, or your favorite salad.
Before you make this, here’s one thing to note…
I use a whole head of cauliflower for 2 people, but because cauliflower cooks down so much, I would recommend using 2-3 heads of cauliflower if serving at a dinner party. Even if you’re not preparing for a large gathering, you could make a batch and have it for the week because this tastes great either hot or cold.
With all my recipes, I test and write them how I love to eat them. But, at the end of the day, my goal is to inspire you to make food you love to eat. So here are a few modifications that I think would go so well:
- If you have parsley instead of mint, go for that!
- If you want to add a sweet element, raisons would be delicious in here
- If you don’t like cumin, feel free to omit – it will still taste delicious
- A sprinkle of paprika would be excellent on top
When you make this recipe, let me know in the comments what you think and be sure to tag me (@krispxkristin) on Instagram.
Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut up into small florets
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp of chili powder
- 1/4 cup of tahini
- 1 lemon
- salt
- olive oil
- Feta cheese for sprinkling
- mint leaves or parsley for topping
- pine nuts for toppings
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Grease a sheet pan and set it to the side
- In a medium size bowl, add your cauliflower florets, dry spices, a pinch of salt, and 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, just enough oil to coat the cauliflower. Mix so all the ingredients come together and then place on a sheet pan and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until your cauliflower begins to brown. Flip halfway through.
- While the cauliflower is roasting make your tahini sauce. Add tahini, juice of half a lemon, 1/4 tsp of salt and mix together until a paste forms. Slowly pour water while mixing until you get smooth creamy consistency. Taste for salt/lemon and adjust. You want the tahini thick but pourable.
- When the cauliflower is done, put on plate, add your tahini dressing, feta cheese, pine nuts, and sprinlke with chopped mint leaves. Enjoy!
