Middle Eastern
Tahini Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower steaks and florets roast until the cut sides brown, then get a lemon-tahini spooned over the top. It is a side that can also be the plate.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- A hot oven browns cauliflower instead of steaming it.
- Tahini sauce is mixed cold so it stays smooth.
- Lemon keeps the sauce from tasting flat.
- Parsley and sesame finish it.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 425°F.
- 2
Brush the cauliflower with oil and sprinkle with salt and cumin. Roast 22 to 25 minutes, flipping once, until deeply browned.
- 3
Stir the tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, and a pinch of salt into a pourable sauce. Add a teaspoon more water if it seizes.
- 4
Spoon the sauce over the hot cauliflower.
- 5
Scatter parsley and serve.
Pro tips
- Tahini seizes when lemon hits it. Water brings it back.
- Leave the core in the slabs so they hold together.
- Roast on the top rack for darker edges.
Easy substitutions
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli crowns
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Cilantro
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat at 400°F for 8 minutes, then add fresh sauce.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 210
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
Budget friendly · Oven · Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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