Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower

SPICED WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER😍

Vegetarian mains don’t always get a lot of hype, but this whole roasted cauliflower is here to change that. It’s seasoned to perfection, crisp on the outside, tender in the middle, and served with 2 sauces because who doesn’t love sauce. Easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive for hosting too, you’re going to love this!

Note:

• I have all these spices on hand, so making this combo is easy for me, but if you do not have a lot of spices, you can just stick to cumin and smoked paprika or whatever you have on hand. Other spices that are great with this are za’atar, dukkah, turmeric, etc.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

For the Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower:

• 1 whole cauliflower

• 4 tbsps olive oil

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp coriander

• ½ tsp cardamom

• ½ tsp aleppo pepper (or ¼ tsp cayenne)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• ¾ cup water 

• Pine nuts and fresh parsley for garnish

For the Tahini Dressing:

• ½ cup tahini

• ¼ - ½ cup warm water

• 1-2 tbsps lemon juice

• 1 small garlic clove, grated

• Salt to taste

For the Green Goddess Dressing:

• ⅓ cup fresh dill

• ½ cup fresh parsley

• ½ cup fresh cilantro 

• 2 small or 1 large green onion, white and green parts

• 1 small garlic clove

• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, labneh, or vegan plain yogurt

• Juice from 1 medium lemon

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• Splash of red wine vinegar

• Salt to taste

Serving suggestions:

• Serve the cauliflower over a bowl of rice or pilaf or in Mediterranean bowls with hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a grain or lettuce base.

Directions:

For the Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Wash the cauliflower and place in a cast iron or pan with at least 1” sides - you can take off any leaves that are falling off, but I like to keep some intact for presentation.

• Add all spices to a bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, and 3 tbsps of olive oil and mix. 

• Rub the spice mixture all over the cauliflower, then drizzle on 1 more tbsp of olive oil over top.

• Add water to the bottom of the pan and roast at 400 for 40-50 minutes or until pierced easily with a fork. If you notice it starting to get too browned and toasty, cover with foil.

• While the cauliflower is roasting, make your tahini and green goddess sauces.

• For the tahini sauce, add the tahini to a bowl with the lemon juice, salt, and grated garlic. It will seize up slightly when you add the lemon juice, so stream in the warm water as you whisk until the desired consistency is reached.

• For the green goddess dressing, add all ingredients to a blender and blend for 45-60 seconds until completely smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

• Once the cauliflower is tender, broil for 2-3 minutes to char some of the exterior. 

• Serve the cauliflower with the tahini dressing, green goddess dressing, pine nuts, and fresh parsley and enjoy!