This gorgeous whole roasted cauliflower with tahini and zhoug sauces is a show-stopping main or side dish impressive enough for the holidays. The combination of sweet and spicy, creamy and crunchy is a master class in incredible flavor and epic textures.
Move over, turkey - there’s a new star on the dinner table! This gorgeous whole cauliflower head is roasted until tender and golden then slathered with creamy tahini and spicy zhoug sauces. The crowning glory is a garnish of ruby red pomegranate jewels and crunchy pistachios. We're absolutely obsessed with the bold flavors and epic textures.
To answer the age old question, What do vegans eat for Christmas dinner?, I present to you the humble cauliflower - perfectly roasted and transformed into a glorious, rich and spicy plant based dish that everyone at the table will devour!
Ingredients You'll Need
The ingredients are pure and simple: whole food, plant based, and no dairy. A stunning main dish if you're not into faux meat dishes. Here's what you need:
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower is the star ingredient! Choose a medium size cauliflower weighing ~2 pounds. For a slightly smaller or larger cauliflower, you'll need to adjust the cook times.
- Cauliflower spice rub: Cauliflower can handle a lot of flavor so I use a combination of turmeric, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt for the spice rub.
- Olive oil or softened dairy free butter adds flavor and helps to caramelize and turn the cauliflower golden as it roasts.
- Tahini sauce ingredients: Tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, maple syrup. A popular sauce to pair with cauliflower for good reason!
- Zhoug sauce ingredients: A quick spicy green sauce made with cilantro, jalapeno, garlic olive oil, lemon juice, and Middle Eastern spices. It's the perfect balance to the nutty-sweet tahini.
- Pomegranate arils: Festive, ruby red gems to add color and crunch!
- Pistachios: Toasted pistachios are delicious and very festive, but toasted pine nuts are amazing too. Really any favorite nut or seed will work for added crunch.
- Fresh herbs for garnish: Chopped mint, parsley or cilantro all work with this flavor profile.
How to Make Whole Roasted Cauliflower
If you love cauliflower, this roasted cauliflower recipe is for you! There's a few steps - all easy and totally worth the effort. Many components can be made ahead, and the cooking process is mostly hands off. Let's get started:
- Trim cauliflower: Trim the outer leaves and the bottom of the stem so the cauliflower sits flat.
- Steam cauliflower: Fill a medium pot with ~2-3" of water (seasoned with salt) and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower to the boiling water (stem side down), cover, and simmer for 7-10 minutes to soften. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a colander to drain for 15 minutes.
- Infuse the cauliflower with a spice rub: Brush the cauliflower with the spice rub getting into all the crevices. Place on a parchment lined roasting pan or skillet.
- Roast cauliflower: Roast at 425º F until there's a golden crust on the outside and it's soft and fork tender on the inside (40-50 minutes).
- Make the sauces: While the cauliflower is roasting, make the Zhoug sauce and tahini sauce. Pro Tip: The sauces can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- The WOW factor: Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter, generously spoon on some tahini sauce and then some zhoug sauce. Garnish liberally with toasted pistachio nuts, pomegranate seeds, and chopped herbs. Serve with extra sauces on the side. Spectacular flavor and festive color combination for your holiday table!
Super Simple Weeknight Version!
ALL the flavor in half the time! Roasted cauliflower florets are a weeknight staple at my house. Skip the steaming and go straight to roasting the florets in the oven for an easy and quick version of this whole roasted cauliflower recipe. Serve the roasted florets with the 2 mouthwatering sauces, nuts, and pomegranate seeds for a flavor and texture combo that will blow your mind. It's the best (craveworthy) roasted cauliflower dish you'll ever try - trust me!
Recipe Tips & Variations
One of the things I absolutely love about this recipe is how customizable it is - the possibilities are endless. Here's a few tips and variations to help you:
- Check for doneness: Check your cauliflower doneness by piercing it with a skewer or knife. If it goes through easily, it’s done. If not, cook it longer. Different sizes of cauliflower will require different cooking times.
- Charred crust: To add extra charred bits to the cauliflower, turn the oven to broil for the last 5-8 minutes or so. Keep your eyes on it - you don't want it to burn.
- Play with flavor: I love this flavor and color combination. However, you can take roasted cauliflower in plenty of other directions. Once you've seasoned and roasted the cauliflower, top it with romesco sauce parsley and toasted almond slices or smother it in vegan butter chicken sauce. It would be incredible with drizzles of sweet and spicy tahini and vegan tzatziki sauce with toasted pine nuts and cilantro too! Feta cheese, garlic and butter on whole roasted cauliflower is also spectacular (and popular). Have fun with it!
What to Serve with Roasted Cauliflower
Whether you serve it as a veggie side dish or as a vegan main dish, this whole roasted cauliflower with tahini will get all the oohs and ahhs! And it goes with everything:
- Vegan side dish: This stunning cauliflower dish pairs perfectly alongside all the festive trimmings like roasted Brussels sprouts, duchess potatoes, mushroom gravy, vegan turkey, carrots, and Christmas crunch salad.
- Plant based main: Serve roasted cauliflower on a bed of rice or quinoa with chickpeas and a salad on the side to boost up the heartiness and plant protein.
- Leftovers?: Leftover roasted cauliflower crisps up beautifully in the air fryer (my favorite way), toaster oven, oven or microwave and is incredible in tacos, on a salad or a big grain bowl.
More Cauliflower Recipes
Cauliflower lovers rejoice! Here's more tasty cauliflower recipes to try next:
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with 2 Epic Sauces!
Rate this recipe!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium size whole cauliflower (~2 pounds)
Cauliflower Rub
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Garnishes
- pomegranate arils
- toasted pistachio nuts (rough chop)
- cilantro (chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Trim the cauliflower: Trim away any large leaves from the cauliflower. Trim the bottom stem of the cauliflower so it sits flat.
- Steam the cauliflower: Bring ~2-3" of salted water to a boil in a large pot (deep enough for the cauliflower to fit in with the lid on). Carefully place the cauliflower into the boiling water using a slotted spoon, stem side down. Cover and simmer over medium for 7-10 minutes to partially soften the cauliflower.
- Drain the cauliflower: Remove the cauliflower from the water (using a slotted spoon) and place in colander to drain and steam for 15 minutes* while you preheat the oven and make the cauliflower spice rub. *The steaming can be done several hours in advance.
- Make the cauliflower rub: Mix together the rub ingredients. Pat the cauliflower dry and place on a parchment lined roasting pan or an oven safe skillet. Using a basting brush or your hands*, rub the seasoning paste all over, working into the florets and to ensure the cauliflower is well coated (underside too).*Warning: Turmeric does stain your hands so wear gloves (or a plastic bag) if using your hands.
- Roast the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Roast the cauliflower until tender and golden brown (40-50 minutes). Depending on the size of your cauliflower and how soft/firm you like cauliflower, you may have to roast for longer. To check for doneness: A long skewer or knife inserted in the center of the cauliflower should pass through easily - if it doesn't, cook for longer.
- Broil the cauliflower: Optional step for an extra crispy char - broil the cauliflower for the last ~5-8 minutes. Keep your eyes on it as you don't want it to burn!
- Make the sauces: While the cauliflower roasts in the oven, make the tahini sauce and the Zhoug sauce. Time saving tip: The sauces can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assembling your masterpiece!: Once the cauliflower is roasted, transfer it to a serving platter. Liberally drizzle on some of the tahini sauce, followed by some of the zhoug sauce. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, toasted pistachios, and chopped fresh herbs.Serve immediately with any remaining sauces and toppings on the side.
NOTES
- Steaming the cauliflower: I like to steam the cauliflower before roasting it so the middle isn't raw and also to cut down on oven time.
- Roasting the cauliflower: To coax all the flavor out of the cauliflower, roasting it until golden is key. A nice char on the outside of the cauliflower adds even more flavor. If your cauliflower doesn't have a few charred bits near the end of the roasting time you can bump up the oven to broil for the last ~5 minutes or so, but keep your eyes on it.
- Garnish options: Sub in toasted pine nuts for pistachios if you prefer. For nut allergies, use toasted sesame seeds or another seed of choice for that extra crunch.
- Leftovers: Leftover roasted cauliflower will keep in the refrigerator for several days. To reheat, use the microwave, air fryer (my favorite) or wrap the cauliflower in tin foil and pop it into the oven or toaster oven at 400º F until warmed through. It makes delicious cauliflower tacos with a pile of slaw on top!
- Storing: Store the 2 sauces separately in an airtight containers for up to a week.
Wendy
This whole roasted cauliflower is so delicious - the flavours are absolutely mouthwatering!! Plus it's a stunning centerpiece for the holiday table!
Tracy Halasz
Wendy, thank you so much for the wonderful review. I agree that the flavor and texture profile of this roasted cauliflower is epic!
Tracy Halasz
I'm completely obsessed with this whole roasted cauliflower. The flavor profile of the roasted cauliflower plus the two sauces rocks my world. And the texture of the tender, slightly sweet but also charred cauliflower plus the toppings is epic!