This roasted cauliflower with tahini is served over a bed of homemade tahini sauce and is the perfect delicious and healthy side dish or appetizer that anyone will love!
This roasted cauliflower is crispy and flavorful and is dipped in the most delicious and simple tahini sauce made with garlic, raw tahini, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper, and fresh herbs.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- This recipe is super healthy and good for you!
- You can make this recipe your own by adding your favorite spice mix.
- This cauliflower naturally is low-carb, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free!
- This oven-baked roasted cauliflower is served with our favorite 5 minutes tahini sauce that we love to serve with lots of savory dishes.
What is tahini?
Tahini (or tahina) is a middle eastern condiment made by toasting sesame seeds until they are lightly golden and then blending them in a food processor or a high-speed blender.
It is served with plenty of savory dishes from shawarma to kebabs and is used to make hummus and baba ganoush.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Cauliflower- use a medium-sized head of cauliflower for this recipe. Cut it into even florets and pat it dry with paper towels to ensure that your cauliflower will turn crispy.
Olive oil- use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. If you don't want to use olive oil, you can use avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil!
Paprika– use your favorite brand of paprika.
Chili flakes (optional)- add a little bit of spicy touch to the cauliflower. You can add more or less to your liking.
Kosher salt– we used kosher salt in this recipe. You can use sea salt or flakey salt as well.
Black pepper- use ground black pepper.
Garlic powder- use your favorite brand of garlic powder for this.
For the tahini sauce
Tahini- you will need raw tahini for this recipe. You can use your favorite brand of tahini for this or make homemade tahini by lightly roasting sesame seeds in the oven until they are lightly golden and blending them in a food processor or blender until a tahini forms. It is very similar to making nut butter.
Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result. We don't recommend using store-bought lemon juice. This will make the flavor pop!
Garlic- you will need about 3 garlic cloves for this recipe. we use fresh garlic and grate it by hand. We do not recommend using store-bought pre-grated garlic, because it usually has less flavor.
Kosher salt– we used kosher salt in this recipe. You can use sea salt or flakey salt as well.
Black pepper- for flavor. Adjust the black pepper to your personal liking.
Parsley- you will need fresh parsley or your favorite fresh herbs like chives, and cilantro. Wash your parsley well with water to get rid of any dirt and pat it dry with a paper towel. Chop with a sharp knife.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 218c (425f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a sharp knife to cut the heart of the cauliflower and remove it. Then, cut it into even small florets. Wash them with water and rinse them well. Pat them dry with paper towels to ensure that your cauliflower will turn crispy.
Add the cauliflower florets into a large mixing bowl and add paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
Toss until the cauliflower is coated with all the spices. Transfer them to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a 218c (425f) preheated oven for 25-30 minutes flipping them halfway through.
Make the tahini sauce. In a small mixing bowl, add the raw tahini, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and water. Mix well until the tahini is well combined.
Spread ¾ of the tahini sauce on a large plate and spread it with a spoon. Top with the hot cauliflower and top it with the rest of the tahini sauce. Top with more chopped parsley and serve!
Expert Tips
- I highly suggest not overcrowding the sheet pan, cook it in batches if needed to make them cook properly.
- Make sure to dry out the cauliflower with paper towels or a towel to make them crispy.
- Ensure that you cut your cauliflower into even pieces so they will bake evenly. Make sure that every piece of cauliflower is about the same size of the florets.
- Serve these immediately when they are hot and crispy for the best experience!
- Use a hot preheated oven for the best results and for the best crispy cauliflower.
Faq's
Roasted cauliflower can become soggy if you overcrowd the pan and use too much oil. It is important that you give your cauliflower breathing space so they will cook perfectly into golden brown perfection.
Rinse the cauliflower with water until all the dirt comes off. Then, cut it into florets and pat it dry with paper towels.
Absolutely! Cauliflower is high in vitamins C, and K. It is also low carb, high in fiber content, and is a good source of antioxidants.
Storing
If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or in the toaster oven (or regular oven) until they are warm.
Freezing
Let the cauliflower cool to room temperature, then place it in the freezer and store it in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 2 months.
When ready to use, place the cauliflower in the fridge overnight to defrost, or thaw it at room temperature for a few hours.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 200c (400f) for 5-10 minutes, or until it's warm and slightly crispy on the edges. You can also reheat it in the microwave until it's warm!
Serving tips
I recommend serving these immediately next to your favorite protein like our air fryer chicken tenders, cast iron chicken breast, honey butter chicken, and creamy limone chicken.
Substitutions
Seasoning- you can substitute the seasoning with your favorite mix of flavors that you like. You can use Italian seasoning, Mexican seasoning, greek seasoning, etc.
Variations
Spicy- if you like your cauliflower a little spicy (or a lot), you can add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ½ teaspoon of chili flakes.
Garlic- for a delicious garlic cauliflower, add oven-roasted garlic to the cauliflower.
Toppings- add a healthy and delicious crunch by topping the cauliflower with sliced almonds and pine nuts!
More healthy side dish recipes
Roasted cabbage steaks- These roasted cabbage steaks are a quick and delicious side dish made by slicing cabbage into slices, topping it with olive oil and spices, and baking it to a perfect golden brown.
Crispy baked carrots- These healthy baked carrot fries are sweet, tasty, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. They are a delicious side dish that is ready in 30 minutes, and can be made in the air fryer!
Burrata caprese salad- This burrata caprese salad is the ultimate summer salad! It is a fun twist on the classic caprese salad but is made with burrata!
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
- Share/pin this recipe to Pinterest.
- Leave a comment down below!
📖 Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
- 1 Cauliflower medium, cut into florets
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
- â…“ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil or canola oil or vegetable oil
Tahini sauce
- â…“ cup Tahini raw tahini
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon Parsley freshly chopped
- 5 tablespoon Water
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 218c (425f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the heart of the cauliflower and remove it. Then, cut it into even small florets. Wash them with water and rinse them well. Pat them dry with paper towels to ensure that your cauliflower will turn crispy.
- Add the cauliflower florets into a large mixing bowl and add paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
- Toss until the cauliflower is coated with all the spices. Transfer them to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a 218c (425f) preheated oven for 25-30 minutes flipping them halfway through.
- Make the tahini sauce. In a small mixing bowl, add the raw tahini, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and water. Mix well until the tahini is well combined.
- Spread ¾ of the tahini sauce on a large plate and spread it with a spoon. Top with the hot cauliflower and top it with the rest of the tahini sauce. Top with more chopped parsley and serve!
Notes
- I highly suggest not overcrowding the sheet pan, cook it in batches if needed to make them cook properly.
- Make sure to dry out the cauliflower with paper towels or a towel to make them crispy.
- Ensure that you cut your cauliflower into even pieces so they will bake evenly. Make sure that every piece of cauliflower is about the same size of the florets.
- Serve these immediately when they are hot and crispy for the best experience!
- Use a hot preheated oven for the best results and for the best crispy cauliflower.
Leave a Reply