Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Fresh Mint

Name: Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Mint
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2-3 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (2 to 2.5 lb) head of cauliflower; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 2 pinches dried red pepper flakes; 3 tablespoons tahini (*I strongly recommend Soom brand); 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 small garlic clove, microplane or pressed; 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; freshly cracked black pepper; fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces; flaky finishing salt, such as Maldon

April 25, 2019

A delicious and easy twist on roasted cauliflower! Deeply caramelized and slightly spicy roasted cauliflower florets are served on lemon tahini sauce and garnished with freshly torn mint leaves and flaky sea salt.

Meet one of my new favorite side dishes! We live in a world that is obsessed with transforming cauliflower into every possible item under the sun (pizza, oatmeal, pasta, crackers, rice, etc.). This isn’t that kind of recipe.

This recipe is all about the cauliflower! We’re going old school and roasting it today. Deeply caramelized roasted cauliflower florets served on a lemon tahini sauce and garnished with lots of torn mint leaves and flaky finishing salt.

The combination of the deeply caramelized, slightly sweet and spicy cauliflower (I have a few tricks up my sleeve on how to roast cauliflower, which I share below!) with the creamy tahini sauce and bright mint work so harmoniously together.

I’m all for elevating simple recipes, and this roasted cauliflower recipe is exactly that. An elegant and fun way to mix up your basic roasted cauliflower recipe and serve something a little different!

So, here’s the deal. When steamed, riced, or eaten raw, or prepared in these new popular ways, cauliflower remains plain Jane.

I love cauliflower, but (call me crazy!) I would much rather cook and serve it in a way that coaxes out its best flavor. This is where pan-roasting and roasting at high temperatures comes into play, and this is when cauliflower truly shines.

How to Roast Cauliflower:

To roast cauliflower, you’ll need a standard half sheet pan (affiliate link) and a few basic ingredients. You won’t need any aluminum foil or parchment paper for this roasted cauliflower recipe. Clean up only takes a few seconds!

I’m a firm believer in cranking up the oven heat (450 degree Fahrenheit, 230 degrees Celsius) for roasting vegetables, particularly those that cook fairly quickly.

A hot oven jump starts the caramelization process and ensures that your cauliflower florets gain color (color equals flavor) while also retaining some texture and bite.

Proper caramelization is especially important for cauliflower because it is naturally pretty bland in flavor.

Cold Vegetables = Slower, Stalled Caramelization

Another factor to consider? Many of us are using vegetables cold from the fridge.

Cold ingredients will stall the caramelization process, as they will reduce the oven temperature, regardless of whether it is preheated properly. Using a hotter oven, as well as a few other tips (described below) helps mitigate this.

Try to keep these factors in mind whenever determining oven temperature!

My Favorite Tips for Roasted Cauliflower Success:

Use a Hot Oven – similarly to my favorite roasted broccoli recipe, we’ll be using a hot oven! Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). If your oven runs hot, feel free to reduce the temperature slightly.
Preheat the Empty, Un-Greased Half Sheet Pan – preheating the empty half sheet pan for just 5 minutes jump starts the caramelization process and ensures deep, even caramelization. You can skip this step, but it is one of my favorite roasting tips.
Toss Your Ingredients Together in a Bowl – the cauliflower florets are tossed with the oil, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and seasoning in a large bowl. This ensures that the fat and seasoning is equally distributed among the cauliflower florets.
Don’t Overcrowd The Vegetables – using oven mitts, we’ll transfer the seasoned cauliflower florets onto the hot sheet pan. Make sure that your cauliflower florets are even in size (check out this post on how to cut cauliflower for an easy guide!) and spread out evenly on the pan. If the vegetables are crowded, they will not cook or caramelize evenly.

How to Serve This Roasted Cauliflower Recipe:

Spoon the tahini sauce onto a large serving plate or platter and spread it into a thin (but not too thin) layer. Gently place the roasted cauliflower florets on top, and garnish with lots of mint and a crunchy flaky finishing salt, such as Maldon (affiliate link).

Don’t let the tahini sauce and fresh mint scare you! This roasted cauliflower recipe goes well with so many dishes. Serve as a side dish to accompany grilled fish, meat (this Middle Eastern chicken would be great!), or other vegetarian main courses or salads.

This dish also happens to be gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, and dairy free, which makes it a great option if you’re serving friends and family with dietary restrictions.

Don’t be tempted to leave out the fresh mint leaves, as they add a lovely fresh bright and herbaceous element that really pulls the entire dish together. Hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Mint

Yield: 2-3 Servings

A delicious variation on a simple roasted cauliflower recipe! Caramelized and slightly spicy roasted cauliflower florets are served on a lemon tahini sauce and garnished with freshly torn mint leaves and flaky sea salt. Don't be tempted to skip the mint, it adds a lovely bright element to this dish and brings the whole thing together! Serve this roasted cauliflower as a side dish to accompany grilled fish, meat, or other vegetarian main courses. [Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Dairy Free Friendly]

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients