Mediterranean Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe With Tahini Herb Topping by Jan Mostrom

I’m so privileged to be able to travel to Europe to see and spend time with my family. I love to cook while I’m there, and because they are vegetarians, I’m always on the lookout for new vegetarian recipes full of flavor and nutrition. I made this beautiful high-fiber whole roasted cauliflower recipe with herbs and tahini for them, and it did not disappoint!

This roasted vegetable recipe is so easy to prepare. It is a great flexible recipe to make in Europe because they sell produce that is in season, and often I can’t find one or two ingredients that I need. This time I could not find sage, so I used basil, thyme and parsley, which were available. I couldn’t find smooth Dijon mustard, so I used a coarse-grain mustard. I know for some of you this might seems scary, but I’ve found the more I’m forced to make a substitutions, the more I realize that most non-baking recipes are very adaptable and most often turn out great with a reasonable substitution.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful and tasty cauliflower recipe. Here is your short shopping list (and don't be afraid to substitute!): fresh cauliflower (check out the health benefits of cauliflower), Dijon mustard, a lemon for juicing, fresh garlic, ground turmeric (check out the health benefits of turmeric), Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, tahini (check out the health benefits of tahini), maple syrup, water, fresh parsley, fresh sage, shallot or onion and red wine vinegar.

Serve this Mediterranean-inspired (tahini, a sesame seed spread, is said to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean) as a side dish with your favorite proteins, or as part of a vegetarian spread like we did. Enjoy!

Cuisine: American / Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower

Rub 

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or dried oregano)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Tahini Sauce 

• 1/2 cup tahini, stirred well
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey, agave nectar or simply omit)
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of sea salt

Herb Topping 

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or other fresh herbs)
• 1 cup fresh sage leaves (or other herbs)
• 1 small shallot or onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced or finely chopped
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Here's how to make it: 

1. Fill a large pot with water and put it on the stove to boil. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Clean the cauliflower, leave it whole, remove the green stems and set to the side. When the water comes to a boil, add the whole cauliflower and cook for 10 to 13 minutes, or until tender. (Have a medium oven-safe roasting pan ready for the cauliflower when it comes out of the pot.)
   
2. While the cauliflower boils, make your rub by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and use a spoon or fork to combine well.
   
3. When the cauliflower is tender, gently drain the water or just remove it from the pot and set into the roasting pan. Carefully pour the rub ingredients all over the cauliflower, using a brush or your hands (careful it’s hot!) to cover the cauliflower with the rub. Place the pan into your preheated oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender.
   
4. While your cauliflower roasts, prepare the tahini sauce by placing the ingredients in a jar or small bowl. Stir or shake to combine.
   
5. Prepare the herb topping by stirring all the ingredients together in a bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste. (For some spice, add crushed red pepper flakes.)
   
6. When the cauliflower is cooked, pour half of the tahini sauce on a serving platter or plate. Place the cauliflower on top and pour the remaining tahini sauce over it.
   
7. Top the cauliflower with the herbs and enjoy this healthy and delicious treat! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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