Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower Salad Recipe
with Creamy Tahini Dressing
This nourishing salad or side dish is bursting with flavor thanks to spices like paprika, turmeric and garlic coating crispy roasted cauliflower and chickpeas! The quinoa and avocado add heartiness and the creamy tahini dressing is nutty and bright.
Roasting vegetables brings out NEXT LEVEL tastiness — like eat-a-whole-head-of-cauliflower in one sitting goodness.
Why, you ask?! High heat and ample seasoning concentrates the flavor of veggies, making an “okay” raw veggie like cauliflower taste down right irresistible — in less than 30 minutes to boot!
I love that this dish can be served as a hearty, meatless main course salad or as an amply nourishing side dish! The filling nature of chickpeas, quinoa and avocado gives you a salad or side that’s robust with texture, flavor and plant-based protein.
How are the Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas flavored?
I used a simple, Mediterranean-inspired spice mix to flavor both the roasted cauliflower and the chickpeas:
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Granulated garlic
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
You’ll drizzle everything with good quality olive oil before tossing in the spice mixture & roasting on high heat.
Creamy Tahini Dressing
Tahini is a creamy sesame seed paste or butter that is commonly used in Mediterranean cooking. It’s tangy, slightly bitter, nutty and widely available in grocers but I specifically love the Trader Joe’s version if available to you. Keep in mind all tahini will come separated — oil on top, seed butter on bottom — so you’ll want to mix it with a spoon before measuring out for this recipe!
To combat any bitterness from the tahini, I used a touch of honey — feel free to use maple syrup or even agave syrup to keep the recipe vegan.
For the dressing you’ll need:
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- Tahini paste
- Water
- Honey
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
Feel free to add your favorite Mediterranean mix-ins to this salad — pine nuts, feta crumbles, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, even currants would be delicious added in!
Looking for more Mediterranean-inspired recipes? Check these out:
One Pot Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
30-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Creamy Tahini Kale Salad with Chicken Sausage & Crunchy Chickpeas
The Juiciest Greek-Inspired Chicken
Zoe’s Kitchen-Inspired Baked Falafel Cauliflower Rice Bowl
Pan Seared Halibut with Herby Pesto
Perfect Roasted Broccoli with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Pitas
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Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower or two bags of pre-chopped
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas also called garbanzo beans
- 1 avocado diced
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup chicken broth can sub veggie broth or water
cauliflower & chickpea spice mix
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
creamy tahini dressing
- 2 tbsp. tahini mixed well before measured
- 1 tbsp. honey can sub maple syrup or agave syrup
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 450º.
- Chop your cauliflower into small florets, discarding the core and any leaves. Rinse chickpeas well and pat to dry with paper towel.
- In a large mixing bowl, add chopped cauliflower and chickpeas. Drizzle with 1/3 cup of olive oil and toss to coat. Then add spices (paprika, salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic) and toss to coat well.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and spread coated cauliflower and chickpeas out evenly. Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cauliflower is caramelized and chickpeas have a slight crunch.
- Meanwhile, cook quinoa: rinse quinoa well in a fine-mesh sieve and let drain. In a sauce pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil then when warm, add quinoa. Toast for 1-2 minutes before adding in broth (or water). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until fluffy and tender.
- Mix together ingredients for dressing by adding everything except for the olive oil into a liquid measuring cup. Whisk in olive oil, taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
- When cauliflower and chickpeas have roasted and quinoa has cooked, arrange salad: Arrange cauliflower and chickpeas onto a platter or low bowl, then top with quinoa, diced avocado and fresh dill. Drizzle everything with tahini dressing! Enjoy warm or room temperature.
SO GOOD!!
I used fresh dill from my dads garden and added a little extra tahini to make the dressing a bit thicker. Really great recipe
Nothing beats fresh herbs, especially from a home garden! How delicious! Thanks for trying xx