You have to add this Curry Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Sauce to your recipe rotation. Combining the warmth of curry with the creaminess of tahini, this dish is packed full of delicious nutrition and is the perfect side dish that will have your taste buds begging for more.
Cauliflower is often an underrated food but as a Registered Dietitian and meal prep lover, I am a huge fan of this nutrient dense veg. Not only is it a great vegetable for meal prep (I love batch prepping roasted cauliflower at the beginning of the week with this recipe), it’s also incredibly versatile.
If you’ve only steamed cauliflower, get ready for your world to open up. You can prepare cauliflower in so many different ways. You can take a head of cauliflower and transform it into cauliflower rice and use it in this delicious mango fried rice recipe. Try freezing it either in floret or rice form and add it into your smoothies (I love it in my protein-packed blended coffee smoothie). Roast it up and use it in these chickpea and cauliflower tacos. The options are endless.
What You Need To Make Curry Roasted Cauliflower & Substitutions
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is the star of this recipe. It has a neutral flavor that goes well with a variety of spices and herbs including curry powder and tahini. You can try this recipe with other vegetables like broccoli or brussel sprouts.
Curry powder: Curry powder adds some warmth to this dish. Not only is it aromatic, it also pairs perfectly with the creaminess from tahini and the sweetness from the raisins. Curry powder is one of those spices I always seem to be low on when I need it most. If you’re ever like me and in a pinch, you can try making your own curry blend by combining spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and paprika. You can also completely mix it up and season the cauliflower with lemon, garlic and salt and pepper for a different take on this dish.
Tahini: Tahini is a staple in our household. I love it in this 5 minute lemon tahini dressing. If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s sesame seed butter which means it’s usually a safe option for those with nut allergies (Note: if you do have a food allergy, always check with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe for you).
Almond or cashew butter can be used as alternatives to tahini if you’re looking for a different creamy element. You could also substitute for Greek yogurt if you want to try something a little different.
Grocery store tip: Tahini is typically in the same aisle as other nut butters. That being said, I’ve also found it in the international food aisle and the health food aisle so don’t be discouraged if you can’t find it right away!
Garlic: I minced fresh garlic to make the tahini sauce but you can substitute for garlic powder or pre-minced garlic.
Kitchen hack: Use a microplane to mince your garlic in seconds!
Lemon Juice: I freshly squeezed lemon into the tahini sauce but you can use lemon juice. I like Santa Cruz lemon juice and I find it tastes pretty close to fresh lemon.
Hazelnuts: I love a little crunch on a dish like this which is exactly why I included hazelnuts in this recipe. They help satisfy mouth hunger (more on the types of hunger here) and add a nuttiness to the dish that pairs well with the tahini. You can use almonds, walnuts, pinenuts, or pecans instead of hazelnuts for a similar texture, taste, and crunch.
Raisins: The raisins add a sweetness to this dish that contrasts nicely with the curried cauliflower. Dried apricots, cranberries, or chopped dates are also great alternatives if you don’t have any raisins on hand.
Parsley: I like fresh flat leaf parsley for this dish but you can use curly parsley as well. You can also use dried parsley or try substituting for other fresh herbs like mint or cilantro.
How To Make This Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the cauliflower out in a single layer between the two baking sheets, making sure to leave room in between pieces so the cauliflower crisps up and doesn’t steam. Toss the cauliflower in the oil and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and curry powder.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 40 to 45 mins, stirring halfway. The cauliflower is done when it’s golden brown and beginning to brown on both sides, and tender but crisp when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately or store in a sealable container in the fridge for future use.
Meanwhile, to a small bowl add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, garlic and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
To serve, spread the tahini sauce on a serving platter, top with roasted cauliflower, raisins, hazelnuts, and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!
Mistakes and Fixes
I’ve been making roasted cauliflower and tahini sauces for over a decade and have made my fair share of mistakes before perfecting this recipe. If you find this dish isn’t turning out exactly as you imagined try some of the following suggestions:
Cauliflower isn’t crisping up
If you find that your cauliflower isn’t crisping up or it’s ending up mushy without any crisp, chances are you’re overcrowding the baking sheet. When you lay your cauliflower on the sheet to roast, make sure to leave room in between the pieces. This will allow the cauliflower to crisp and not steam.
Underseasoning the cauliflower
After I’ve made a recipe once or twice, I will usually eyeball the seasoning (who has time for more dishes haha). This can result in an under-seasoned dish. The good thing is that you can always add more.
There are two stages in this recipe where you can add more seasoning. Before you cook the cauliflower and after. Personally, I like to try a piece of raw cauliflower after I mix all the seasoning and oil and before I roast it. If I find it’s a little bland I’ll add a little more.
I also like to try the cauliflower after it’s roasting, flavors bloom during the cooking process. If I feel like the dish needs a bit more flavor, I will mix in a little more seasoning then.
Sauce too thick
Depending on the brand of tahini you buy, you may find the tahini sauce is a little too thick for your liking. If this is the case, gradually add warm water to the tahini sauce and whisk it until you reach the desired consistency. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it sits, so you might need to adjust it before serving.
Nutritional Benefits
Cauliflower: What cauliflower lacks in color it makes up for in nutrition. To start off, it’s a great source of dietary fiber. Fiber helps support our digestive system and keeps us feeling full in between meals. It’s also packed full of vitamins and minerals. 1 cup of cauliflower provides you with almost 60% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, 15% of vitamin K, and 7% potassium.
It’s also rich in antioxidants which helps protect you from free radicals and inflammation. That combined with the immune boosting support from the vitamin C, it’s no wonder I’m such a huge fan of this tasty veggie.
Tahini: Tahini is a great source of nourishing fats. These add the satiety factor to a dish which helps us feel satisfied after eating. It also contains plant-based protein and minerals like magnesium and phosphorus – two minerals that play an important role in your bone health.
Like cauliflower, tahini is also rich in antioxidants which may reduce the risk of disease.
Hazelnuts: Hazelnuts are another source of plant-based protein and nourishing fats. They’re rich in a variety of nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, and copper. They’re also full of antioxidants and may help reduce inflammation in the body.
Time Saving & Kitchen Hacks
Over the past year, I am finding that I don’t have as much time as I used to. While I still love a day in the kitchen testing out recipes, I find myself leaning on my time saving tips and kitchen hacks to get nourishing, tasty meals on the table without spending hours in the kitchen. Here are a few ways to speed up the recipe time without cutting out any flavor.
Buy pre-cut veggies: One of my favorite kitchen hacks is buying pre-cut veggies. You can buy either pre-cut fresh cauliflower or use frozen cauliflower florets (yes, you can cook right from frozen) and save time at the cutting board.
You can also buy minced garlic and lemon juice and cut out those prep steps when making this recipe.
Meal prep cauliflower: Since my 3-2-1 Method days (my signature meal plans available here), I have always included roasted cauliflower in my weekly meal prep. If I have an hour of time, you may find me in the kitchen roasting a couple heads of cauliflower, prepping some rice (or any other grain), and chopping some fresh veggies. Then I have veggies and grains to use throughout the week. For this recipe, I recommend using my meal prep cauliflower recipe and storing in an airtight container. When ready to make this dish, toss the cauliflower in some oil and curry powder and reheat in the oven or toaster oven. This can save you 30 minutes of cook time PLUS you have more cauliflower to make another meal (like these crunchy cauliflower and chickpea tacos).
Batch prep the sauce: This sauce is delicious on a variety of dishes. You can thin it out with olive oil and warm water and use it as a dressing on a salad or as a sauce on a bowl. You can use it as a spread on a burger or sandwich or enjoy it as a dip with veggies. Make a big batch of the sauce (double or triple it) and store in an airtight container for a quick and easy flavor boost to almost any dish.
Use kitchen tools: I believe in using any tool I can get my hands on that can help speed up prep and time in the kitchen.
For this recipe you can use a microplane to quickly mince the garlic, a food processor or magic bullet to whip up a batch of the tahini sauce, or an air fryer to halve the roasting time of the cauliflower. If you have ‘em, use ‘em. Every single one of these tools has saved me from a meal time meltdown at one point or another!
If you make this, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot.rd so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! Xo
PrintCurry Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Sauce
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
You have to add this Curry Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Sauce to your recipe rotation. Combining the warmth of curry with the creaminess of tahini, this dish is packed full of delicious nutrition and is the perfect side dish that will have your taste buds begging for more.
Ingredients
Curry Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 3 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Lemon Tahini Garlic Sauce
- ¼ cup tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Spread the cauliflower out in a single layer between the two baking sheets, making sure to leave room in between pieces so the cauliflower crisps up and doesn’t steam. Toss the cauliflower in the oil and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and curry powder.
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Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 40 to 45 mins, stirring halfway. The cauliflower is done when it’s golden brown and beginning to brown on both sides, and tender but crisp when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately or store in a sealable container in the fridge for future use.
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Meanwhile, to a small bowl add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, garlic and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
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To serve, spread the tahini sauce on a serving platter, top with roasted cauliflower, raisins, hazelnuts, and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
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