May 1, 20223 min read

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Green Tahini Sauce

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

A gorgeous centrepiece or side dish with this easy whole baked cauliflower with only a few ingredients and packed with delicious flavours!

Cauliflowers are one of the most versatile vegetables - they can literally be used for everything from rice, pizza and wraps to crackers, mash and smoothies!

DID YOU KNOW?

Cauliflower is part of the cruciferous vegetable family and is naturally high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, folate, potassium and magnesium. Being a good source of antioxidants makes them a great vegetable to fight inflammation, protect against heart disease and boost immunity. They are also high in choline which supports brain development, a healthy nervous system and supports liver function.

One of my favourite ways to cook vegetables is whole, beautifully spiced and left in their natural form. This whole roasted cauliflower is so easy, only requires a few ingredients and is a great quick mid-week meal that can be served with hummus, mash, grains, legumes, roasted veggies and/or fresh salads. You can also "fancy" it up for a celebration by carving it and using it as a wrap, pita or tortilla filling with pickles, hummus, panfried brinjals, vegan tzatziki and fresh greens.

I have teamed up with one of my favourite iconic local SA brands - Nomu to create some delicious, nutritious and nourishing plant based recipes inspired by their range of incredible products. This dish is packed with spices from Nomu and they have a great selection of spices, herbs, cook's salt and local olive oil. You can use my code MIRAWEINER10 to get 10% off on your online purchases.

Let’s cook ☺

Ingredients for the cauliflower

1 medium to large whole cauliflower
3 tbsp Nomu olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Nomu ground cumin
2 tsp Nomu smoked sweet paprika
Generous grinding of Nomu All in One Grinder
Generous pinch of Nomu Atlantic Sea Salt Flakes
Generous pinch of Nomu Rainbow Pepper

Serving suggestion:

Finely chopped parsley

Ingredients for the green tahini sauce

1 cup good quality tahini
1 cup parsley
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Nomu olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tsp maple syrup
Pinch of Nomu chilli flakes
Generous pinch of Nomu pink Himalayan salt and Nomu rainbow pepper

Method for the cauliflower

1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, spices, salt and pepper together. Mix well.

2. Wash the cauliflower and carefully remove the bottom stalk without removing too much of the core as you want the cauliflower to stay intact. If you have nice looking leaves, leave them on they are delicious when slathered in this delicious marinade and baked. Crispy goodness!

3. Pre-heat the oven to 200C and place the cauliflower onto a baking tray lined with baking paper or use a silicon mat. Generously coat the cauliflower in the marinade, you can turn it over and let the marinade sink into the centre of the cauliflower too. Turn it over and brush the top of the cauliflower. Save some of the marinade as we are going to re-coat it half way through baking.

4. Pro tip – if you want a softer cauliflower then place a pan of water at the bottom of your oven so that the cauliflower steams while baking, if you prefer your cauliflower to have some bite to it then don’t do the water steam method. Bake at 200C for 45 minutes-1 hour or until a knife easily cuts through the core. To brown the top, increase the heat and roast for a further 4-6 minutes, watch carefully so it doesn’t burn!

5. Serve with generous dollops of my green tahini sauce and freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Method for the green tahini sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients into a blender or Nutribullet and blend until smooth and creamy. Generously lather over the roasted cauliflower. Can also be used over roasted veggies, burgers, fritters, falafel, salads, Buddha bowls, dip roasted potato wedges in, dunk pita bread crisps, slather onto toast and drizzle over panfried brinjal slices. The combinations are endless! Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, if it lasts you that long.