In this vegetarian take on shawarma, spiced cauliflower florets and onion wedges take center stage, roasted to perfection with cumin, paprika, and coriander for a fragrant, tender bite. Drizzle with creamy cumin tahini sauce for a fiber-rich, plant-based dish that’s perfect for grain bowls, wraps, or as a flavorful veggie main!
Cauliflower Shawarma with Cumin Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
For The Cauliflower
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 1¼ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1¼ teaspoons sweet paprika
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea or table salt plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2½ pounds) trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
- 1 large red onion cut into ¼-inch wedges
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley plus more for serving
For The Cumin Tahini Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Heat oven to 425oF.
- Prepare the cauliflower: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, coriander, turmeric, black pepper and cayenne. Add cauliflower and onion, and toss until well coated. Spread mixture in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast vegetables on the top oven rack until they are golden brown, slightly crisp and tender, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once or twice. If the vegetables look dry as they roast, drizzle with a little more olive oil.
- As they cook, prepare the cumin tahini sauce: In a small bowl, add all sauce ingredients and whisk or mix together until smooth.
- Scatter parsley on top of the roasted vegetables and serve with cumin tahini sauce.
Notes
Credit: NYT Cooking by Melissa Clark