This Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini recipe turns the humble cauliflower into a crave-worthy side dish, thanks to toasted walnuts and a creamy, lemony sauce.
Roasting is my favorite way to prepare vegetables, as it gives you that contrast between the savory browned edges and tender interior. And roasting works even with vegetables you might normally prepare differently. Try these Roasted Artichokes and this Roasted Broccoli Rabe, for example.
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Why Make This Recipe
- Love the combo of crunchy walnuts with a creamy sauce and savory cauliflower florets: simple ingredients but big flavor!
- Toasting the walnuts and making the sauce in advance are some of my favorite ways to make dinner prep easier
- Easy enough for everyday, but jazzes up a holiday table too!
🥗 Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Look for a firm cauliflower head with green leaves at the bottom (rather than wilted or brown). A few brownish spots on the top of the cauliflower is ok, but try to find one as unblemished as possible.
- Walnuts: Love these for crunch. Feel free to replace with pecans or almonds. You could also sprinkle with sunflower kernels or toasted pumpkin seeds instead.
- Greek Yogurt: Any plain yogurt is fine here. You can also use a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Tahini Paste: Many grocery stores now carry this paste made from ground sesame seeds in the peanut butter section. You can also order tahini online.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is always better than bottled. You should get what you need from one juicy lemon. Try lime juice as an alternative.
- Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free version of this tahini sauce, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Add ½ cup walnuts to a small baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until toasted, then remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
Let walnuts cool, then chop roughly.
Cut off cauliflower leaves from a whole head of cauliflower, then cut out the hard core. Chop the rest of the cauliflower into florets, about 2 inches in size. Put cauliflower florets in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil, and add cauliflower in a single layer. Roast cauliflower for 15 minutes, stir, then roast 5-10 more minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
While cauliflower is roasting, whisk together 1 container plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons tahini, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
Taste sauce, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, to create the flavor you like. Add water a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is loose enough to drizzle over the cauliflower.
Move cauliflower to a serving dish, drizzle with tahini dressing, and garnish with chopped toasted walnuts to serve.
Storage Tips
Roasted cauliflower can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Keep any leftover tahini sauce in a separate container in the refrigerator—a small mason jar works great. Leftover walnuts can be kept out at room temperature for about a week in a container or baggie.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted vegetables are always the most delicious when they are just out of the oven. That said, you can toast the walnuts in advance and chop them. And you can make the tahini sauce in advance as well and keep in the refrigerator until you need it. So all that is left is to roast the cauliflower and assemble the dish before serving.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Watch the walnuts closely so they do not burn—you should be able to smell them when they are toasted. (And don’t be tempted to use the same temperature you will use to roast the cauliflower—a high temperature is needed for roasting, but will burn your walnuts.)
The time required to roast your cauliflower will partly depend on how big you cut the florets. And, note that you don’t need to use foil or parchment paper if you have a well-seasoned sheet pan like I do! You’ll get better browning without the paper. Running low on time? Throw your cauliflower florets in your air fryer—just take care to do them in batches so that they become golden brown rather than steam.
Make sure you stir your tahini well before using it, as it has a tendency to separate in the jar. Also, note that some tahini products are much thicker than others—that will impact how much water you have to add to make your tahini lemon sauce. And, if you want a super smooth sauce, try blending it in a food processor.
Want to add even more flavor to this roasted cauliflower recipe? Tahini and dates make a delicious combination—chop some up and sprinkle over the roasted cauliflower. Or top with vibrant pomegranate seeds. Fresh herbs are also a good choice. Try garnishing with fresh parsley or fresh mint. Stir some grated fresh garlic or garlic powder into your creamy tahini sauce. Add heat with some crushed red pepper flakes. This simple recipe is a great base for flavor upgrades.
Wondering what to serve with this recipe? Since this dish is Mediterranean-inspired, you could pair it with a main dish of grilled chicken or fish and other side dishes like this Cucumber Tomato Salad. This is also the perfect side dish for these Turkey Zucchini Meatballs or Crab Cakes. You might also serve it as part of a holiday dinner, next to some Seared Filet Mignon, these Green Beans Almondine, and this Cream Cheese Corn Casserole.
Other Delicious Roasted Vegetables
Roasting just brings out the flavor in so many different vegetables. Here are some other favorite easy recipes—try the lemon tahini sauce on these too!
If you try this Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me. And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
📖 Recipe
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Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 1 5.3-ounce container Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2-4 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- Add the walnuts to a small baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until toasted, then remove from oven.
- Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
- Let walnuts cool, then chop roughly.
- Cut off cauliflower leaves, and cut out hard core of cauliflower. Chop the rest of the cauliflower into florets, about 2 inches in size.
- Put cauliflower florets in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil, and add cauliflower in a single layer. Roast cauliflower for 15 minutes, stir, then roast 5-10 more minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
- While cauliflower is roasting, whisk together yogurt, tahini, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and soy sauce. Taste sauce, then season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, to create the flavor you like. Add the water a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is loose enough to drizzle over the cauliflower.
- Garnish with chopped toasted walnuts to serve.
Notes
Roasted cauliflower can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Keep any leftover tahini sauce in a separate container in the refrigerator—a small mason jar works great. Leftover walnuts can be kept out at room temperature for about a week in a container or baggie. Expert Tips:
The time required to roast your cauliflower will partly depend on how big you cut the florets. And, note that you don’t need to use foil or parchment paper if you have a well-seasoned sheet pan like I do! You’ll get better browning without the paper. Make sure you stir your tahini well before using it, as it has a tendency to separate in the jar. Also, note that some tahini products are much thicker than others—that will impact how much water you have to add to make your tahini lemon sauce. And, if you want a super smooth sauce, try blending it in a food processor.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
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