Description

This vibrant roasted cauliflower with harissa and chickpea sauce is a flavorful and hearty dish combining tender roasted cauliflower slices with a spicy, aromatic tomato and chickpea sauce. Enhanced by a creamy tahini yogurt topping and toasted almonds, it’s perfect as a vegetarian main or a side dish that pairs beautifully with a fresh salad.

Ingredients

Scale

Cauliflower and Marinade

1 large cauliflower
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the tin
½ tsp cumin seeds
1½ tsp sea salt
Pinch of salt (for cauliflower leaves)

Harissa Chickpea Sauce

1 large onion, sliced
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp rose harissa
35g butter
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp cumin seeds (for frying sauce)

Tahini Yogurt

200g natural yogurt
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp onion granules
Pinch of dried or fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp smoked paprika

Garnish and Serving

2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Salad leaves, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the marinade and cauliflower: In a mixing bowl, combine 2 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 1½ tsp sea salt, and stir well. Remove any leaves from the cauliflower, slice them lengthways, and toss these leaves in a bowl with a pinch of salt; set aside. Cut the cauliflower into thick slices about 1½cm-2cm thick, plus keep any broken florets for roasting.
Marinate the cauliflower: Oil a large roasting tray, add the cauliflower slices and florets, and pour over the marinade. Stir gently to coat all pieces. Cover with foil, then marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
Roast the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6). Place the covered roasting tray into the oven and roast the cauliflower for 40-45 minutes.
Make the harissa chickpea sauce: While the cauliflower roasts, heat 1 tbsp olive oil with 1 tsp cumin seeds in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt, frying and stirring for 8-10 minutes until the onion begins to caramelize. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, then cook for 6-8 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly. Stir in the crushed garlic, rose harissa, and butter until combined. Use a food processor to blitz the sauce until smooth, then return it to the pan.
Warm the chickpeas and cauliflower leaves: Add the rinsed chickpeas and reserved cauliflower leaves to the sauce in the pan. Heat through gently for 1-2 minutes.
Caramelize the cauliflower: Remove the foil from the cauliflower in the roasting tray and return it to the oven for a final 10 minutes to brown and caramelize.
Make the tahini yogurt dressing: In a bowl, mix together the natural yogurt, tahini, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, onion granules, dried thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine smoothly.
Assemble and serve: Divide the warm chickpea sauce between plates, then top with the roasted cauliflower slices. Dollop the tahini yogurt over the top and scatter with toasted flaked almonds. Serve with a fresh, well-dressed salad of crunchy leaves if desired.

Notes

For leftovers, chop any remaining harissa cauliflower and reheat with the chickpeas and sauce, adding vegetable stock if needed.
This dish pairs wonderfully with couscous for a more filling meal.
You can marinate the cauliflower overnight for enhanced flavor and tenderness.
Toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan until golden to bring out their flavor before garnishing.
The tahini yogurt adds a creamy, cooling contrast to the spicy sauce—don’t skip it!

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours marinating time)
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: Middle Eastern / North African

Keywords: roasted cauliflower, harissa, chickpea sauce, vegetarian, tahini yogurt, North African, Middle Eastern, roasted vegetables, healthy dinner