Whole Baked Cauliflower with Zaatar Spice Blend and Tahini Sauce is a delicious and healthy vegan meal made with tasty oven-roasted vegetables.
What is Zaatar?
Zaatar (also known as za’atar or satar) is a mixture of various dried herbs (such as oregano, marjoram or thyme), sesame, sumac and salt. Cumin or coriander are sometimes added as well. The result is a nutty spice blend that tastes of fresh herbs and has a hint of lemon that really packs a punch. Of course you can roast the cauliflower in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper, but add some zaatar spice mix and you’ll just love it. This is how your “normal” roasted cauliflower is transformed into a first-class oriental restaurant dish with just a small spoonful of this excellent Lebanese spice.
An extremely versatile mix, zaatar can be used for practically anything from meat to bread to vegetables. So, mix up a jar of your own Zaatar spice mix, sprinkle over everything and you won’t regret it.
combinations
Here are some suggestions to spice up the tahini sauce for whole baked cauliflower a bit! But be careful, don’t use them all together, only one or two combinations at most.
- Chili flakes or chili paste (Sambal Olek or Sriracha, comes in different levels of spiciness)
- a dash of soy sauce for more depth
- some toasted sesame oil for extra sesame flavor
- a teaspoon or two of zaatar spice
- freshly chopped herbs such as chives, parsley, fresh mint or basil
Similar recipes to Whole Baked Cauliflower Seasoning:
- Make your own Zaatar spice mix
- Iranian Nan-E Barbari Recipe
- vegan spelled rolls
- more bread and roll recipes
Whole baked cauliflower seasoned with zaatar
Equipment
- Knife*
- cutting board*
- roaster*
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
- 1 cauliflower big, whole
- 2-3 tbsp. native olive oil*
- ½ tsp kosher salt*
- 1 tbsp. zaatar* Make zaatar yourself click here
- 150 ml water
- Herbs such as parsley, cress, chervil…
Tahini Sauce:
- 3 tbsp. tahini*
- 1-2 tbsp. warm tap water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. native olive oil* optional
- 1 clove of garlic
- kosher salt*
- Pepper*
Instructions
baked cauliflower:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Remove the leaves from the cauliflower. Cut off the stalk so that the cauliflower stands upright.
- Place the cauliflower in an ovenproof roaster or skillet. Brush with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and zaatar spice mix. Pour a cup of water into the pan, covering the bottom well.
- Cover the cauliflower pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45-60 minutes. Remove foil, drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil and bake for another 20-30 minutes. If the cauliflower is soft, it’s done.
while the cauliflower is baking make the tahini sauce:
- Stir tahini paste with a fork when separated.
- Mix the tahini with the lukewarm water in a bowl. You can use the water to control the consistency of the sauce as you like.
- Peel the garlic and chop very finely.
- Using a whisk, stir together the lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Be aware that as the sauce cools in the fridge it will thicken a bit again.
- In the recipe tip you will find some suggestions on how you can spice up the tahini sauce.
Finishing and dressing:
- Once the cauliflower is cooked, you can serve it.
- For example, cut the cauliflower into wedges and serve sprinkled with fresh chopped herbs and chili flakes. You can drizzle the tahini sauce directly over the cauliflower or serve it on the side.