Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Chimichurri

Close up of a whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce and chimichurri spooned over the top.

5 from 5 votes

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Chimichurri

Tender, caramelized whole roasted cauliflower on a creamy garlic yogurt sauce, topped with tahini and chimichurri. The perfect vegetarian main, ready in just over an hour.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: servings

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

For the cauliflower:

1 medium-sized cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

For the chimichurri:

1 shallot finely diced
1 red chile pepper diced
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup fresh cilantro (coriander) finely chopped
2 cups parsley finely chopped
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more needed

For the garlicky yogurt:

4 heaped tbsp Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove crushed
1/4 lemon juiced

To drizzle:

2 tbsp tahini

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 428°F (220°C/200°C fan).
Remove thick, ugly outer leaves from the cauliflower but leave any smaller, more delicate ones.
Fill a large pot with water, season well with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower, cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size. Check to see if it's ready by poking the stem with a knife. Remove the cauliflower and place it on a sheet pan to steam-dry for around 10 minutes.
Cover with extra-virgin olive oil and season well with sea salt. Transfer to the oven and roast for 45 minutes, until charred and golden all over.
Mix together the Greek yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice to make the base.
Mix together the shallot, chili, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, and herbs. Stream in the olive oil; it should be runnier than pesto.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven.
Spoon some garlicky yogurt onto a serving plate and pop the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with tahini and chimichurri.
Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Notes

Make-ahead and storage

To store: Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 days in an airtight container, but it will turn a little soggy overnight.

To reheat: I prefer to eat leftovers cold, as more of a salad than reheating it. Just remove from the fridge 20 minutes before eating to let it warm up a bit.

Make ahead: You can parboil the cauliflower ahead of time and then cover and place in the fridge for 24 hours. Then roast when ready to serve for the best texture.

You will have leftover chimichurri, but it lasts up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge.

NB: The calorie estimation above assumes that you split the chimichurri four ways equally, and that you will likely have leftovers!

Nutrition