Cauliflower Shawarma With Spicy Tahini

Cauliflower Shawarma With Spicy Tahini

In this vegetarian take on shawarma, the usual spiced lamb, chicken or turkey is replaced with cauliflower florets and onion wedges that have been tossed with a classic combination of cumin, paprika and coriander, then roasted until browned, fragrant and very tender. A hot sauce-spiked tahini served alongside lends creaminess and heat. To serve it, you can tuck everything into a pita or flatbread, or keep the bread on the side and let everyone assemble their own sandwiches at the table. Chopped cucumber, tomatoes and olives are optional, but they add a juicy brightness to contrast with the aromatic, roasted flavors.

Yield: 2 servings

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

Pita or flatbread, for serving

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus more for serving

Chopped tomato, cucumber and olives, for serving

For the Spicy Tahini Sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 to 2 teaspoons harissa paste or other hot sauce, or a large pinch of Urfa or Aleppo pepper, plus more to taste

1 fat garlic clove, finely grated, passed through a press or minced

¼ teaspoon fine sea or table salt

⅓ cup tahini

⅓ cup ice water, plus more as needed

Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

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 tahini sauce: Whisk together lemon juice, 1 teaspoon harissa, garlic and salt in a small bowl, and let sit for a minute or two to mellow the garlic. Whisk in tahini. Whisk in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. You may not need all of the water or you may need to add a little more: Tahini brands vary a lot. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more harissa, lemon juice and salt if you like. The sauce should taste zippy and creamy.

Warm the pitas or flatbread by placing them directly on the bottom oven rack during the last 5 minutes as the vegetables roast. (Or you can warm the bread on another baking pan if that’s easier for you.)

Scatter parsley on top of the roasted vegetables and serve with warm pitas, tahini sauce, chopped tomato, cucumber and olives.

TIP: We have been eating plant based for over 80% of our meals by choice for a couple of decades now and this recipe 'called our names' for a perfect dinner and it was that! Made per recipe for ingredients and technique except for swapping in fresh cilantro for the parsley in and instead of serving with pita or flatbread we served this with rice and the tahini sauce drizzled over all. The tomato (we used quartered cherry ones), cukes and olives for garnish were perfect finish.

This is SO delicious! I added a can of chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry, to the other vegetables, and subbed berbere for paprika because I prefer the flavor, but otherwise followed the directions. I plan to make this often. Great recipe! Thank you, Melissa.

Quite a delicious recipe! I had a container of firm tofu, which I drained, broke up by hand and added to the cauliflower and onion in the oil and spice mixture. The craggy edges held the spices beautifully and added some protein to this fabulous vegetarian dish. I’ll be making this again!

This was one of the best recipes I’ve tried in a long time! I added a red bell pepper to the roasted veg, but otherwise followed the recipe. It’s key to mix the spices in the olive oil, then toss the veg very well to make sure it’s fully coated. Spicy tahini sauce was delicious. Tomato, cucumber, olives, and cilantro (or parsley) are mandatory. I also served with hummus— for those wanting some chickpeas/added protein.

In the absence of olives we added some crumbled feta on top - same salty briny-ness with the added benefit of being cheese, which is never a bad thing. Also used a pinch of Asafoetida (billed the 'Indian MSG') on the cauli and onions which gave them that good good savoury hit - delish.