Vibrant Roasted Cauliflower Salad (Middle Eastern inspired)

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Into making veggies delicious and exciting? This roasted cauliflower salad does just that! Flavors and textures abound with smoky + zesty spices, sweet roasted red onions, crunchy pistachios, and tart pomegranate molasses.

It’s a show-stopping side inspired by Ottolenghi. Perfect for the holiday table, but also easy enough to throw together on a weeknight. Just 30 minutes required. Let us show you how it’s done!

This VIBRANT cauliflower salad begins with roasting cauliflower with red onion for sweetness and olive oil for richness. While salt adds flavor, ground cumin and cardamom bring a Middle Eastern-inspired flair.

After roasting the veggies until tender with crispy edges, we season with lemon zest and juice for brightness and maple syrup for sweetness.

Final garnishes include parsley for freshness, pistachios for crunch, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses for a tart finish that brings it all together. Look at that beauty!

We hope you LOVE this roasted cauliflower salad. It’s:

Caramelized
Tart-sweet
Crunchy
Herby
Zesty
& SO vibrant!

Serve as a holiday side, or pair with our Easy Muhammara Dip and Vegan Lentil Fesenjān for a Middle Eastern-inspired feast. And for dessert? Tahini Cookies! Yum. Can we come over?

Vibrant Roasted Cauliflower Salad (Middle Eastern-Inspired)

Vibrant roasted cauliflower salad with parsley, pistachios, and Middle Eastern-inspired spices. A gorgeous, nourishing side for the holidays and beyond. Just 30 minutes required!

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

20 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Servings:

4 (~1 cup servings)

Course:

Side

Cuisine:

Gluten-Free, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan

Freezer Friendly:

No

Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

Ingredients

1. 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (1 large head cauliflower yields ~5-6 cups or 500-600 g)
2. 1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges (1 medium onion yields ~2 cups or 230 g)
3. 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
4. 1 tsp ground cumin
5. 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
6. 1 tsp sea salt
7. 2 tsp lemon zest (1 small lemon yields ~2 tsp zest)
8. 2 Tbsp lemon juice (1 small lemon yields ~2 Tbsp juice)
9. 1-2 tsp maple syrup

FOR GARNISH

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2. 1/2 cup roasted pistachios, chopped (we used salted)
3. 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (we used Just Date brand)

Instructions

Cooking method

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C).
2. On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets and onion wedges with the olive oil, cumin, cardamom, and salt. Spread into an even layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the cauliflower is starting to get crispy on the edges.
3. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and maple syrup (starting with the lesser amount) and toss to coat. Taste and adjust, as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness or salt to taste.
4. Garnish with fresh parsley, chopped pistachios, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.
5. Best when fresh. Leftover salad will keep stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Not freezer friendly.

Notes

*We also tested with dill, cilantro, and mint, which all work, but we found parsley to be a more complementary flavor. We preferred cilantro over dill or mint.
*Loosely adapted from Ottolenghi’s Cauliflower, Pomegranate, and Pistachio Salad.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1servingCalories: 218Carbohydrates: 20.9gProtein: 6.9gFat: 13.7gSaturated Fat: 1.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 8.1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 701mgPotassium: 670mgFiber: 5.5gSugar: 9.2g<Vitamin A: 223IUVitamin C: 72mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 2.1mg

Recipe by Cook Good Recipes