Roasted Cauliflower with Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
This whole-roasted, smoky 🔥, spicy 🌶, buffalo cauliflower can be a main course for meatless Monday or a side dish for a weeknight dinner, but it’s impressive presentation makes it a fun and show-stopping dish for a dinner party. Crunchy roasted chickpeas, some pomegranate, mint, and a tahini, honey, lemon sauce bring it to the next level of YUM! Seriously, considering it’s just cauliflower, it’s actually amazingly tasty and satisfying! I tried making it with some of the more interesting colors and varieties of cauliflower, but because of the color of the smoked paprika (a must-have ingredient in the rub), I think this works best with basic, white cauliflower.
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Roasted Cauliflower with Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1.5 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4-8 depending on the size of the cauliflower 1x
Ingredients
- Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 can (400 grams/15 or 16 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons za’atar spice mixture
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt (depending on how much salt your chickpeas have in them already)
Cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ – ¾ teaspoon red chili powder depending on your taste for spice (optional)
Tahini Sauce/Toppings
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons water or more
- Salt and pepper
- A handful or 2 of fresh mint, chopped
- ½ cup pomegranate arilsÂ
Instructions
Roasted Chickpeas
In addition to being healthy and a great source of protein, these crunchy chickpeas are a great addition to any salad and make a great snack. I highly recommend making a double batch!
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F with the convection function if you have it or 190C/375F if you do not have convection.
- Dry the chickpeas as best you can with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Place the chickpeas, olive oil, salt and za’atar in a bowl and toss to combine. Tip out onto a parchment lined baking pan and roast until the chickpeas are crunchy*. Give the pan a shake and rotate it 180 degrees halfway through cooking.
*If you cook them with convection, it should take 40-50 minutes. If you cook them without convection, it will likely take more like 60-70 minutes.
Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 230C/445F
- In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper and set aside.Â
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the cauliflower in the water, cover, and boil for 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of your cauliflower. If your cauliflower is large and part of it isn’t covered, make sure you flip it ½ way through the boiling process. Remove the cauliflower from the water and place on a baking pan. Brush or rub all of the olive oil/spice mixture on the cauliflower. Roast in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until the cauliflower is browned in some spots.
Tahini Sauce/Toppings
Place all of the ingredients except for the mint and pomegranate in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover tightly and shake. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until your desired thickness is reached.
AssemblyÂ
Place a big blob of sauce on the plate and then place the cauliflower in the middle. Pour more sauce over the top or serve it on the side. Sprinkle the roasted chickpeas, mint and pomegranate on and all around the cauliflower. Serve hot or at room temp.