Whole Roast Cauliflower with Smoky Tomato Sauce, Chickpeas and Cucumber Mint Dressing
This whole roast cauliflower dish is AMAZING. Perfectly cooked and served with a delicious smoky tomato sauce and creamy mint dressing – so good!
I’ve been meaning to post a whole roast cauliflower recipe forever!
And the other day I asked what recipes you’d like to see at the moment and a request came back for whole roast cauliflower–and here it is!
Lovely and soft on the inside and crispy and spiced on the outside. I’ve paired it with a gorgeous sauce made from a store cupboard, sun-dried tomatoes, ground almonds and spices. Its intense and delicious.
It’s perfectly delicious with just the cauliflower and sauce with chickpeas, but even better with the cool and creamy cucumber mint dip and tahini dressing.
Swaps/ideas;
If you haven’t got sun-dried tomatoes, you can swap or a jar of roast peppers–also fantastic.
The sauce also works really well with a jar of roasted peppers instead of the sun-dried tomatoes.
You don’t have to add the almonds if you have an allergy or want to exclude.
Add less water to the sauce and use it as a tomato paste for pasta or pizza.
I hope you like this one, Much love Niki xxx
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower leaves removed.
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules/powder
- Pinch sea salt
- Olive oil to drizzle
For the smoky tomato & almond sauce
- 280 g sun-dried tomatoes in a jar drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 100 g ground almonds
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 200 ml water
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch chilli flakes
- 1 can chickpeas drained
For the cucumber mint dip
- 1/2 cucumber grated
- 120 g coconut yogurt or plant-based yogurt
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic minced–optional
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Twist black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil–optional
For the tahini dressing
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 50 ml water
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 sea salt
- Twist black pepper
For the toppings
- Toasted pine nuts
- Fresh herbs
- Mint coriander
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- Chilli flakes
Instructions
To cook the cauliflower
- Pre-heat your oven to 180C.
- Take the leaves off the cauliflower and score a cross in the base with a knife.
- Add the cauliflower to a large pan of boiling water. Make sure it’s submerged, cover and boil for 5 minutes–until just tender.
- Drain and pat dry, then add it to a lined small baking tray.
- Rub with the smoked paprika and sprinkle with garlic powder and sea salt.
- Drizzle all over with olive oil.
- Bake for 25 -35 minutes–baste with the juices half way through. The cauliflower should be a little crispy on the outside.
To make the sauce
- Drain and rinse the sun-dried tomatoes. Add them along with all the other ingredients to a for processor and blitz to a thick sauce.
- Add the sauce along with the chickpeas to a small saucepan and heat.
To make the cucumber dip
- Grate the cucumber and pop it into a large seize to drain over a bowl. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible as transfer to a large bowl
- Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
- Really nice, with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
To make the tahini dressing
- Add all the ingredients to a mini chopper and blitz until creamy. Or just mix in a jar.
To serve
- Add the tomato sauce to a serving dish, top with the cauliflower and dollop on some cucumber mint dip, drizzle tahini dressing and top with fresh herbs, seeds/pine nuts and chilli flakes.
22 Responses
Hi Niki,
Looking to try this but what could I substitute the ground almonds for (nut allergy)?
Thanks!
Hi Steph
You could blend some chickpeas with a little water and add that instead. xx
Have just made this. Looks and tastes amazing! A wonderful dish for a main or side!
Wonderful
So happy you liked it.
Much love, Niki xxx
Have just made this. Looks and tastes out of this world! What a gorgeous main or side for any occasion!
Wonderful
So happy you liked it.
Much love, Niki xxx
Made this tonight and it was PERFECTION. Can’t wait to make it again! The smokey tomato almond sauce was incredible. I skipped the cucumber mint dip and didn’t miss it. The mint leaves were a bit overpowering, would do just coriander next time. The cauli needed another 15 mins at 200c to get it brown, there wasn’t any juice to baste it with. Served with homemade flatbreads (basic dough of 200g flour, 100ml water, 2 tbsp oil, pinch of salt. Mix together, quick knead, then split into 4-6 balls and roll out thin. Fry in a screaming hot pan for a couple mins on each side until browned.)
Very happy you liked!
Much love, Niki xxx
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Loved the middle eastern flavours.
Very happy you liked!
Much love, Niki xxx
Seriously thinking about this as a centrepiece for Christmas. It looks soooo good.
Hi Jenny
Fantastic
Hope you love it xx
I’m doing a dinner party next week and – because i love this cauliflower so much – I’d like to to be the star of the show! But what would you recommend to serve alongside this?
Hi Beth
Fantastic
Id serve with; crispy potatoes, a big salad and dips.
Much love, Niki xx
Made for dinner last night! Loved it! Cauliflower wasn’t as crispy as I would’ve liked but the flavour combo is SO GOOD!
Hi Tia
Fantastic – so happy you enjoyed.
A tip is to baste the cauliflower more.
Love
Niki xxx
This looks lovely Niki – thanks very much. Loving your new cook book too. X
Thanks Sue! So happy you love my cookbook 🙂
Love, Niki xxxx
I don’t see where it says what temperature to bake the cauliflower?
Its 180c – Just added.
Much love, Niki xxx
Thank you so much for this! I bought 2 extra large caulks on Sunday so will be making this tomorrow.. can’t wait!
Fantastic!Let me know
Love
Niki xxx