If you know me, you know I’m all about those easy, flavorful side dishes that double as total showstoppers—and this Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini checks all the boxes. It’s crispy, golden, and drenched in the most dreamy, tangy tahini sauce.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I love this Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini because it’s the kind of recipe that feels fancy but is secretly super simple. The cauliflower gets perfectly caramelized in the oven, the onions turn sweet and jammy, and the garlic infuses everything with all the right vibes. Plus, the tahini sauce? It’s creamy, a little zesty, and takes this whole dish to the next level. Whether you’re serving Roasted Cauliflower as a side for a weeknight dinner or as a veggie centerpiece at a dinner party, this recipe brings serious flavor without much fuss.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cauliflower
- Yellow onion
- Fresh thyme
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Lemon
- Tahini
How to Make
Prep and Roast the Cauliflower: Preheat your oven to 425°F. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets, sliced onion, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves with olive oil. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Spread everything out into a single layer to ensure even roasting.
Roast Until Golden: Roast for 25-35 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the cauliflower is golden and just beginning to char at the edges.
Add Lemon and Finish Roasting: Drizzle the juice of one lemon over the Roasted Cauliflower, toss to combine, and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and caramelized.
Make the Tahini Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped garlic until smooth. Gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until the sauce is pourable. Season with kosher salt to taste.
Serve: Transfer the Roasted Cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle generously with the tahini sauce, and serve with extra lemon wedges on the side if desired.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give your cauliflower space! If the baking sheet is too crowded, the veggies will steam instead of roast, and you won’t get that amazing char.
- Don’t skimp on the fat: You need olive oil, and plenty of it! A generous drizzle ensures the cauliflower roasts to perfection, avoiding any dried-out, sad veggies. Trust me—ain’t nobody got time for that!
- High heat is key: Roasting at 425°F gives you crispy edges and caramelized bits—basically veggie candy.
- Toss halfway through: This helps everything cook evenly and ensures every piece has that golden, roasted goodness.
- Go for color: You want those beautiful brown bits on your cauliflower. That caramelization is where all the flavor lives, so don’t be afraid to let them get a little toasty!
- Make the tahini sauce ahead: It keeps for a few days in the fridge, and you can drizzle it over salads, grain bowls, or even grilled chicken.
FAQ's
Can I make Roasted Cauliflower ahead of time?
Yes! You can roast the cauliflower ahead of time and reheat it in the oven at 375°F until warm. The tahini sauce can also be made a few days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
Fresh is best for making Roasted Cauliflower because it gives you that perfect char, but if you only have frozen, roast it straight from frozen—just expect a little less crispiness.
Is there a substitute for tahini?
If you’re not into tahini, you could try a simple garlic-lemon yogurt sauce or even a drizzle of herby pesto for a fresh twist.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or enjoy at room temperature—they’re great either way!
Similar Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini
Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower cut into medium florets
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 8 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon juiced
For the Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons water as needed
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets, sliced onion, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves with olive oil. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Spread everything out into a single layer to ensure even roasting.
- Roast for 25-35 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the cauliflower is golden and just beginning to char at the edges.
- Drizzle the juice of one lemon over the roasted vegetables, toss to combine, and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and caramelized.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped garlic until smooth. Gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until the sauce is pourable. Season with kosher salt to taste.
- Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle generously with the tahini sauce, and serve with extra lemon wedges on the side if desired.
Notes
- Don’t skimp on the fat: You need olive oil, and plenty of it! A generous drizzle ensures the cauliflower roasts to perfection, avoiding any dried-out, sad veggies. Trust me—ain’t nobody got time for that!
- Space matters: Give your veggies room to breathe! Overcrowding the baking sheet will cause them to steam instead of roast, resulting in softer, less crispy cauliflower. Use two baking sheets if needed.
- High heat is key: Roasting at 425°F is what gives you those perfectly caramelized, crispy edges.
- Toss halfway through: This helps everything cook evenly and ensures every bite has that golden, roasted goodness.
- Go for color: You want those beautiful brown bits on your cauliflower. That caramelization is where all the flavor lives, so don’t be afraid to let them get a little toasty!
- Make the tahini sauce ahead: It keeps well in the fridge and is great on everything from roasted veggies to grain bowls and grilled chicken.
Super Delicious!!! Will save and make this one again and again. We added some massaged purple kale to it and it really made the whole thing practically a one dish salad at that point. But ooooh it was delicious!
The flavors are great but the tahini sauce needed a lot more water and olive oil than called for in the recipe.
Easy and delicious!
They are delicious! But are they added to the roasting process to add subtle flavor?
What are you supposed to do with the unpeeled roasted garlic cloves? I originally thought the roasted garlic would be squeezed out and added to the tahini sauce but that calls for raw garlic. Thanks.
pop them out of the skin and EAT THEM WHOLE!! best ever
I've seen in other recipes to squeeze out the garlic and add to the tahini sauce. I think raw garlic would overpower the Tahiti sauce. I'm having this for dinner timing and that's how I'm going out. I'm adding a bit of fresh parsley too and sprinkling roasted pine nuts over all of it.
made this for lunch for myself. was terrific!
I just love roasted cauliflower so thanks for a new option. The onion gets nice and roasty, adding a touch of sweetness. I served it over some spaghetti and fresh spinach. Very easy weeknight meal as a great way to eat your veggies.
What can I serve with this?
That lemon tahini sounds divine!
OMG! This receipe is so out of this world amazing ! It was gone in a blink ! Must try
Always looking for new ways to eat cauliflower! This sounds delicious!
this seems like it would also be good room temp or cooler too...
This recipe sounds very good! What brand tahini do you prefer?
depends!! I buy the kind from trader joes and whole foods usually
Is the cauliflower dish served cold or hot?
hot
This sounds AMAZING! I just tried your Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe this past weekend (DELISH) and this one sounds like another great cauliflower side dish to add to the rotation. I love your side dishes! Can't wait for the cookbook; I've preordered my copy!