This easy & delicious Tahini Cauliflower Recipe is a copycat of True Food Kitchen’s Charred Cauliflower, a major favorite of mine! The charred cauliflower florets are coated in a delicious harissa tahini sauce and adorned with Medjool dates, pistachios, and herbs.

Charred cauliflower in a pottery bowl, drizzled with a tahini harissa sauce and topped with pistachios, Medjool dates, and sprigs on mint. Small bowl of pistachios in a small bowl in the bottom right corner, and a bowl of tahini harissa dressing on the top left corner.

This charred tahini cauliflower dish is based on one of my favorite veggie dishes – the tahini cauliflower from the restaurant True Food Kitchen. I used to regularly pick this up on my way home and eat it for dinner. BUT – True Foods Kitchen is only in California and Arizona, and I don’t currently have one super close to me…

Whenever I share a photo of this dish on Instagram, I get bombarded with requests for a copycat version, both from people who want to try it and people who are already obsessed and want to be able to make it at home. So of course, it was time to recreate it. And…why did I wait so long?! It’s SO easy, delicious, and quick to make.

This Tahini Cauliflower recipe has the perfect blend of so many different flavors – it’s sweet, smoky, tangy, herby, and absolutely delicious. It’s the perfect side dish, and it works so well over greens and a grain for a wonderful veggie bowl. It also makes a fabulous addition to your favorite Buddha bowl.

Cauliflower on a baking sheet on a white background. The cauliflower is drizzled with tahini harissa sauce, and topped with pistachios and Medjool dates.

This Charred Cauliflower is so easy to make!

We love a recipe that comes together quickly, and this one does just that. The only thing you need to cook is the cauliflower, and while that’s roasting at a high temp in the oven, you can quickly prep the simple tahini harissa dressing and the other mix-ins.

One of the keys to this dish is roasting the cauliflower on HIGH heat. I like doing it at 450°F to get a nice dark char on the cauliflower as it is roasted. This adds an extra dimension of roasted, charred flavor.

How to make tahini sauce:

  • Tahini
  • Harissa
  • Lemon Juice
  • Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Dill

These ingredients just need to be stirred together, with a little bit of water added to get the right consistency. It’s super easy to prep while the cauliflower is baking. You’ll also have time to get your garnish together…

Pottery bowl of Charred Cauliflower, shot at a diagonal angle. The cauliflower is drizzled with a pink tahini harissa sauce and topped with sprigs of fresh mint. A spoon is in the bowl on the right side. Bowl of dressing visible on the top left corner of image.

To garnish, you’ll need:

All of these things are KEY to create the most perfect balance of sweet, herby, and crunchy goodness!

  • Medjool dates
  • Pistachios
  • Fresh dill & mint

Once the cauliflower is golden and charred in spots, you’re ready to put your dish together. Drizzle the cauliflower with your sauce, toss it all together, and then add in all your fabulous mix-ins. Mix gently, and garnish with extra herbs. Then devour, however you want to enjoy this dish!! It makes for a perfect simple side dish.

Top down close-up photo of tahini cauliflower in a white speckled pottery bowl. Cauliflower is drizzled with a tahini harissa sauce and topped with fresh mint sprigs. A spoon is present on the left of the bowl.

Enjoy, and leave a comment below if you try and enjoy this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think.

Want more cauliflower recipes?

Rachel Conners

True Food Kitchen Tahini Cauliflower

5 from 10 reviews
This easy & delicious Tahini Cauliflower Recipe is a copycat of True Food Kitchen Charred Cauliflower, a major favorite of mine! The charred cauliflower florets are coated in a delicious harissa tahini sauce and adorned with Medjool dates, pistachios, and herbs.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 side servings

Ingredients
 

For the cauliflower

  • 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or other oil of choice
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

For the Harissa Tahini Sauce

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
  • ½ to 1 tablespoon harissa paste, depending on your spice preference
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dried dill, optional, for extra herbiness

For the garnish

  • 2 to 3 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into small pieces
  • 3 tablespoons shelled pistachios, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped finely
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped finely, optional

Instructions
 

For the cauliflower

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the cauliflower florets with avocado oil, salt, and pepper.
    1 large head cauliflower, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, Salt & Pepper
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is golden and just starting to char in a few spots.
  • While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce: whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, or enough to get to a thick but pourable consistency. 
    ¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, ½ to 1 tablespoon harissa paste, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon dried dill
  • When the cauliflower is done, transfer to a bowl and drizzle with half of the dressing, along with the dates and pistachios. Toss gently, and add more dressing to taste. 
    2 to 3 Medjool dates, 3 tablespoons shelled pistachios
  • Garnish with fresh dill and mint, and serve immediately! Enjoy.
    2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1-2 tablespoons fresh mint
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Calories: 244kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 410mg, Potassium: 873mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 149IU, Vitamin C: 107mg, Calcium: 88mg, Iron: 2mg
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Photography credit to Selena Sharpless of The Nutritious Kitchen