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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.
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.
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…
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.
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?
- Vegan Tahini Cauliflower Steaks
- Cauliflower Leek Soup (Paleo & Vegan)
- Vegan Cauliflower Gnocchi with Pesto
True Food Kitchen Tahini Cauliflower
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
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.
Photography credit to Selena Sharpless of The Nutritious Kitchen
It’s was EXACTLY the recipe from True Food!! I love this appetizer (I use it as a side and get the butternut squash soup and 1/2 kale salad there) and it’s addictive! So I made this for Easter for 40 people! It was only one of the 3 sides served so I only had to double the recipe! Everyone LOVED it!! And my picky 20 something niece asked me for the recipe b/c she also loved it! Thank you for creating this copy cat recipe!
That was the goal!! Love their cauliflower and the kale salad is sooo good. I’m so thrilled it was a hit. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Great recipe! I had a version of this dish at Ospi restaurant in Venice Beach, CA. I modified the tahini just a little to match what they did. My twist was to use 1/2 tspn smoked paprika, 1 calabrian chile in oil in place of the harissa. And, for herb, used a combo of parsley, cilantro, and basil. Very similar.
Thank-you so much for this recipe. It is fun to riff off recipes based on what is on hand. This recipe is basically so good that if followed even closely one ends up with an amazing dish.
Sounds so fabulous!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe – one of my favorites, too! Thanks for the feedback and for sharing your changes.