I never really thought of myself as a “tahini” person, but one bite of this delightfully delicious roasted cauliflower with easy tahini sauce, has landed me firmly in the tahini camp. Go, tahini, go!

It’s so zesty and flavorful without being overwhelming and it comes together in a snap!

Really livens up this ordinary roasted cauliflower, making it a totally addictive side.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for new and low effort side dishes—allows me to get away with serving ordinary mains or leftovers without too much complaint from my crew!

In every bite you get the golden sweetness of the roasted cauliflower and the savory garlicky lemon-sesame creaminess of the tahini sauce. Major YUM!!

And by no means feel that you’re restricted to cauliflower when it comes to this lovely sauce—feel free to use it over other veggies, salads, grain bowls—your imagination’s the only limit. Go, tahini, go!

Roasted Cauliflower with Easy Tahini Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time for Cauliflower: 10 minutes; Roast Time: 35-45 minutes; Prep Time for Tahini: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 heads cauliflower

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• ¼ cup tahini

• Red pepper flakes (optional)

• ¼ cup ice water

The Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Trim the greens off the cauliflower and cut the bottom so that the cauliflower can stand upright. Slice it lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices and place on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Cutting the cauliflower this way allows for more surface area and more caramelization. It’s ok if there are some florets and some slices. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle on some olive oil. Toss to coat well and spread the pieces into a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn and roast for another 15 minutes, so that both sides are nicely browned and caramelized.

2. While the cauliflower is roasting prepare the tahini sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the garlic and lemon juice together and let sit for about 10 minutes to infuse. Whisk in the tahini, a pinch or two of salt and a shake of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat. At first the mixture may seize up and seem like it won’t combine, but just keep whisking and gradually pour in the water until the tahini becomes smooth and thins out into a pourable sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

3. When the cauliflower is ready, transfer to a plate and drizzle the tahini sauce over it. Serve immediately with more tahini sauce on the side.

Enjoy!