This vegan roasted cauliflower with tahini-cilantro vinaigrette is one of my all-time favorite dishes. So much so that it was one of the few blog recipes that made it into my cookbook. Cauliflower is roasted until tender and tossed in a tangy tahini-cilantro vinaigrette. Pair this delightful salad with Crispy Cauliflower Tacos for a double whammy of cauliflower, or enjoy it all on its own for a light summer lunch. Tip: It tastes even better the second da, after the flavors have had a chance to mingle with one another, so feel free to make it a day in advance to simplify your day-of prep.
First of all, I'm so sorry that I skipped my usual Monday post this week (explanation in the paragraph below), but please know that I'll make it up to you with this roasted cauliflower deliciousness. Today is actually a better day to post anyway, because Blissful Basil turned 4! Yes, four years old, and I'll let you dig through the archives to find that very first post since I cringe/blush whenever I read it because it's super awkward. We all have to start somewhere, right?
As you've probably gathered by now, the site underwent some stylistic changes over the weekend. If you visited the blog on Sunday, please accept my sincere apologies for any wackiness that occurred. Dan and I spent a solid 12+ hours making changes to the site, one-at-a-time, and they were completely apparent to anyone who stopped by to check-in on things. We had a few bloopers as we edited (e.g., a gigantic 1000-pixel header -- BLISSFUL BASIL, social media icons floating around in space, ginormous fonts, teeny fonts, illegible fonts, etc), so hopefully we didn't scare you away for too long.
The Details of the Redesign
The functionality and layout of the site will remain the same; however, the logos, colors, and design elements have been changed. Leslie Vega brought my inspiration board to life with the the logos and branding she created, and I hope you love her work as much as I do. With the exception of the logos/fonts/colors, many of the design elements (e.g., sidebar headers, about me box, etc.) are a work in progress and will be changed once Dan and I have finished designing each of the pieces. However, because the process is so transparent, we wanted to get something up for the time being. If you happen notice anything funny, please let me know.
While I loved the fun, playful look of my previous logo and site (and actually shed a tear as we started removing elements of it), I had been wanting a more natural, clean look for quite some time; a simplified design that would allow the focus to be on photography and conversation. After obsessing gathering feedback from family and friends, many of them confirmed my thoughts about taking a more modern, organic approach to the design. As hard as it was to let go of the previous look, I'm so happy with where the new look + feel of Blissful Basil is headed, and I hope you are too.
Now onto this roasted plate of colorful goodness...
A few weeks back, Whole Foods had the most gorgeous mountain of purple and green cauliflower that I've ever seen. I ended up buying a head of each with no recipe idea in mind simply because they were so beautiful. I'm almost certain that the window of opportunity to purchase gem-hued cauliflower is fairly narrow, but this dish turns out just as delicious with regular cauliflower. Colorful cauliflower fret session averted.
Two full heads of cauliflower florets are tossed in coconut oil, salt and pepper, and roasted into a tender state of amazing. Yes, really. A tender state of amazing. It's the only way to describe roasted cauliflower.
While the cauliflower is roasting, you'll make the tahini-cilantro vinaigrette by whisking together olive oil, tahini, chopped cilantro, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and agave nectar. Then, that tangy, citrusy vinaigrette is poured over the cauliflower while it's still warm.
This salad is delicious warm or cold, and the leftovers are almost more amazing than the fresh-made salad because the cauliflower has a chance to soak up all of the flavors from the vinaigrette. This is a new favorite in our home, and I've already made it three times in less than a week. Obsessed? Yes, and I'm not afraid to say it.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini-Cilantro Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower
- 2 heads cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (Pink Himalayan is wonderful)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Tahini-Cilantro Vinaigrette
- â…“ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for garnishing
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
To Roast the Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cauliflower florets out over the pan. Drizzle them with the coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the florets to coat them in the oil and seasonings.
- Roast the cauliflower for 25-30 minutes or until you can see hints of golden edges of the florets.
- Let cool slightly.
To Make the Vinaigrette
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, tahini, agave, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper.
To Assemble
- Transfer the warm cauliflower to a large bowl, pour the vinaigrette over top, and toss to coat. Serve, garnish, and enjoy.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
Related Posts
Colorful Jicama Noodle Salad with Creamy Tahini-Ginger Dressing | Vegan
Vegan Chorizo Breakfast Tacos | Made with Cauliflower
Crispy Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate Seeds
Late Spring Vegetable Ceviche
Quick Cucumber Noodle Salad with Tahini-Lime Dressing
Grilled Cilantro, Lime + Paprika Corn on the Cob
Kaylee @ Lemons and Basil says
The new design and changes you've made to the site are lovely! And Happy 4 Year Anniversary to Blissful Basil! What you've built here is amazing! :)
This roasted cauliflower dish is GORGEOUS and sounds delicious!
Ashley says
Thanks for always being so supportive, Kaylee! It's hard to believe it's been four years; blogging has been such an inspiring and life-changing journey (as I know you know). My favorite part has been meeting wonderful people like you!
Kaylee @ Lemons and Basil says
I feel much the same about you! :)
Celeste Jackson says
Congratulations on your 4th anniversary. Lot's to celebrate since then! Love the changes to the website...clean and simple and sophisticated. I was at an event recently that served this cauliflower raw which was very nice but I had wondered how it would be otherwise....now I know and look forward to trying this out. Thank you!
Ashley says
Thank you! Yes, so many things have happened during the last four years! Thanks for your sweet words about the changes; they're still a work in progress, but we have a solid start (thanks to Dan).
Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says
Congrats on your blog anniversary and your gorgeous new layout! :)
I *love* roasted cauliflower! I can't wait to try it with this vinaigrette. It looks delicious!
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Meredith! Isn't roasted cauliflower the best? It always surprises me how delicious it is even with just a little salt and pepper. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Karen @ Lushious Eats says
This looks amazing! I love all the colours in the cauliflower. I always pick them up when I see them in the grocery store. It just makes it seem like a whole different veggie. Love this recipe :)
Ashley says
Thanks, Karen! The color variation really does make it seem like a different vegetable. I just wish I could find purple and green cauliflower year-round; it's so much prettier than regular cauliflower!
Rod says
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this
post was great. I don't know who you are but definitely you are
going to a famous blogger if you aren't already ;) Cheers!
Ashley says
Thanks for your incredibly sweet words, Rod!
Carrie Pacini says
I love cauliflower and even like to add grapes to it for color and taste. This looks really good. Love the presentation.
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Carrie! I've never thought of adding grapes to roasted cauliflower; sounds so tasty!
Cloud Technology says
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The text in your article seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer.
I'm not sure if this is a format issue or something to
do with web browser compatibility but I thought I'd post to let you know.
The design look great though! Hope you get the problem solved soon. Kudos
Ashley says
Thanks for the heads up! I noticed that the photos have been getting cut off in IE, so I updated to the latest version and it seemed to take care of the problem. Not sure why that happens, but I appreciate you letting me know :)
Azu says
I found your website in Tastespotting and this recipe for roasted cauliflower really caught my attention. They look delicious! Pinned.
Ashley says
I'm so glad you spotted the recipe on Tastespotting, Azu! Thanks for commenting, and I hope you have a chance to make the roast cauliflower :)
mandy says
thanks for this superb recipe and congrats on your blog anniversary. i just found your blog and absolutely love everything that i have seen so far! i am also from chicago. what are your favorite restaurants?
keep up the great posts!
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Mandy! I'm so glad you found the blog and are enjoying it! Favorite Chicago restaurants? That is a hefty question! For straight veg/vegan, I'd say Karyn's, Handlebar, and Green Zebra. For any and all restaurants, I'd say Frontera, Girl & The Goat, Davanti Enoteca, and Spacca Napoli -- although I have yet to visit since I've been vegan, but I'm sure they would be accommodating! What are your favorites?
Jan says
This recipe is amazing! I am not a big fan of cauliflower but roasted it's delicious and the tahini cilantro vinaigrette is to die for. Will make extra vinaigrette for my salads later in the weeks.
Kelsey says
I just tried this recipe after searching for a yummy cauliflower recipe on Pinterest, it is AMAZING! I officially like cauliflower now, thank you!!
Ashley says
Thrilled to hear this recipe has made you a believer in cauliflower, Kelsey! :) Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback—means so much. Happy cooking!