Roasted harissa cauliflower

Roasted harissa cauliflower is a flavorful side dish from Morocco. The dish has a mild kick that comes from harissa paste used in the recipe. The dish is served with a simple creamy tahini sauce, pomegranate, and fresh herbs, they deliciously compliment the heat of spicy harissa paste.

What's needed to make roasted harissa cauliflower?

Here's what you need to make this Harissa roasted cauliflower.

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

• Cauliflower: Use fresh cauliflower to make this dish. 
• Onion: Red, brown, or white onion, all are fine.
• Fresh herbs: I have used fresh mint leaves and parsley. You can also add fresh dill or cilantro.
• Harissa paste: It's a North African red chili paste. It also has other ingredients like garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, olive oil, etc. You will find it in Middle Eastern or North African grocery stores. It's easily available online too.
• Cumin powder: Harissa paste also has cumin powder in it so add more cumin powder carefully.
• Olive oil: Good quality extra virgin olive oil will give you more flavor.
• Tahini: It's a Middle Eastern condiment made with toasted and ground white sesame seeds.

Other ingredient details and nutritional information are shared in the recipe card.

How to make (step-by-step process)?

Harissa cauliflower recipe is very easy to make, just follow the simple steps shared below:

Step 1: Put harissa paste, tomato paste, olive oil, cumin powder, ground black pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix.

Step 2: Add cauliflower florets and onion slices.

Step 3: Toss until the sauce evenly coats all the florets and onion.

Step 4: Spread the cauliflower florets and sliced onion in a single layer on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet.

Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven at 200℃ (400℉) for around 25 minutes or until the cauliflower gets roasted well and turns golden brown.

Step 6: Put tahini, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Add a little warm or hot water to adjust the consistency.

Step 7: Transfer the roasted cauliflower and onion to a serving bowl. Drizzle tahini sauce over them.

Step 8: Garnish with chopped fresh mint leaves, parsley, and pomegranate arils. You can also put some lemon wedges on the side.

Your delightful oven-roasted Moroccan harissa cauliflower is ready to be served.

Serving harissa cauliflower

Serve this Moroccan dish hot, warm, or at room temperature.

It can be added to a mezze or served as a side dish with Moroccan or any Middle Eastern meal.

You can also enjoy it as a snack.

Storing and reheating

Store the leftover Moroccan cauliflower in an airtight container. It will be fine for up to 4 days.

Take out from the fridge a few hours before serving and allow the dish to reach room temperature.

If you want to reheat it, remove the pomegranate and herbs. Reheat the roasted cauliflower in a microwave, stovetop, or air fryer.

Make ahead

You can chop the cauliflower and store refrigerated in an airtight container for about 4 days. 

The uncooked marinated cauliflower will also remain fine for 2-3 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container or zip-lock bag.

Roasted cauliflower will be fine for 3-4 days when refrigerated properly. You can also make Tahini sauce in advance and refrigerate it for 5-7 days.

Heat the roasted cauliflower and mix with the sauce, fresh herbs, and pomegranate seeds before serving.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

• Making tahini sauce is optional. You can serve harissa cauliflower without it too. However, the creaminess and mild flavor of tahini sauce compliment the bold flavors of harissa cauliflower and make the dish taste even better.
• Non-vegans may also make a Greek yogurt sauce and use it instead of tahini sauce.
• Harissa paste is slightly spicy. You can add a little brown sugar or maple syrup to balance its heat. Non-vegans may add honey too.
• If you prefer more spicy paste, add red pepper flakes or a hot sauce to the harissa mixture.
• Harissa paste also has salt in it, taste a pinch of harissa paste to decide how much salt you want to add.
• You can also roast unpeeled whole garlic cloves with cauliflower. Use the pulp of these roasted garlic cloves in tahini sauce instead of raw minced garlic.
• Lemon zest can also be added to the harissa sauce for a more refreshing taste.
• Feel free to use spices and herbs of your choice to flavor the harissa mixture like garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, etc.
• Different ovens give different results so you may need to bake the cauliflower for a little less or longer time. Keep an eye on the cauliflower after 20 minutes.
• You can add some toasted pine nuts, pistachios, almonds, or crispy chickpeas on top.
• Add some finely chopped medjool dates or any other date of choice to add more sweetness to the dish. You can drizzle some date syrup too.

Frequently asked questions

More easy cauliflower recipes

If you liked this Moroccan style roasted cauliflower and want to try more easy cauliflower recipes then the following links are worth checking out:

1. Aloo gobhi
2. Baked cauliflower manchurian
3. Kung pao cauliflower
4. Roasted cauliflower soup

More vegan Moroccan recipes

Looking for easy vegan Moroccan recipes? Don't miss to check out the following recipes:

1. Roasted Moroccan potatoes
2. Moroccan carrot salad
3. Moroccan couscous with chickpeas
4. Vegan harira
5. Moroccan sweet potato and chickpea soup
6. Moroccan pasta

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