By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- 5(4,242)
- Notes
- Read community notes
In this vegetarian take on shawarma, the usual spiced lamb, chicken or turkey is replaced with cauliflower florets and onion wedges that have been tossed with a classic combination of cumin, paprika and coriander, then roasted until browned, fragrant and very tender. A hot sauce-spiked tahini served alongside lends creaminess and heat. To serve it, you can tuck everything into a pita or flatbread, or keep the bread on the side and let everyone assemble their own sandwiches at the table. Chopped cucumber, tomatoes and olives are optional, but they add a juicy brightness to contrast with the aromatic, roasted flavors. (Watch the video of Melissa Clark making cauliflower shawarma with spicy tahini here.)
Featured in: This Cauliflower Shawarma Reaches for Spring
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Ingredients
Yield:2 servings
- 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1¼teaspoons ground cumin
- 1¼teaspoons sweet paprika
- ¾teaspoon fine sea or table salt, plus more as needed
- 1teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- 1large head cauliflower (about 2½ pounds), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
- 1large red onion, cut into ¼-inch wedges
- Pita or flatbread, for serving
- ¼cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus more for serving
- Chopped tomato, cucumber and olives, for serving
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 to 2teaspoons harissa paste or other hot sauce, or a large pinch of Urfa or Aleppo pepper, plus more to taste
- 1fat garlic clove, finely grated, passed through a press or minced
- ¼teaspoon fine sea or table salt
- ⅓cup tahini
- ⅓cup ice water, plus more as needed
For the Cauliflower
For the Spicy Tahini Sauce
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
837 calories; 60 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 35 grams monounsaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 1703 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Step
2
Prepare the cauliflower: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, coriander, turmeric, black pepper and cayenne. Add cauliflower and onion, and toss until well coated. Spread mixture in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step
3
Roast vegetables on the top oven rack until they are golden brown, slightly crisp and tender, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once or twice. If the vegetables look dry as they roast, drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Step
4
As they cook, prepare the tahini sauce: Whisk together lemon juice, 1 teaspoon harissa, garlic and salt in a small bowl, and let sit for a minute or two to mellow the garlic. Whisk in tahini. Whisk in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. You may not need all of the water or you may need to add a little more: Tahini brands vary a lot. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more harissa, lemon juice and salt if you like. The sauce should taste zippy and creamy.
Step
5
Warm the pitas or flatbread by placing them directly on the bottom oven rack during the last 5 minutes as the vegetables roast. (Or you can warm the bread on another baking pan if that’s easier for you.)
Step
6
Scatter parsley on top of the roasted vegetables and serve with warm pitas, tahini sauce, chopped tomato, cucumber and olives.
Ratings
5
out of 5
4,242
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Cooking Notes
RP
Have made this two more times since my initial review. Eating it while stoned is currently the main source of joy and self-fulfillment in my life.
dimmerswitch
We have been eating plant based for over 80% of our meals by choice for a couple of decades now and this recipe 'called our names' for a perfect dinner and it was that! Made per recipe for ingredients and technique except for swapping in fresh cilantro for the parsley in and instead of serving with pita or flatbread we served this with rice and the tahini sauce drizzled over all. The tomato (we used quartered cherry ones), cukes and olives for garnish were perfect finish.
Z. Stafford
Melissa Clark could make a phone book delicious.
Cheraud
I made this dish tonight for my husband and I. I am always looking for vegan side dishes to accompany the main meal. I have been married for 31 years, and my husband said this was the best dish I ever made. He gave it 12 stars out of 10. It was enjoyable, and very difficult to stop eating it.. I want more of your recipes.
val q
So funny, I have been making this, almost exactly, for several days after my husband bought too much cauliflower. So delicious! Also good in corn tortillas. And I do the cauliflower in my air fryer. Crispy and easy clean up.
Michal N
I suggest you sprinkle in a few capers if you don't have olives and cubed avocado pieces (not mushy ones!) - they go well with tomatoes and cucumbers.
Janine Gross
This is SO delicious! I added a can of chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry, to the other vegetables, and subbed berbere for paprika because I prefer the flavor, but otherwise followed the directions. I plan to make this often. Great recipe! Thank you, Melissa.
Jo
This was one of the best recipes I’ve tried in a long time! I added a red bell pepper to the roasted veg, but otherwise followed the recipe. It’s key to mix the spices in the olive oil, then toss the veg very well to make sure it’s fully coated. Spicy tahini sauce was delicious. Tomato, cucumber, olives, and cilantro (or parsley) are mandatory. I also served with hummus— for those wanting some chickpeas/added protein.
anna.d
In the absence of olives we added some crumbled feta on top - same salty briny-ness with the added benefit of being cheese, which is never a bad thing. Also used a pinch of Asafoetida (billed the 'Indian MSG') on the cauli and onions which gave them that good good savoury hit - delish.
Sandra Burrowes
I'd make this again. If you like the spices, try using extra. I find tahini to be bitter so I used salt, lime juice and extra harissa to balance its bitterness. A planning note: a 2-1/2 pound head of cauliflower makes closer to 5-6 servings when served inside pita.
Dani
I made a cucumber, red onion, cherry tomato, feta, and avocado salad with lemon juice and dill to throw on top kinda like a taco garnish and it was 👌🏻
Tiggywinkle
Some feta or chickpeas would add a protein and make a complete meal.
Mary Lou Marks
Sprayed the veg with avocado oil and had no olives so subbed capers. Served with naan. A definite keeper!
Abbie
Made this tonight. It was a hit for the whole family. I also added some quick pickled (rice wine vinegar) carrot and cucumber matchsticks on top and used rice instead of pita. I had some ground turkey to use up, so I browned it and added a similar mix of spices shawarma spices. All of it together was wonderful with the sauce.
Gary V
The only ingredients I am missing are lemon juice, harissa and Cauliflower. I had Harissa powder somewhere, I need to dig in my pantry. In any case all can be had easily. In addition to Cauliflower in my stir fry this will be a great alt. Thanks for this recipe.
Lori
Absolutely delicious. Made just as written. The flavors are perfect. I had it in a pita and my husband had it plain. This will become a regular in our house.
Es
Delicious. Messy. Make more of everything!!! Add feta or another crumbly white cheese or anything else.
AJ
Just the best! This will be in rotation for a looooong time. Added more garlic to the tahini sauce, and added red chilis to roast with the cauliflower and onions. Will try in the air fryer next time.
Dabbler
Very tasty. I added boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I subbed mint for parsley because it's emerging in my garden right now, and brown rice for pita.
Joan
Okay, not the spirit of the thing, but subbed chicken thighs for cauliflower and it was real good. Otherwise followed the recipe except, as usual with NYT recipes, bumped up spices. Yummeee. Assume also good with cauliflower.
Brenda in Montana
Made a half recipe of the cauliflower (without the onion), full recipe of the sauce. SO delicious!!! I wish I made the full recipe of the cauliflower. I will definitely be making this again- maybe tomorrow?!
Susan B
I used socca as a flatbread—a bit more protein—and it was delicious!
Andrea
Amazing recipe! So filling and flavorful. Had to make a few adjustments due to pantry. Made the tahini sauce with hummus, was very smooth and delicious. Also added gardianra since we had no olives. Will keep this one in the rotation for meatless Monday.
John K Brubaker
Excellent, thank you! I did triple the seasonings as is my habit with almost all published recipes.
stefanie
Just made and it is excellent. Added roasted chickpeas but cooked separately so they became crunchy. Also used more than chopped parsley—used mint and dill as well. Will make again.
Mah Dude
We made this for 2nd or 3rd time. It’s delicious. We use cayenne pepper instead of the paste. Tonight we had it with quinoa instead of pita bread and it was more of a Mediterranean bowl. It’s very tasty!
kristinjoyabrownell
Five stars! We used boiled beets, and chilled them and chopped them on the side as an alternative for the tomato. Yum!
Amy
Oh my word! I think I must've died and gone to heaven. This is stellar! Had to modify slightly based on other comments. Used capes with the tomatoes and cucumbers a parsley. No tahini, so made tzatziki because I love it and it always tastes so fresh. I will add more red onion next time because those crunchy, crisply morsels on onion with the cauliflower crumbs made a fantastic desert.
Amy
Good grief. In my rush to my excitement, I see my spelling was abominable. Don't let that stop you from diving in!
JH
ABSOLUTE WINNER, even with my extremely picky toddler. For the tahini sauce, to save time, I blended all of the ingredients together in a small blender and it came out with a beautifully whipped consistency. I also added red bell pepper to roast alongside the cauliflower. This recipe is going into our regular rotation.
michelle
This is fantastic! We didn’t have harissa and so we used berbere in the sauce instead. Skipped the tomatoes and ate it with our sourdough rye bread instead of pita. A great dinner. Can’t wait to make it again.
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