Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Lentil Cumin Tahini (Printable Version)

Golden roasted cauliflower paired with tangy lemon lentils and velvety cumin-tahini yogurt for a nourishing Middle Eastern-inspired meal.

# What You Need:

→ Roasted Cauliflower

01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Lemon Lentils

06 - 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
07 - 3 cups water
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
13 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

→ Cumin Tahini Yogurt

14 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or dairy-free alternative
15 - 2 tablespoons tahini
16 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
17 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
18 - 1 garlic clove, finely grated
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

20 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
21 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
22 - Lemon wedges

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until florets are golden brown and tender.
04 - Combine lentils, water, bay leaf, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes until lentils are tender but retain their shape. Drain well and discard bay leaf.
05 - While lentils are still warm, stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, diced red onion, and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, grated garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
07 - Spread lemon lentils across a serving platter. Arrange roasted cauliflower on top and drizzle generously with cumin tahini yogurt.
08 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs. Serve with lemon wedges alongside. Can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cauliflower gets impossibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, making it feel more luxurious than its humble price tag suggests.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, which means you can have an impressive dinner on the table without stress or fuss.
  • It's naturally packed with gut-friendly prebiotics and probiotics, so you're nourishing yourself while actually enjoying what you're eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip stirring the lentils halfway through roasting the cauliflower—I learned this the hard way when one side of a batch turned dark brown while the other stayed pale.
  • Add the lemon juice to the warm lentils immediately after draining them, not after they cool down, because warm lentils absorb flavor like a sponge while cold ones just sit with it on the surface.
03 -
  • Make the tahini yogurt sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge—it actually gets better as the flavors meld, and you'll have one less thing to worry about on serving day.
  • If you're serving this at room temperature rather than warm, let everything cool to room temperature separately before assembling so the sauce doesn't break and the vegetables stay fresh-tasting rather than reheated.
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