If you are in the mood to cook something extra special at home, you’ll love this whole roasted cauliflower with harissa yogurt.
The whole harissa roasted cauliflower makes for a truly beautiful centrepiece at the table, taking on a gorgeous copper red crust.
To accompany the cauliflower, we have a herby apricot couscous, garlicky spring greens and a slightly sweet lemon tahini sauce. Gorgeous!
This recipe is all about staying home and revelling in the pleasure of a special meal you went that extra mile to prepare before enjoying from the comfort of your own dining table.
Here's how to make this deliciously different dish.
Ingredients
For the whole roasted cauliflower
- 2 heads (2) cauliflower leaves and base of stem removed.
- 250 g (8.8 oz) thick set yogurt vegan if required
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 90 g (3.2 oz) harissa paste
- pinch salt and black pepper
For the spring greens
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves (2) garlic minced or finely chopped
- 50 g (1.8 oz) spring greens sliced
- 50 g (1.8 oz) kale sliced
- pinch salt and black pepper
For the lemon tahini sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 lemon juice only
- 2 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 5 g (0.2 oz) fresh parsley de-stalked and finely chopped
- pinch salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp thick set yogurt vegan if required
- 2 tsp honey
For the herby couscous
- 150 g (5.3 oz) couscous
- 20 g (0.7 oz) dried apricots roughly chopped
- ½ (0.5) vegetable stock (bouillon) cube
- 3 g (0.1 oz) fresh parsley de-stalked and finely chopped
- 165 ml (5.6 floz) boiling water
Equipment
- Large nonstick baking tray
- Saucepan with lid
Instructions
To make the whole roasted cauliflower
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 400F). In a large bowl, add the harissa, yogurt, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Mix well.
Pop a cauliflower head top down into the bowl and rotate until well covered on all sides.
Spread the remaining oil on a large non-stick baking tray large enough to accommodate your cauliflowers. Place the cauliflower heads, stalk side down on the tray and place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush on any remaining harissa yogurt.
Turn the heat up to 220C (200C fan, 425F), return to the oven and roast for a final 15-25 minutes until the crust is set and considerably deeper in colour.
When your cauliflowers are close to completing their second stint in the oven, it's time to prepare your side dishes.
To make the wilted greens
Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat.
Add the garlic, spring greens and kale with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Fry gently 2-3 minutes until hot and glossy.
Turn off the heat and put the lid on the pan to wilt until you're ready to serve.
To make the lemon tahini sauce
Put the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper into a small bowl.
Mix well, then add the yogurt and honey.
Mix again, taste to check the seasoning, then cover until ready to serve.
To make the herby couscous
Put the couscous, apricot pieces, parsley and a crumbled stock cube in a heatproof bowl.
Add the boiling water.
Mix well.
Cover and leave for 5 minutes
To serve
Once your cauliflowers are fully roasted, leave them to cool and firm up for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork, then serve a large spoonful to each plate. Add 2-3 wedges of cauliflower and the wilted greens.
Drizzle with the lemon tahini sauce and serve.
And that's it, a delicious stay-in meal. What do you think?
Print this whole roasted cauliflower with harissa yogurt recipe
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Harissa Yogurt Recipe
Ingredients
For the whole roasted cauliflower
- 2 heads (2) cauliflower leaves and base of stem removed.
- 250 g (8.8 oz) thick set yogurt vegan if required
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 90 g (3.2 oz) harissa paste
- pinch salt and black pepper
For the spring greens
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves (2) garlic minced or finely chopped
- 50 g (1.8 oz) spring greens sliced
- 50 g (1.8 oz) kale sliced
- pinch salt and black pepper
For the lemon tahini sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 lemon juice only
- 2 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 5 g (0.2 oz) fresh parsley de-stalked and finely chopped
- pinch salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp thick set yogurt vegan if required
- 2 tsp honey
For the herby couscous
- 150 g (5.3 oz) couscous
- 20 g (0.7 oz) dried apricots roughly chopped
- ½ (0.5) vegetable stock (bouillon) cube
- 3 g (0.1 oz) fresh parsley de-stalked and finely chopped
- 165 ml (5.6 floz) boiling water
Equipment
- Large nonstick baking tray
- Saucepan with lid
Instructions
To make the whole roasted cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 400F). In a large bowl, add the harissa, yogurt, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Pop a cauliflower head top down into the bowl and rotate until well covered on all sides.
- Spread the remaining oil on a large non-stick baking tray large enough to accommodate your cauliflowers. Place the cauliflower heads, stalk side down on the tray and place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and brush on any remaining harissa yogurt.
- Turn the heat up to 220C (200C fan, 425F), return to the oven and roast for a final 15-25 minutes until the crust is set and considerably deeper in colour.
- When your cauliflowers are close to completing their second stint in the oven, it's time to prepare your side dishes.
To make the wilted greens
- Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat.
- Add the garlic, spring greens and kale with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry gently 2-3 minutes until hot and glossy.
- Turn off the heat and put the lid on the pan to wilt until you're ready to serve.
To make the lemon tahini sauce
- Mix the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Add the yogurt and honey and mix again.
- Taste to check the seasoning, then cover until ready to serve.
To make the herby couscous
- Put the couscous, apricot pieces, parsley and a crumbled stock cube in a heatproof bowl.
- Add the boiling water and mix well then cover and leave for 5 minutes.
To serve
- Once your cauliflowers are fully roasted, leave them to cool and firm up for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges.
- Fluff up the couscous with a fork, then serve a large spoonful to each plate. Add 2-3 wedges of cauliflower and the wilted greens.
- Drizzle with the lemon tahini sauce and serve.
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Eva Katona says
Oh wow love this! I’ve been thinking about making throws for ages - and I really like the sound of the spices you used here. Bookmarking it :))
Emily Leary says
Awesome. I hope you get a chance to make it soon!
Helen says
This looks and sounds so delicious! Green beans are a go-to veg in our house so the herby beans would go down a treat. I don't think I've had harissa before, is it spicy?
Emily Leary says
It's a blend of chilli, garlic and spices so it can be hot, yes, but it's quite mild in this recipe as it's mixed with the yogurt.
Lyosha says
The dish looks so festive! I definitely i see it as as central piece. Also if you ask me you can never go wrong with Cauliflower. ever. Bookmarking, pinning and cooking it soon
Emily Leary says
Awesome. Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
Erica D Ardali says
This dish seems so exotic! It would be fun meal to break up the week
Emily Leary says
Thanks! I hope that you enjoy this delicious dish! My mum was very impressed when she cam for a visit recently!
Faneshia says
Cauliflower never looked sooo good! I will definitely use this as a side dish with some nice chicken!
Emily Leary says
Thank you! Let me know how it goes!
Courtney says
Omg can we say yum?!?! I just love cauliflower! I will definitely be giving this recipe a try
Emily Leary says
Yes, we can all definitely say yum! I love cauliflower too and this delicious dish is a great hit with my friends and family. I hope you enjoy it too!
Nati says
I want to make this!! It looks amazing and we all love cauliflowers at home! I'm not sure where to find harissa paste in my country though? any suggestions?
Emily Leary says
You can make it by blitzing red chillis and lots of garlic with spices and cooking down. This recipe on BBC Good Food looks good. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1977657/harissa
Lynne Harper says
This looks delicious and I love the way you have added pictures alongside the recipe so you know if it all looks correct :)
Emily Leary says
Thank you so much! I do hope you decide to give this recipe a go - it's as delicious as it looks!
Jasmine Hewitt says
i've never tried making anything like this, but it looks awesome.! i hate cutting u cauliflower so this is a great alternative
Emily Leary says
Thank you! It's worth the effort to make this super tasty dish and yes, you won't have to cut up the cauliflower! Enjoy!
Preet says
My kids would absolutely love these. This would disappear in no time at our house! This is my kind of weekend treat.
Emily Leary says
Thank you! I hope you all enjoy this tasty dish!