Miso Tahini Whole Roasted Cauliflower
on Apr 21, 2022, Updated Jul 29, 2024
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This miso tahini whole roasted cauliflower recipe will be your next favorite main dish to serve with your choice of protein or vegetable forward side dish. It’s impressive and easy, and packed with SO much flavor and umami, it gets super flavorful and braised to perfection.
This is an absolutely showstopper for any dinner parties as well! (Your dinner guests will be pleased!) PS: this is completely vegan and plant-based! (love when that happens by accident, and it tastes PERFECT, promise!)
PPS: also a perfect veggie main for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas! (just as delicious for everyday though!)
Table of Contents
What ingredients do you need for this roasted miso cauliflower recipe?
Whole cauliflower: 1 head of cauliflower will do for this! We’re just using white, but feel free to have fun with purple or yellow cauliflower!
White miso paste: this miso glaze/tahini sauce is made with miso, tahini paste, *Togarashi and fresh lemon juice (or you can use red wine vinegar, too) You can also add a grated garlic clove or garlic powder in here, if that’s your thing! But I think it totally works without as well.
Green onions: We’re making a fun topping with the green onions that is mixed with salt, black pepper, easy homemade chili oil, lemon juice, (or red wine vinegar) to drizzle on top of the sauce and cauliflower.
What is *Togarashi?
Togarashi is a popular Japanese spice that consists of a blend of chili flakes/red pepper, seaweed, orange peel, sesame seeds and sometimes ginger. It adds a nice umami flavor and texture to this sauce that I love!
Instructions for this miso tahini roasted cauliflower recipe
Steam/boil your cauliflower.
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a big enough large pot or dutch oven to blanch/steam/boil your cauliflower, bring water to a boil. Add in your cauliflower (remove as much of the green stem as you can but I like to keep the bottom part intact as well, just the outside stem leaves can be removed). gently and steam for 10-13 minutes depending on the size of your cauliflower. In the meantime, set aside a baking tray with parchment (or aluminum foil) with a wire rack on top. Set aside.
*I like mine to be a little bit more of the soft side, but you also don’t want it mushy. I will feel the exterior to see if it’s soft enough, so use your judgement here!
Roast your cauliflower
When your cauliflower is nice and soft, gently move the steamed cauliflower to your prepared wire rack (on top of the baking sheet/sheet pan) or you can also use a cast iron skillet if you prefer here. Drizzle over your olive oil (about 1/4th cup) *avocado oil works too, and season with salt and pepper. Ensure your olive oil is fully coating the cauliflower.
Bake for 20 minutes. Turning half way.
While that’s roasting, make your miso tahini glaze
In a bowl, add in your miso paste, tahini paste, Togarashi, lemon juice, ice water, ice cubes and season with salt and pepper. Toss really well with a whisk until there are no clumps. Naturally, the miso and tahini are pretty thick so be patient here to mix. Allow the ice cubes to melt. This will really help smoothen out the sauce.
*The texture should be almost like a pancake batter, a tad runny but also super thick to glaze and to do a nice drizzle on top of the cauliflower. Adjust with another ice cube if needed.
Add on your glaze
After your cauliflower head has roasted for 20 ish mins or so, remove from the oven. Take a brush, and gently take your miso tahini glaze and lather it all around the cauliflower, getting all parts of the cauliflower. Save 1/2 of your mixture to finish the cauliflower to drizzle!
Transfer back to the oven for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway to make sure the heat is evenly getting distributed on all sides of the cauliflower until it is browned on all sides, and super tender on the inside.
Make your topping/garnishes!
While your cauliflower is roasting with your glaze, make your topping. In a small bowl, add in your sliced green onions, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chili oil. Mix well and allow chill in fridge for 10-15 minutes while your glaze finishes so it can get nice and tangy.
Assemble and serve.
Remove your finished cauliflower from the oven and keep in the wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Drizzle on your remaining sauce, then drizzle on your chili oil/green onion garnish. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and trasfer to a cutting board.
With a sharp knife, slowly cut the whole cauliflower like a piece of cake. If you cut vertically across the cauliflower, it will fall apart, so ensure you are sort of slicing like a big triangle from the core.
The cauliflower should be extremely tender and soft by now, so it’s okay if it does fall apart. You want that: that means you’ve braised it to perfection and it’s extremely soft and the stalk is not hard! Place the “steaks” or cauliflower florets (depending on your preferred presentation) and serve with any remaining sauce.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
How do I cut a cauliflower steak?
With a sharp knife, slowly cut the whole cauliflower like a piece of cake. If you cut vertically across the cauliflower, it will fall apart, so ensure you are sort of slicing like a big triangle from the core.
Other topping ideas: If you’re not a green onion fan, feel free to adjust and swap with parsley, cilantro or even basil will work great here, any fresh herbs will do!
How to save your cauliflower?
Place in an airtight container, and heat up either in the microwave, or oven when you’re ready to eat!
What are some other variations of whole roasted cauliflower?
This is a plant-forward recipe, but feel free to adjust flavors with butter and/or parmesan cheese for toppings as another flavor in this dish!
What do you eat cauliflower with? Some ideas below:
Spring Panzanella with Za’atar Croutons
Beets with Burrata, Hazelnuts and Green Goddess Vinaigrette
Caramelized Leek and Cabbage Pasta with Lemon
Roasted Salt and Pepper Bone-In Chicken Breast
Any sort of grain like rice, quinoa, farro, with a side salad would also be excellent with this.
If you’re looking for more vegan/vegetarian options, some of my favorites are this Black Pepper Tofu and celery and these Brothy Beans and Greens.
If you do make this Miso Tahini Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
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Watch How To Make This Recipe
Miso Tahini Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
For your cauliflower
- 1 whole head cauliflower
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on a bias
- Juice of 1 lemon or a dash of red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- top with toasted sesame seeds, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Miso Tahini Glaze
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1/3 cup tahini paste
- 1 teaspoon Togarashi
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 2 to 3 ice cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Steam/boil your cauliflower. First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a big enough large pot or dutch oven to blanch/steam/boil your cauliflower, bring water to a boil. Add in your cauliflower (remove as much of the green stem as you can but I like to keep the bottom part intact as well, just the outside stem leaves can be removed). gently and steam for 10-13 minutes depending on the size of your cauliflower. In the meantime, set aside a baking tray with parchment with a wire rack on top. Set aside.
- *I like mine to be a little bit more of the soft side, but you also don’t want it mushy. I will feel the exterior to see if it’s soft enough, so use your judgement here!
- Roast your cauliflower. When your cauliflower is nice and soft, gently move the steamed cauliflower to your prepared wire rack (on top of the baking sheet) or you can also use a cast iron skillet if you prefer here. Drizzle over your olive oil (about 1/4th cup) *avocado oil works too, and season with salt and pepper. Ensure your olive oil is fully coating the cauliflower.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Turning half way.
- While that's roasting, make your miso tahini glaze. In a bowl, add in your miso paste, tahini paste, Togarashi, lemon juice, ice water, ice cubes and season with salt and pepper. Mix really well with a whisk until there are no clumps. Naturally, the miso and tahini are pretty thick so be patient here to mix. Allow the ice cubes to melt. This will really help smoothen out the sauce.
- *The texture should be almost like a pancake batter, a tad runny but also super thick to glaze and to do a nice drizzle on top of the cauliflower. Adjust with another ice cube if needed.
- Add on your glaze. After your cauliflower head has roasted for 20 ish mins or so, remove from the oven. Take a brush, and gently take your miso tahini glaze and lather it all around the cauliflower, getting all parts of the cauliflower. Save 1/2 of your mixture to finish the cauliflower to drizzle!
- Transfer back to the oven for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway to make sure the heat is evenly getting distributed on all sides of the cauliflower until it is browned on all sides, and super tender on the inside.
- Make your topping/garnishes! While your cauliflower is roasting with your glaze, make your topping. In a small bowl, add in your sliced green onions, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chili oil. Mix well and allow chill in fridge for 10-15 minutes while your glaze finishes so it can get nice and tangy.
- Assemble and serve. Remove your finished cauliflower from the oven and keep in the wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Drizzle on your remaining sauce, then drizzle on your chili oil/green onion garnish. Finish with sesame seeds and trasfer to a cutting board.
- With a sharp knife, slowly cut the whole cauliflower like a piece of cake. If you cut vertically across the cauliflower, it will fall apart, so ensure you are sort of slicing like a big triangle from the core.
- The cauliflower should be extremely tender and soft by now, so it’s okay if it does fall apart. You want that: that means you’ve braised it to perfection and it’s extremely soft and the stalk is not hard! Place the “steaks” or cauliflower florets (depending on your preferred presentation) and serve with any remaining sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tastes great!
I did reduce the cooking time by quite a lot and found the cauliflower to be very tender already.
8 min blanched, 15 min bake, 15 min roast with glaze
So happy you’ve enjoyed, Christine!