Roasted Cauliflower Salad w/ Lemon Tahini Dressing

This recipe has been one of my FAVS to make for a while now! If you have been keeping up with my content, you might have noticed that almost all of my recipes are a bunch of ingredients just thrown into a big pot or a big bowl. In my opinion, those are just the best and the easiest meals to make! Plus, I ALWAYS have leftovers for multiple days in a row which means I don’t have to cook every single day. BIG WIN for me!

The base of this salad is so simple and easy but packs a flavorful punch! The perfectly roasted cauliflower makes up the base. Strips of red onions that have also been roasted creates a slightly sweet and caramelized component. Chickpeas that have been sautéed on the stove top in olive oil gets all done up with spices like garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and a hint of cayenne which leaves you feeling like you have underestimated the power of a good chickpea. Fresh, chopped up parsley mends all of the flavors together to finish off the base of the roasted salad.

Probably one of the most important components of this salad is the lemon tahini dressing that tops it all off. This go-around I actually made my dressing from scratch but if you decided to opt out of the homemade dressing and opt in for a good ole’ bottle of lemon tahini dressing from sprouts or whole foods well… I won’t be offended. If you are into the homemade dressing, I will leave those instructions below as well!

This recipe is vegan and gluten-free! The chickpeas even add a good source of not only fiber but protein for those who do not eat animal products! A well rounded meal if I do say so myself!

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:

1 Head of Cauliflower

1/2 Red Onion, 1/4 in. strips

1 14 0z. can Chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 TBSP Garlic Powder

1 TBSP Paprika

1/4 TSP Cayenne Pepper

1 TSP Sea Salt

1/2 TSP Ground Pepper

Handful of Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped

Dressing:

1 Lemon, juiced

4 TBSP Pure Maple Syrup

1/4 C Olive Oil

1/4 C Tahini Paste

1/4 C Water

2 TBSP Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Break up your head of cauliflower into pieces and spread them out on a baking sheet along with the strips of red onion. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Place baking sheet into oven for 20 minutes. Once that time has passed, take the pan out of the oven, give it a good stir and then place back into the oven for about 10-15 more minutes OR until the cauliflower starts to brown.

3. While that is in the oven, preheat a pan on the stovetop with some olive oil. Add chickpeas along with garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir occasionally to mend all of the spices together and cook for about 5 minutes.

4. For the dressing, in a small bowl, add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together to combine. For a thicker dressing add less water, and for a thinner dressing add more water.

5. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

6. ENJOY!

NOTES:

• If planning to eat the entire salad in one sitting, add the dressing directly to the bowl. If you plan on meal prepping, keep dressing aside and add it to the portions you plan on eating.

• If you want to opt out of homemade dressing, Sprouts and Whole Foods have GREAT bottled options!

• If you do not have parsley, you can always sub with cilantro!