Cumin-Roasted Carrot & Cauliflower with Green Tahini Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful dish featuring cumin-roasted carrots and cauliflower, perfectly caramelized and coated with aromatic spices, served with a fresh and creamy green tahini dressing. This recipe combines roasting and blending techniques to create a satisfying vegetarian side or light main that’s both wholesome and delicious.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables
- 1kg carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and chopped into 3cm chunks
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp honey (or use light brown sugar to make it vegan)
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 cauliflower, chopped into florets (approx. 500g), leaves kept and chopped into bite-size pieces
Green Tahini Dressing
- 60g rocket leaves
- 100g tahini
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 handfuls coriander leaves
- Salt, to taste
- 6 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Place the tahini, rocket leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, coriander leaves, a large pinch of salt, and 6 tablespoons of cold water into a blender or mini chopper. Blitz until the dressing is as smooth as possible. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set the dressing aside and refrigerate if not using immediately; it will keep chilled for up to two days.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Carrots: Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/gas mark 8. In a large bowl, combine the chopped carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, honey (or light brown sugar), cumin seeds, fennel seeds, seasoning, and chilli flakes if using. Toss everything well to coat the carrots evenly.
- Roast Carrots: Line two shallow roasting trays with baking parchment and divide the carrot mixture evenly between them. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, until the carrots start to caramelize.
- Add Cauliflower and Roast Further: Remove the trays from the oven and add the cauliflower florets and chopped cauliflower leaves in among the carrots. Ensure all the vegetables are coated with the honey-spice glaze, then drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables. Return the trays to the oven and roast for an additional 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until all the vegetables are tender, sticky, and caramelized.
- Cool and Combine: Remove from the oven and allow the roasted vegetables to cool to room temperature. If serving outdoors or later, transfer the vegetables into a container and keep the rocket leaves and green tahini dressing in separate containers.
- Serve: Just before eating, toss the rocket leaves through the cooled roasted vegetables to combine. Drizzle the green tahini dressing over the top, leaving some dressing on the side for extra flavor. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- To make the recipe vegan, substitute honey with light brown sugar.
- The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- If taking this dish outdoors or for meal prep, keep the dressing and rocket separate until ready to serve to maintain freshness and texture.
- You can adjust the amount of chilli flakes to your spice preference or omit entirely.
- Ensure the vegetables are well-coated with the glaze for optimum caramelization during roasting.
Keywords: cumin roasted carrots, roasted cauliflower, green tahini dressing, vegetarian side, Mediterranean vegetables, healthy roasting, tahini sauce
