Whole Cauliflower One-Pan Dinner with Tahini Sauce

This deeply flavorful one-pan vegetarian dinner pairs tender whole cauliflower with chickpeas, kale, artichokes, and a creamy spiced tahini sauce for a hearty, show-stopping meal.

If you're having vegetarian guests for dinner, THIS is the meal to serve!

Cooking a whole cauliflower without breaking it down, makes for a stunning presentation!

This deeply satisfying vegetarian dinner, is hearty, wholesome, and packed with bold flavors - everything you want in a comforting one-pan meal.

This whole cauliflower recipe is incredibly versatile. You can swap in different vegetables to suit your own taste, and the cauliflower itself can even be served on its own as a simple, flavorful side dish.

Another favorite in my vegetarian rotation is Broccoli with Romesco and Spiced Chickpeas. When I’m craving a substantial vegetarian meal, it’s always a toss-up between that and this recipe.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients, top left to bottom right: cauliflower, olive oil, Tuscan kale, onion, lemon, Dijon mustard, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, carrots, salt, paprika, cumin, tahini, honey, and garlic.

• cauliflower - I use an approximately 1-pound cauliflower head for this recipe. Choose heads of cauliflower with florets that are packed together tightly.
• Tuscan kale - Also called Lacinato, Tuscan kale has relatively flat leaves and it's a bit earthier and less bitter than curly kale. You can use your favorite. Either way, remove any tough stems.
• onion - Always choose onions that are heavy for their size.
• artichoke hearts - I use canned quartered artichoke hearts for this recipe, and I often cut them into smaller pieces. Always remove any tough outer leaves! Substitution: You can use marinated artichoke hearts, but be aware that the Tahini sauce in this recipe already contains a good amount of olive oil, so drain them well.
• chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - Canned chickpeas that are drained, rinsed, and dried are best for this recipe.
• carrots - Be sure to slice the carrots thinly so they cook quickly.
• lemon zest and juice - When possible, use Meyer lemons. They’re less tart, sweeter, juicier, have few to no seeds.
• Dijon mustard - The Dijon adds the perfect bite to the Tahini sauce. If you'd like a bit more texture, use whole grain Dijon.
• honey - I love the balance the sweetness of the honey brings to the sauce. Feel free to use a touch less if desired. If the honey is especially thick, warm it before adding it, so it's pourable.
• tahini - Tahini is paste-like ingredient made from raw, untoasted (or very lightly toasted) sesame seeds. It has a slightly bitter, nutty flavor. (It's very similar to sesame paste, which is made from heavily toasted sesame seeds.)
• extra virgin olive oil - Use your favorite!
• paprika - Paprika is a spice made from dried, ground red peppers. It ranges from mild to hot - use whatever intensity you like. I almost always use smoked paprika because it adds a delicious smoky flavor. In this recipe, it adds both flavor and a beautiful red-gold color to the sauce.
• cumin - The cumin adds a delicious earthy and warm flavor to the sauce.
• salt - I always cook with kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
• garlic - Fresh garlic is an ingredient in the tahini sauce. It should be super finely minced, like a purée. This is easily done with a microplane zester. Substitution: garlic powder (use about ⅓ the amount).

How to Make It

- To make the spiced tahini sauce, in a small bowl, combine the oil, tahini, honey, Dijon, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin and salt. Use a whisk to blend until it's smooth. Set aside.

- To cook the cauliflower, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove most of the cauliflower leaves and cut the toughest portion of the root end off. Be sure to leave a few leaves which help keep the cauliflower intact while it's cooking.

- Rinse the cauliflower and then gently place it, root side up, in the boiling water. Once it comes back to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer until it's tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Recipe Tip: Test to see if the cauliflower is done by sticking a fork into it - if it slides out easily, it's ready.

- Use kitchen tongs to remove it from the water, and place it on a kitchen towel to drain. Set aside.

- Place a large ovenproof skillet (ideally, 12-inch cast iron) over medium heat, and coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the onions, and cook until soft and golden, about 7 minutes. Add about 1 tablespoon of the tahini sauce and mix.

- Add the carrots and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Then add the kale with about ¼ cup of water. Cook until it's wilted and soft, about 5 minutes. Now add the artichokes, chickpeas, and a couple more tablespoons of the tahini sauce. Mix and cook just to heat everything through.

- Turn on the broiler, remove the skillet from the heat, and move all of the vegetables to the side of the pan, creating an empty space in the middle.

- Place the cooked cauliflower, round side up, in the center of the pan, and coat the entire surface with the remaining sauce. Mix any excess sauce into the vegetables along the sides of the pan.

- Place the pan so that the top of the cauliflower is a few inches below the broiler and broil just to brown and caramelize the sauce, about 5 minutes.

* Pro Tip * Broiling times will vary depending on your oven and how the rack is adjusted. It might go very quickly, so keep an eye on it!

Variations

• Spicy version. Use hot paprika, or add a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper to the smoked paprika.
• Use other vegetables. Use the vegetables you love! Green cabbage, spinach, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and broccoli are all also delicious around the cauliflower.
• Add a protein. While I'm pitching this as a hearty vegetarian meal (which it absolutely is!), if that's not important for you, adding chicken or braised brisket is excellent.

Serving Suggestions

I've served this dish many times on a weeknight, and more often than not, it stands on its own. It's that satisfying. When I'm serving guests, I add a light side salad or a seasonal fruit plate, and/or a rustic bread.

Making it Ahead

This dinner is best right out of the oven, still sizzling, even. You can, however, make the sauce a couple of days ahead, boil the cauliflower a few hours ahead, and slice and chop the other vegetables a day ahead.

More Must-Try Cauliflower Recipes

I hope you love this as much as my family and I do!