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This Roasted Cauliflower Salad is influenced by the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean. Oven-roasted cauliflower, spiced chickpeas, and sweet and tangy fruits combined into a warming side or appetizer. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
This Roasted Cauliflower Salad is made with crispy chickpeas, sweet Medjool dates, tangy olives and a creamy tahini dressing for a Mediterranean burst of flavor in every bite. It’s the perfect appetizer for at home date nights, dinner parties, and weeknight meals when you’re craving a healthy dose of vitamin C.
Table of Contents
All About This Mediterranean-Inspired Dish
If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know that Mediterranean flavors are some of my all-time favorites. And while I’ve shared several uses for my versatile Tahini Dressing, this gourmet roasted cauliflower salad is unlike any of my other salads on the blog!
The cauliflowers and chickpeas are well-spiced and crisped to perfection, the toppings are the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and the tahini dressing ties everything together in the best way possible. All in all, it’s the perfect starter dish for a Mediterranean meal to remember!
This Roasted Cauliflower Salad is influenced by the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean. Oven-roasted cauliflower, spiced chickpeas, and sweet and tangy fruits combined into a warming side or appetizer. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
What You Need for Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Making this restaurant-worthy side dish requires just 15 minutes of prep time and 12 wholesome ingredients, and that includes a homemade dressing! Here’s a quick rundown on the most important ingredients:
- Cauliflower: I used a small head of cauliflower and chopped it into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups). If you’re cutting a large cauliflower head, I’d recommend reserving half of it for another recipe like this Buffalo Cauliflower & Chickpea Casserole.
- Chickpeas: Both canned chickpeas or chickpeas cooked from dry will work here. If using dry chickpeas, you’ll need about 1 1/2-1 3/4 cup of chickpeas (measured after cooking).
- Tahini: It’s no secret that tahini is one of my favorite ingredients and the mild, creamy nuttiness works so well here! For best results, make sure to use a tahini that is easily pourable, or “drippy.” If it’s too thick, it won’t make for a great spreadable dressing.
- Lemon: The acid that helps lighten up the creaminess in the tahini. Freshly squeezed is highly recommended over bottled.
- Medjool dates: Fresh chopped dates add a touch of sweetness and a unique flavor contrast in this otherwise savory, spiced salad. If your dates have been refrigerated, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes then drain and pat dry – they’ll taste as soft and gooey as they were fresh!
- Olives: Castelvetrano olives have a light olive flavor and a rich, buttery texture that’s quite dreamy in this salad! If you cannot find them, swap them with Kalamata olives for a similar flavor.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
- Mix the cauliflower and red onion in a bowl with smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil until well coated.
- Spread the veggies across half of a large baking sheet and set aside.
- Toss the chickpeas with garlic powder, salt, and a drizzle of the remaining oil. Spread across the other half of the baking sheet.
- Roast for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing ingredients together and set aside.
- Serve warm, or chilled on a plate spread with a layer of tahini dressing across the bottom.
- Garnish with dates, olives, and lots of fresh parsley, then drizzle with remaining dressing on top. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Dry the chickpeas thoroughly. For the best crispy chickpeas, it is important to dry the chickpeas thoroughly after draining and rinsing. Excess moisture will prevent proper browning and crispiness so don’t skip this step!
- Use high quality tahini. If you’ve made my Tahini Dressing or other salad dressings made with tahini, you’ll know that using a quality tahini makes a big difference! If you’re on the hunt for a new brand of tahini, I highly recommend the brands Soom Foods and Pepperwood Organics.
Serving Suggestions
This warm salad is the perfect appetizer or flavorful side to serve with mains like Falafel Burgers or Mediterranean Farro Salad. It can also be served as a light lunch or afternoon snack to hold you over until dinner!
If you’re looking for more healthy warm salad recipes, you’ll also love this Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad, this Curried Lentil Salad with Roasted Cauliflower, and this Dijon Garlic Sheet Pan Veggies & Chickpeas!
How to Store Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Roasted cauliflower and crispy chickpeas are crispiest when enjoyed straight from the oven, but leftovers, if any, will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If possible, keep the cauliflower and chickpeas in a separate container from the lemon tahini dressing.
Reheat leftovers in the oven, air fryer, or toaster oven until warmed through and crispy again.
Recipe FAQs
Mushy cauliflower can be a result of a few common mistakes. For starters, this can happen if the pan is overcrowded. Placing the cauliflower florets too close together when roasting will cause them to steam rather than roast, leading to a soggy, mushy texture. Another cause is using wet cauliflower florets. This happens when washed cauliflower florets aren’t patted dry before tossing with oil and spices. Just like the chickpeas, it’s important to season dry veggies for the best crispy edges.
Some nutrients can be lost when heating vegetables, but the loss is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Never let a slight loss in nutrients stop you from indulging in your veggies!
Frozen cauliflower florets will technically work, but as mentioned above, the excess moisture will yield a softer, less crispy end result. With that being said, if you don’t mind softer veggies, go for it!
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the Chickpeas & Roasted Veggies
- 1 small head of cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 Red Onion cut into ½” slices
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
For the Fresh Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup drippy tahini
- Juice of 1 small lemon 1-2 tablespoons
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates chopped
- 1/3 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives* torn in half
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F and grease or line a large baking sheet. Place the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry; set aside.
- Vegetable Prep: Add the cauliflower and red onion to a large bowl and add the smoked paprika, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over the veggies and mix well until evenly coated. Spread evenly across half of the baking sheet and set aside.
- Chickpeas: Add the dry chickpeas to the same bowl (no need to rinse) along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder and salt. Drizzle with the remaining oil and toss well. Spread evenly across the other half of the baking sheet.
- Roast: Roast in the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes;. Flip the vegetables and toss the chickpeas, then return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Tahini Dressing: In the meantime, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, and salt together in a small bowl; the mixture will thicken. Continue to whisk the dressing and slowly add 3 tablespoons of water, until the dressing lightens in color and becomes pourable. Add more water to the dressing to thin as necessary. Set aside.
- Assemble: Use a large spoon to spread half of the tahini dressing across the bottom of a large serving plate (or individual plates). Top the dressing with a thin layer of the roasted cauliflower and onion, then sprinkle the crispy chickpeas on top. Garnish the salad with the remaining dates, olives, and fresh parsley. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top.
- Serve: Serve warm, or chilled if desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Olives: Castelvetrano olives have a light olive flavor and buttery texture. If you cannot find them you can swap them with Kalamata olives.
It’s the best recipe!!!
LOVED this! I did put it on a bed of arugula and the peppery flavor really complimented everything.
So happy you loved it!
This recipe is so delicious and easy to make! Thanks Caitlin for another awesome dish!
You’re so welcome, Amie!