Description
These Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls feature warmly spiced roasted cauliflower, crispy chickpeas, fluffy basmati rice, fresh vegetables, and a creamy green tahini sauce. Colorful, satisfying, and easy to customize, they make a delicious vegetarian dinner or meal-prep lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
- 2 cups cooked white basmati rice, or grain of choice
- Thinly sliced English or Persian cucumber, optional
- Halved cherry tomatoes, optional
Green Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup warm water, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Mix the spices: In a small bowl, combine curry powder, paprika, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Season the cauliflower and chickpeas: Spread cauliflower and chickpeas on two separate rimmed baking sheets. Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil and chickpeas with the remaining 1 tablespoon. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture over the chickpeas and toss. Add the remaining spice mixture to the cauliflower and toss until evenly coated.
- Roast: Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, shake the chickpea pan and toss the cauliflower. Remove the chickpeas after 30 minutes. Continue roasting the cauliflower for another 5–10 minutes, until tender with lightly charred edges.
- Make the green tahini sauce: Add cilantro, parsley, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper to a blender or mini food processor. Blend while gradually streaming in 1/3 cup warm water. Continue blending until creamy and smooth. Add a little more water if needed for a pourable consistency.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked basmati rice among 4 bowls, about 1/2 cup per bowl. Top evenly with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Add cucumber and cherry tomatoes, if desired.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle generously with green tahini sauce and serve warm.
Notes
- Pat the chickpeas thoroughly dry before roasting to help them become crisp.
- Avoid overcrowding the cauliflower. Leaving space between the florets encourages browning instead of steaming.
- For extra caramelization, roast the cauliflower for the full additional 10 minutes.
- The green tahini sauce will thicken when refrigerated. Stir in a splash of warm water before serving.
- Brown rice, quinoa, farro, or cauliflower rice can replace basmati rice.
- For meal prep, store the rice, roasted vegetables, fresh toppings, and tahini sauce separately. Refrigerate the cooked components for up to 3–4 days.
- Add cayenne or red pepper flakes if you prefer a spicier bowl.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 535 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 760 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg