Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

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4.50 from 2 votes

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

This salad has a wonderful texture, lots of protein, and a creamy, lemony tahini dressing.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Servings: People

Author: Katie Workman

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds, cut into small florets)
4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin (divided)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 can (15.5-ounce) chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
⅓ cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic ( minced)
4 cups slivered romaine hearts
½ red onion (slivered)
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (or cilantro leaves)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with the paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spoon or your hands to toss everything until the cauliflower is well coated with the seasoned oil. Roast for 20 minutes until the cauliflower is starting to soften, then add the chickpeas to the pan, use a spoon to stir so that they are evenly distributed and coated with the seasoned oil, and roast for another 15 minutes. Let cool to slightly warm or room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Place the tahini, water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and salt and pepper in a food processor or a blender, and process until thick and smooth. You can also combine all of the ingredients in a container or bowl and shake or stir to blend well.
Place the slivered romaine hearts in a shallow bowl, and top with the cauliflower and chickpea mixture. Spoon the thick dressing over the top and toss to coat the vegetables with the dressing. Top with the onions and parsley leaves.

Notes

You will want to store the dressing separately from the lettuce and vegetables because everything will get soggy once they are combined. Each element can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for about 4 days.

If you made the salad and dressed it, you can store it in an airtight container for a day in the refrigerator, but the lettuce will get a bit soft.

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