Danielle Oron
Harissa Roasted Cauliflower on Hummus with Tahini Sauce
Hummus As A Meal.
Hummus As A Meal. It’s a thing. Topped with anything from cooked chickpeas to slow roasted meats, the the Middle East hummus is a meal of its own served with hot toasty pita and pickles. I want you to try and think of hummus more than just a dip or spread that accompanies a pita wrap. You can make a full on dish of hummus for dinner.
On this episode of “Hummus As A Meal” I bring to you an easy and SPICY harissa roasted cauliflower topped hummus with magical classic tahini sauce. Now that fall has hit, I love to roast any vegetable I can get my hands on in the farmers market. I found a beautiful cauliflower at one of the farmer’s stands and knew instantly that it was destined to be roasted.
Roasting brings out the sweetness of the cauliflower and I can’t get enough of those caramelized edges. It’s not the first vegetable I gravitate towards when I shop but oooooh, I remember just how much I love it once I snack on those little bitty florets right out of the oven.
Tahini sauce is almost always a must for me when having hummus. I need something tangy and bright to cut through it. Hummus also just loves acid and this tahini sauce is full of fresh lemon juice. Use this tahini sauce recipe for EVERYTHING. Think of it as you would ketchup. No, seriously.
THE INGREDIENTS
Hummus: This method of making hummus is my “cheats” version. I generally say to make the best hummus, you have to start with good dried chickpeas. This version uses a quick way to achieving the smoothest hummus from a regular can of chickpeas. Read more here!
Cauliflower: When cutting up the florets, leave some large, some small, and some bitty ones! They will all roast differently which gives you a bunch of different textures!
Harissa: There are so many brands of harissa out there with different levels of spiciness. I love NY Shuk’s Signature Harissa since it tastes the most like what I know and love about harissa from home. But in a pinch, I don’t mind Trader Joe’s harissa!
Turmeric: This adds even more color to the already beautiful bright red.
Tahini: Use a raw tahini that tastes good to you! I always get asked what my favorites are so here goes in no particular order:
METHOD NOTES
- Toss the cauliflower in the harissa mixture and roast! Tossing and flipping the cauliflower half way through will give you caramelized edges all around.
- While that’s happening, make the hummus by boiling the chickpeas in their canned liquid and a bit of water with some baking soda. THIS WILL ENSURE YOU GET A SMOOTH HUMMUS! The baking soda will soften and dissolve the skins on the chickpeas.
- Blend blend blend. Make sure to get some great use out of that food processor. You cannot over blend this! Keep going on high until this hummus is super smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon. Every lemon is different and everyone has a different amount they pinch when it comes to salt. Not to mention the kind of salt you’re using will also be a big factor. TASTE!
- That tahini may look like it’s separating when you start whisking but KEEP WHISKING. It will come together.
Check out more hummus recipes:
Harissa Roasted Cauliflower on Hummus with Tahini Sauce
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
For the Harissa Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower , cut into florets (large and small)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp harissa
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
For the Hummus
- 1 can chickpeas 15.5 oz can SAVE THE LIQUID
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup tahini
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
For the Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 clove garlic , grated on microplane or garlic press
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt
Garnishes etc.
- good quality olive oil
- paprika
- cumin
- chopped parsley
- toasty pita or just really good bread , optional
Instructions
For the Harissa Roasted Cauliflower
- Pre-heat the oven to 450˚F with the rack in the middle and line a baking sheet with tin foil (for easy clean-up).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, harissa, turmeric, a few good pinches of salt and some fresh black pepper.
- Add the cauliflower florets and toss until they are completely coated. You can add more olive oil to get that done if needed.
- Spread on the tin foil lined baking sheet and roast in the oven, flipping the florets once half way through, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
For the Hummus
- While the cauliflower is roasting, bring the chickpeas, the liquid they came in, baking soda and about 1/2 cup of water in a medium pot to a boil over medium high heat.
- Immediately turn the heat down to low and skim any foam that rises to the surface.
- Simmer until the chickpeas are incredibly soft and some of the skins have come off, about 8-10 minutes.
- Let cool for 15 minutes or as long as it takes you to chop that salad!
- Reserve about 3/4 cup of cooking liquid and drain chickpeas. (You can always add water later if you don't have enough cooking liquid)
- Place the chickpeas and garlic clove in the bowl of a food processor and blend on high until smooth. Scrape the sides down once to make sure it's all getting smooth!
- Add the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the beans and process until very smooth and light in color, at least 2 minutes. The texture should be like soft serve ice cream. If it looks too thick then add more cooking liquid (or water). If the hummus is still warm, it will get thicker as it cools so keep that in mind!
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice to your taste.
- This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
For the Tahini Sauce
- Whisk together the tahini, water, grated garlic, lemon juice and a very good pinch of salt. It will take a second to come together but keep whisking! It should have the consistency of a syrup. Add more water or tahini as needed.
For Plating
- Place the hummus by swirling it onto a serving dish making a kind of well in the middle.
- Pour some tahini sauce in the middle of that well.
- Drizzle with olive oil all around
- Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and cumin.
- Place the roasted cauliflower on top and garnish with chopped parsley.
- Serve with pita or good bread!
