Middle Eastern Cauliflower Salad
This vibrant and nutritious dish features roasted cauliflower, pearl couscous, and a mix of fresh herbs, pomegranate, and pine nuts, topped with a tangy tahini-lemon dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower cut into florets
- 1.5 cups pearl couscous I use the Lebanese pearl couscous also called Moghrabieh
- 1 can 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup fresh dill chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint chopped
- Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 for roasting cauliflower, 2 for dressing couscous
Tahini Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic finely minced
- 1/2 cup water adjust for desired consistency
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pearl couscous according to package instructions, then drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and tender, with some slightly charred bits for texture and flavour.
- Prepare the tahini dressing by whisking together 2 tablespoons tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the consistency with more water if needed to make it pourable. You can use a stick blender to get a smooth and silky consistency.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked couscous, chickpeas, dill, parsley, mint, pomegranate seeds, and lemon zest. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Top the salad with the roasted cauliflower florets and garnish with additional herbs, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pine nuts.
- Serve the salad drizzled with the tahini dressing and you can offer additional dressing on the side.
