Roasted Cauliflower & Hazelnut Salad with Tahini
This is one of Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s most beloved recipes from their landmark cookbook Jerusalem (2012). The dish showcases Middle Eastern flavours — warm spices, nutty tahini, toasted hazelnuts, and jewel-like pomegranate seeds — on humble roasted cauliflower. It became a signature of the Ottolenghi style: vegetables elevated to centrepiece status.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cauliflower, cut into florets | 1 large head (~800g) |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 3 tbsp |
| Ground cumin | 2 tsp |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
| Hazelnuts, skin on | 50g |
| Celery stalk, thinly sliced | 1 |
| Flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped | 30g |
| Pomegranate seeds | 80g |
| Ground cinnamon | 1/3 tsp |
| Ground allspice | 1/3 tsp |
| Maple syrup or honey | 1 tbsp |
| Lemon juice | 2 tbsp |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (for dressing) | 2 tbsp |
| Ottolenghi-Tahini-Dressing | 4 tbsp |
Method
- Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking tray in a single layer.
- Roast for 20 minutes, turn the florets, then roast for a further 5-10 minutes until golden brown at the edges and cooked through.
- Turn oven down to 160°C (320°F). Spread hazelnuts on a tray and toast for 5 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly and roughly chop.
- Whisk together the cinnamon, allspice, maple syrup, lemon juice, and olive oil to make a light dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the warm roasted cauliflower, celery, parsley, and most of the hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds. Toss gently with the spiced dressing.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle generously with Ottolenghi-Tahini-Dressing. Scatter remaining hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Best served the day it’s made but still excellent the next day. Always serve at room temperature, never fridge-cold. For a more substantial version, add roasted chickpeas or serve alongside falafel. The tahini dressing can be thinned with a little water if too thick.
Dressing: Ottolenghi-Tahini-Dressing Source: Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi / Jerusalem (2012)
Ottolenghi-Tahini-Dressing · Modern-Contemporary · Salad-Dressings