Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chickpeas

Searching for a fresh head of cauliflower, I was disappointed at what was available in my local grocery store and had to go a little further afield. I stopped in at a small, independent fruit and vegetable store and caught my breath at the heaped pyramids of fresh, snowy white, deep amethyst purple, and cheddar orange, locally grown cauliflowers. This recipe for roasted cauliflower steaks with chickpeas, by the inspired mother and daughter culinary team, Bonnie Stern and Anna Rupert, published in their newly released cookbook, Don’t Worry, Just Cook, is a feast for the eye and palette.

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks and Chickpeas

According to Kitchn food editor Kelli Foster, colored cauliflowers are not painted or dyed. Colored cauliflower holds the same firmness, crumbly florets, and texture as its white counterpart, with subtle differences in taste. Both orange and purple cauliflower are mild and slightly sweet with nutty nuances. You can cook with colored cauliflower just as you would with white cauliflower. In this recipe, thick-cut slices of cauliflower, called “steaks”, are roasted with chickpeas that have been seasoned with peppery, smoky, harissa. Finished with a drizzle of creamy tehina dressing, this Middle-Eastern inspired dish will make you think of cauliflower in a tantalizing new way.

Assemble your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim the base of the cauliflower just slightly so that it can sit flat on its base on a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the cauliflower vertically into 1-inch slices. The middle slices will form tree-shaped “steaks”. The other pieces may be chunky or even crumble. Use all of them for this recipe. Arrange the slices, chunks, and any broken pieces, in a single layer on the parchment-lined pan.

Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon honey in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the cauliflower. Rub it in with your hands and season the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower is roasting, combine the chickpeas with the harissa or other hot sauce, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. At the 20 minute mark, add the chickpeas to the pan of cauliflower and continue roasting for another 15 minutes. Make the tehina dressing (you can also use prepared tehina dip) while the cauliflower finishes roasting. Transfer the cauliflower steaks and chunks to a shallow platter, drizzle with tehina dressing or prepared tehina dip and top with a sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Print Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chickpeas

Vegetables and Sides

By Bonnie Stern and Anna Rupert, Don't Worry Just Cook – Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 35 minutes – Total Time: 55 minutes

Thick-cut slices of cauliflower, called “steaks”, are roasted with chickpeas that have been seasoned with peppery, smoky, harissa.

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower (about 11/2 lb), trimmed at the base but left whole
• 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon harissa or other hot sauce, (you may want to increase this amount depending on your tolerance for heat)
• 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds
• Tehina dressing
• 1/3 cup pure tehina
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Dash of hot sauce, optional
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 425 F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim the base of the cauliflower just slightly so that it can sit flat on its base on a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the cauliflower vertically into 1-inch slices. The middle slices will form tree-shaped "steaks". The other pieces may be chunky or even crumble. Use all of them for this recipe. Arrange the slices, chunks, and any broken pieces, in a single layer on the parchment-lined pan.

2

Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon honey in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the cauliflower. Rub it in with your hands and season the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes.

3

While the cauliflower is roasting, combine the chickpeas with the harissa or other hot sauce, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. At the 20 minute mark, add the chickpeas to the pan of cauliflower and continue roasting for another 15 minutes.

4

Make the tehina dressing (you can also use your favorite brand of prepared tehina dip) while the cauliflower finishes roasting. Transfer the cauliflower steaks and chunks to a shallow platter, drizzle with tehina dressing or prepared tehina dip and top with a sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds.