Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Scallion Date Dressing
A whole roasted cauliflower that is roasted with a spiced oil then smothered in a creamy scallion date dressing. Easy to make and a tasty way to get in your veggies!
Why You’ll Love This Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- A fun way to make eating your veggies more enjoyable. I feel like any vegetable can be made more enjoyable by roasting and smothering them in sauces, and this recipe does both in the best way.
- Easy to assemble. One of the reasons I like making this recipe is that it doesn’t involve a heavy amount of chopping. You just trim your cauliflower, steam it whole, then roast it. The sauces can be blended in the containers you are storing them in, which also makes clean up a lot easier too!
- A tasty way to get in those cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower are loaded with nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron, fiber, and phytochemicals like sulforaphane, which are associated with lower chronic disease risk.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cauliflower: This recipe is based on roasting a whole cauliflower. I don’t have a substitute for this, so if you are not a fan of cauliflower, feel free to use try a different recipe.
- Beans: I like to either use white beans or chickpeas. Ideally, fresh cooked beans from scratch will lead to the best flavor in your bean spread. If you don’t have the time to do that, use canned beans instead.
- Spices: The marinade uses a mix of coriander, paprika, and allspice. Feel free to adjust based on what you have on hand or a spice mix you really enjoy.
- Herbs: You can use parsley or cilantro.
- Scallions: A bunch of chives or a tablespoon of minced shallots can work here as well.
- Lemon: I used fresh lemons for this recipe to use up the zest and juice.
- Mustard: This recipe uses a Dijon mustard. I’d recommend sticking with this variety if possible.
- Dates: Use soft medjool dates as they will blend into the sauces and spreads a lot easier. If you only have hard/firm dates, soak them in boiling water for at least 10 minutes to soften before using.
- Vinegar: I like to use white balsamic vinegar, but you can swap with balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar. Do note, that vinegar alternatives may lead to slightly different flavor notes or different colors.
How to Make a Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Scallion Date Dressing
Roasted Cauliflower
Preheat the oven to 400°F and fit a steamer basket over a pot filled with water. Bring the water to a simmer while you prep the cauliflower.
Flip the cauliflower to expose the stems. Carefully trim the leaves and stem down, making sure the head of cauliflower remains intact. Place the cauliflower head into the steamer and steam for 6-8 minutes, or until the cauliflower is slightly tender. Transfer the cauliflower to a parchment-lined baking sheet, upright.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, mustard, bouillon paste, and spices, then whisk together. Use a pastry brush to brush the mixture all over the top of the cauliflower. Flip the cauliflower over and brush the underside to completely coat with the mixture then flip back to its upright position. Reserve the leftover mixture.
Once coated, roast in the oven on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Brush the top of the cauliflower with a little more of the remaining mixture and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until lightly charred in some spots.
Spreads and Sauces
For the bean spread, add the beans, tahini, garlic, dates, lemon zest and juice, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the ice cubes to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. If the spread is too thick, you can add 1-2 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time and blend until your desired consistency is achieved.
For the dressing, add the white portion of the scallions, dates, mustard, garlic, oil, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, water, and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a blender cup. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth. If too thick, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time while blending until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust the sweetness, acidity, or salt as needed. Add the remaining scallions and parsley and pulse a few times to evenly mince.
Assemble
Spread the white bean spread or hummus on a serving plate, then transfer the baked cauliflower over top. When ready to enjoy, drizzle 1/3 of the dressing over the cauliflower, then cut and serve with your preferred protein and grain/pita for a complete meal.
Expert Tips
- You will have leftover bean spread and dressings. I like to make extra, which can then be used for other meals throughout the week. I mention this to inform you that you do not need to use up everything here. Use what you want to, then use the leftovers as you wish.
- For the smoothest bean spread, check the consistency of your canned beans. In an ideal world, I would tell you to make your chickpeas from scratch, but if you don’t have the time to do that, just be mindful of the consistency of your canned beans. Crush a few beans between your fingers and see how firm, grainy they are after smooshing them. If really firm, feel free to give your beans a little boil with 1/2 tsp baking soda for 15-20 minutes to help soften them a little more. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool before blending with your other ingredients.
- Tips to Save time. If you’re pressed for time, feel free to buy one of the dressings/spreads. Use your favorite brand of hummus or bean based spreads. You can also prep the spread and dressing ahead of time, so that way all you need to do is prep the cauliflower when you are ready to put this meal together.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. When serving, just make sure to serve with your favorite gluten-free option.
Fo the best flavor and texture, I would recommend enjoying the fully assembled recipe the day it is made. However, you can prep different components ahead of time to make assembling this meal super simple. Make the bean spread and dressing ahead of time and store in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Place the cauliflower in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. If covered in the dressing or bean spread, I would recommend just reheating in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to warm through before enjoying. If you prepped the cauliflower separately, you can place the cauliflower back on a baking tray and reheat at 350F for 10 minutes to warm through, or place in an air fryer at 400F for 5 minutes.
Make It Balanced
As a reminder, cauliflower alone does not provide adequate protein. Make sure that you are pairing this with adequate protein options.
Adequate carbohydrate sources are also recommended! Consider pairing this with any of the following:
- Warm pita
- Your preferred grain like rice, quinoa, or farro
- Roasted potatoes
More Veggie Forward Recipes to Try
- Lemon Pepper Smashed Potato Salad
- Lime Crunch Noodle Salad
- Cilantro Lime Slaw Bowl with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Chopped Kale Salad with Sweet Chili Almond Dressing
- Garlic Sage Toasted Quinoa Salad
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
Print
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Scallion Date Dressing
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A whole roasted cauliflower that is roasted with a spiced oil then smothered in a creamy scallion date dressing. Easy to make and a tasty way to get in your veggies!
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 1/4 tsp allspice
Bean Spread
- 1, 15oz cannellini beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1–2 medjool dates, pits removed
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt
- 3–4 ice cubes
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Herby Date Vinaigrette
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced with whites and green portions separated
- 4–5 medjool dates, pits removed
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp or more of water
- 1/4 cup parsley or cilantro
Instructions
Roasted Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and fit a steamer basket over a pot filled with water. Bring the water to a simmer while you prep the cauliflower.
- Flip the cauliflower to expose the stems. Carefully trim the leaves and stem down, making sure the head of cauliflower remains intact. Place the cauliflower head into the steamer and steam for 6-8 minutes, or until the cauliflower is slightly tender. Transfer the cauliflower to a parchment-lined baking sheet, upright.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, mustard, bouillon paste, and spices, then whisk together. Use a pastry brush to brush the mixture all over the top of the cauliflower. Flip the cauliflower over and brush the underside to completely coat with the mixture then flip back to its upright position. Reserve the leftover mixture.
- Once coated, roast in the oven on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Brush the top of the cauliflower with a little more of the remaining mixture and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until lightly charred in some spots.
Spreads and Sauces
- For the bean spread, add the beans, tahini, garlic, dates, lemon zest and juice, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the ice cubes to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. If the spread is too thick, you can add 1-2 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time and blend until your desired consistency is achieved.
- For the dressing, add the white portion of the scallions, dates, mustard, garlic, oil, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, water, and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a blender cup. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth. If too thick, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time while blending until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust the sweetness, acidity, or salt as needed. Add the remaining scallions and parsley and pulse a few times to evenly mince.
Assemble
- Spread the white bean spread or hummus on a serving plate, then transfer the baked cauliflower over top. When ready to enjoy, drizzle 1/3 of the dressing over the cauliflower, then cut and serve with your preferred protein and grain/pita for a complete meal.
Notes
You will have leftover bean spread and dressings. I like to make extra, which can then be used for other meals throughout the week. I mention this to inform you that you do not need to use up everything here. Use what you want to, then use the leftovers as you wish.
For the smoothest bean spread, check the consistency of your canned beans. In an ideal world, I would tell you to make your chickpeas from scratch, but if you don’t have the time to do that, just be mindful of the consistency of your canned beans. Crush a few beans between your fingers and see how firm, grainy they are after smooshing them. If really firm, feel free to give your beans a little boil with 1/2 tsp baking soda for 15-20 minutes to help soften them a little more. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool before blending with your other ingredients.
Tips to save time. If you’re pressed for time, feel free to buy one of the dressings/spreads. Use your favorite brand of hummus or bean based spreads. You can also prep the spread and dressing ahead of time, so that way all you need to do is prep the cauliflower when you are ready to put this meal together.
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