Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Bowls: Protein-packed hummus topped with roasted cauliflower and toasted pumpkin seeds for a deliciously different vegan bowl meal. Perfect for picnics, parties, and packed lunches!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Question: do you love hummus?
I mean, do you looooooove it? I do, which is clearly evidenced by this recipe for Chipotle Hummus, this Mung Bean Hummus, these Spicy Vegan Hummus Wraps, and these simple Open Faced Hummus Sandwiches.
But, do you love it enough to have a big ol' bowl of nothing but hummus and some tasty toppings for lunch?
To be honest, it's not the kind of thing I would have thought of, but a while back I went for lunch with a colleague to a place that specializes in exactly that. They served up bowls of hummus and then you chose from a menu of either meat or vegetarian toppings. I don't remember what my friend had, but I went for the roasted cauliflower and I did not regret it.
Normally I think of hummus as a condiment, the spread in a sandwich, or a dip for raw veggies and pita bread. But a meal? A meal on its own? Folks, let me tell you something: Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Bowls make for a surprisingly satisfying lunch.
And really, what's not to love? You've got:
- a boat load of plant-based protein from the hummus
- the hummus contains a healthy dose of tahini, which is loaded in plant-based calcium
- roasted cauliflower for heart-healthy fiber
- a drizzle of olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds for healthy fats
What do I need to make these hummus bowls?
First up, you're going to need to make some hummus. You'll need to grab some:
- Chickpeas --> Canned is totes fine, but you can also check out this tutorial for how to cook dried beans if you want to start from scratch.
- Tahini paste --> I prefer a nice runny tahini.
- Lemon juice --> Fresh squeezed is how I roll.
- Garlic --> Use a little or a lot. I won't judge.
- Salt and pepper --> Bringing it home.
You'll also need a good sized cauliflower, some spices (cumin and chili powder), olive oil, salt, and pumpkin seeds to make up the deliciously spiced roasted cauliflower that's topping up these hummus bowls.
How do you make hummus?
I make my hummus in my trusty food processor, but my friend swears by making hers in her Vitamix for the smoothest hummus ever.
Whatever machine you choose, you essentially just chuck everything in and blitz until grainy. Then, start drizzling in your liquid (in this case it's water) until you've reached your desired consistency.
Note: the hummus pictured above has a chipotle pepper thrown into the mix to spice things up!
How do you make hummus bowls?
Friends, it's so, so, so easy.
Step 1: Spoon some hummus into a bowl.
Step 2: Top the hummus with your desired toppings.
Step 3: Enjoy!
What kind of toppings are best?
I do love the roasted cauliflower topping in this recipe, but if you want to mix things up, you could try Roasted Romanesco, or make a batch of Mediterranean Roast Vegetables to spoon over the top.
If you'd prefer a crunchy topping, how about some crispy Roasted Garbanzo Beans? Want to spice things up? What about topping these bowls with Spicy Pickled Onions?
Basically, all of your food groups are represented in these hummus bowls, and when served with a bit of warmed pita bread you've got a bomb diggity rounded meal on your hands if you ask me.
And since you asked me, why yes, I do think these bowls would make for excellent picnic fare. Spooned into a big platter to be shared family style they'd be the perfect social nourishment at your next dinner.
Plus making roasted cauliflower hummus bowls will take you nary 10 minutes of hands on time, which surely just about everyone can swing. I believe in you!
Are chickpeas healthy?
Alrightly, chickpeas are a super food! They contain about 12.5 grams of fiber per cup, which is 50% of the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber.
About two-thirds of the fiber in garbanzos is insoluble, which is great for digestive health, particularly in the colon. The remaining third is soluble fiber, which can help lower our LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides; important for cardiovascular health.
Chickpeas are notable for antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, but also contain concentrated supplies of antioxidant phytonutrients such as flavonoids and polyphenols. Chickpeas also contain valuable amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the body’s omega-3 fatty acid from which all other omega-3 fats are made.
Other meal bowls you might enjoy:
Barbecue Tofu Bowls
Black Bean Noodle Bowls with Spicy Sesame Sauce
Vegan Poke Bowls
Tempeh Reuben Bowls
Veggie Burger in a Bowl
Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Bowls
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 large cauliflower broken down into florets
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
Hummus
- 2 14 ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 1 large lemon juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup cold water
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Spread the cauliflower florets out into a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, adding more as needed to make sure the cauliflower is well coated. Sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and toss to evenly coat the cauliflower with the spices.
- Place the cauliflower into the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, turn the cauliflower, and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds.
- Replace in the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden and the pumpkin seeds are toasted.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the hummus.
- Combine chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to break down the chickpeas.
- With the food processor running, add the cold water in a slow stream. Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides. Taste, adjust seasonings, and add any extra water to achieve the desired consistency.
- To serve, spoon hummus into the bottom of four bowls. Spread and swirl into an even layer. Add ¼ of the roasted cauliflower and pumpkin seeds over the top of each bowl.
- Drizzle with good olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with warm pita bread.
Kari Hermann
We've made a similar recipe before but didn't roast the cauliflower or add pumpkin seeds - that must make it so much better!
Heather
Perfect dish to take to a potluck buffet! Or just to have for lunch or supper.
kellie@foodtoglow
This is just the kind of lunch that I crave having but sadly, chickpeas are no longer my friend! But I LOVE hummus. Maybe loads of roasted cauliflower with a topping of hummus for me!