Roasted Cauliflower Salad with white beans and creamy tahini dressing

Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean salad on a white plate topped with lemon wedges

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with white beans and creamy tahini dressing

This Roasted Cauliflower Salad combines golden brown cauliflower florets with creamy cannellini beans, chewy kamut, and nutty toasted pine nuts. Great warm or cold, a lemony tahini dressing takes this healthy vegetarian side dish to the next level.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Roasted Cauliflower Salad, White Bean Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 414kcal

Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
¼ cup pine nuts
1 cup cooked farro or kamut, spelt, or wheatberries (from ½ cup uncooked)
14 oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves roughly chopped
3 Tablespoons capers

For the dressing

⅓ cup tahini paste
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ cup water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
1 medium cauliflower, salt and pepper, 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Roast the cauliflower, stirring when halfway through, until the florets are golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside, about 30 minutes.
If you don't have pre-cooked farro (or other chewy whole grain) on hand, this is a good time to cook it. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil, salt it well, and add the uncooked farro. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the grains are tender but still chewy. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside. Cook some extra to keep in the freezer so you'll have some handy for next time!
1 cup cooked farro
While the cauliflower is roasting, toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until nutty smelling and golden - about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
¼ cup pine nuts
In a large bowl combine the roasted cauliflower, farro, cannellini beans, toasted pine nuts, capers, and parsley.
14 oz can cannellini beans, ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, 3 Tablespoons capers
To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and lemon zest. Slowly whisk in ¼ cup water (or more if you like a looser dressing) and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
⅓ cup tahini paste, 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, ¼ cup water, salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve, divide the salad into bowls and drizzle with tahini dressing. Sprinkle with extra capers and parsley.

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only.
To make ahead simply leave the dressing off until you're about to serve.
Packed lunches can be pre-dressed, but a wedge of lemon tucked along side is nice to freshen it up.
If you're cooking farro or another whole grain for this dish, cook two or three times as much as you need and freeze the leftovers in 1 cup portions for future meals.

Nutrition