Cauliflower "Shawarma" Bowls

Plus a garlic tahini sauce that absolutely slaps.

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On any given weeknight, you’ll probably find me throwing together a salad or grain bowl of some description—but this cauliflower “shawarma” bowl is one of my favorites. Roasted spiced cauliflower, cucumber, tomatoes, freshly pickled onions, and a creamy tahini garlic sauce all come together to create an explosion of color, flavor, and texture that makes any weeknight night feel extra fun.

As a New Yorker, I’m familiar with shawarma as the ever-rotating vertical spit of stacked roasted meat—and this cauliflower is far from that. But it is tossed in a variety of spices that are typical of shawarma—mainly cumin, coriander, and paprika—and served with classic accompaniments: cucumber and tomato as well as tahini garlic sauce. Pickled onions aren’t typical of shawarma, but I added them because I love the pops of tang and crunchy texture they add. And the quinoa? DEFINITELY not typical, but I’m using it as the base of these bowls because it’s higher in protein than most other grains—which is always a plus when you’re eating vegetarian.

Whenever I’m making a vinaigrette or a sauce that incorporates fresh garlic, I always take five extra minutes to soak the finely chopped garlic as well as the salt in whatever acidic liquid I’m using in that recipe. Often the acid is lemon juice, but occasionally it’s lime juice or even vinegar. That quick soak tames the garlic’s raw bite as well as dissolving the salt so its flavor can be dispersed more evenly, and I’ve always found that the sauce or dressing tastes much better as a result. Of course, if those extra five minutes are a deal-breaker, feel free to skip! The world won’t end.

I could easily eat the entire sheet-pan of cauliflower “shawarma” myself, so whenever I make this I don’t usually have many leftovers. However, any leftover cauliflower can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The tahini sauce can also be kept for up to 3 days. I use it for everything from a sandwich spread to veggie dip. And if you thin it out with a little water, it makes a fantastic salad dressing.

Enjoy!

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Cauliflower "Shawarma" Bowls

(Serves 4)

Prep time: 30 minutes (includes time for cooking quinoa and pickling red onion)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

The cauliflower “shawarma”

1 medium cauliflower head (about 1 ½ lb.)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons regular (not smoked!) paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (you can eye-ball it if it’s too hard to measure precisely from the grinder)

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

The garlic tahini sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed (I used Diamond Crystal)

6 tablespoons tahini, well-stirred

¼ cup ice water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

The bowls

3 cups cooked quinoa

1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

⅔ cup pickled red onion

½ cup parsley, torn or roughly chopped

Equipment: knife and cutting board, large wide bowl, sheet pan, small bowl, small blender

Instructions

The cauliflower “shawarma”

1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 425° F.

2. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cauliflower and cut the entire head inn half from top to bottom. Using a paring knife (or small chef’s knife), cut the cauliflower florets from the stem so they come away from the head in little “trees.” Cut each floret in half from top to bottom.

3. In a large wide bowl, whisk together olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and cloves. Add cauliflower and toss until evenly coated in the spiced oil.

4. Arrange florets, flat-side down, on an unlined metal baking sheet (preferably dark-colored), spacing evenly and avoiding crowding the florets too close together.

5. Roast, undisturbed, until tender and browned, 18-23 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm.

The garlic tahini sauce

1. In a small bowl, stir together garlic, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit five minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small blender, combine tahini and ice water. Add the lemon juice and garlic mixture and whip on high until smooth and light, 30-60 seconds.

3. Add oil and whip on high for 30 seconds more, then taste and season with more salt or lemon juice as needed.

4. Transfer garlic tahini sauce to a small container and keep at room temperature until ready to use.

The bowls

1. Divide the cooked quinoa evenly between four bowls and arrange cauliflower “shawarma” on top.

2. Add cucumber, tomatoes, and pickled red onion, then drizzle with garlic tahini sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

Originally posted May 3, 2026.