It’s now March and after a few months of winter it appears I’m going crazy. Why? Well, you can now add roasted cauliflower to my list of strange-but-true late winter food cravings. Weird, I know. Cauliflower has never been high on my list of comfort food vegetables, but for some reason I just couldn’t get the idea of a creamy roasted cauliflower recipe out of my mind. So I made a creamy cashew-based lemon tahini sauce and mixed it with roasted chickpeas, cauliflower, and broccoli. Doesn’t that just sound dreamy?
I may have just lost half of you, but hear me out; if you’ve never been a fan of cauliflower (or broccoli) this just might be the recipe that changes your mind. It turned my husband into a believer and I hope it does for you too.
To make this simple dish a meal, I roasted some chickpeas to go along with it. The roasted chickpeas add a nice crunch to this mix and of course pair so well with the creamy sauce. Eric has recently discovered that the texture of roasted chickpeas is so much better than unroasted. So guess what we’ve been doing a lot lately? Yup, roasting chickpeas. This dish would also be wonderful served over a bed of grains if you are feeling so inclined. I planned on serving this with millet, proceeded to forget about it on the stove, and scorched the heck out of it. Figures.
The temperature is slowly climbing here in Southern Ontario and like many of you, we’re anxiously awaiting spring’s arrival. In the meantime, I’ll be celebrating “springing forward” on March 10th which will mean daylight until just after 7pm. Major progress!!
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Roasted Buddha Bowl
Yield
3 to 4 servings
Soak time
8 hours
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
If you think you’re not a fan of cauliflower or broccoli, this might just be the recipe that changes your mind. Roasted to perfection and served with an addictive (seriously, addictive) cashew-based garlic lemon tahini sauce, these veggies get downright dreamy. The addition of roasted chickpeas boosts the dish to a full-blown meal, and lends it a delightful crunch, too. I love serving it on a bed of warm quinoa. Pro tip: The dressing recipe makes only half a cup (125 mL), so if you’re someone who likes a lot of dressing with your bowls (or even a versatile dressing for workweek lunches!), I recommend doubling it.
Ingredients
For the bowl:
- 1 large head broccoli, chopped (5 to 6 cups/325g to 390g)
- 1 large head cauliflower, chopped (5 to 6 cups/400g to 480g)
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20 mL) olive oil
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooked grains (such as quinoa) (optional)
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) tahini
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (20 g) nutritional yeast
- 6 tablespoons (90 mL) water, or more if needed
Directions
- Soak cashews in a bowl of water overnight or for at least 8 hours. For a quick-soak method, pour boiling water over the cashews and let sit in the bowl for at least 45 minutes. Drain.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the chopped broccoli and cauliflower onto one baking sheet. (If it doesn’t all fit on one, you can add some onto the second sheet.) Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss until coated. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place into the oven.
- Place a tea towel on the counter and spread out the drained chickpeas. Fold the sides of the towel over the chickpeas to cover, and roll the chickpeas around until dry. Transfer chickpeas onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil and roll around the chickpeas with your hands until they are fully coated. Sprinkle with salt and place into the oven.
- Roast the broccoli, cauliflower, and chickpeas for 25 to 30 minutes, until the broccoli and cauliflower are lightly browned and the chickpeas are golden. (At the halfway mark you can give the chickpea pan a gentle shake to roll them around in the pan.)
- Meanwhile, add all of the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. If you are cooking grains, such as quinoa, cook them now, too.
- Plate the cooked grains (if using), and top with the roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and chickpeas. Drizzle on a generous amount of dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and any desired spices (I like to add smoked paprika and/or cayenne pepper, too).
- If you have leftover dressing, it will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed container. The dressing will thicken as it sits (especially when chilled), so you can add more water to thin out as necessary, or simply allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Any leftover grains, chickpeas, and veggies will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a few days. I tend to reheat them in a skillet with some oil over medium heat.
Tip:
Need a nut-free dressing? Try this Lemon Tahini dressing on for size.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
The first time I made this dish I was so hungry (and the dish was so tasty!) I ate almost the entire dish straight from the mixing bowl with a fork. My camera wasn’t quick enough for me this time! That’s when I came up with the name Buddha Bowl because I was rocking a Buhhda-like belly the rest of the day. Note to self: if you eat an entire head of cauliflower in one sitting you will pay the consequences. Carry on.
Looks delicious! The cashew dressing sounds divine — definitely trying soon.
You might check out the Washington Post today online. They have a whole section of vegan/veg recipes (about 17).
I can most certainly relate to your cauliflower craving lately. While I’ve never disliked cauliflower, it never really excited me – I preferred grape tomatoes or broccoli or zucchini, etc. However, I attempted mashed cauliflower a couple weeks ago, and though it didn’t turn out all that well, I’ve been all about the cauliflower since then! Needless to say, I think this buddha bowl dish looks incredible :)
This looks absolutely delish! I love, love, love roasted veggies! I haven’t tried roasting chickpeas yet, but they are next on my list!
This recipe looks so good, I’m adding to next week’s meal plan for sure. I’ve been eating Vegan 2 months now and I still can’t seem to get used to the taste of nutritional yeast. Can I reduce the amount used or even omit it from your recipes and still expect good results?
Yes you can certainly reduce it to taste :) Hope you enjoy!
Oh sign me right up! Right now I’m all about the big bowls of warm veggies I love your creativity with this dressing and I think I’ll be giving it a try! Like you, cauliflower has never been one of my favourites until this winter. Fingers crossed our snow will be gone soon! :)
this looks absolutely heavenly! nirvana in a bowl :)
Made it tonight for dinner with a veggie stew and a big green salad. Perfect! Wouldn’t change a thing!
I’ve seen a lot of Buddha Bowl recipes around the blogisphere as of late, and keep forgetting to make one.. This looks great, and comforting.
I LOVE roasted cauliflower, and broccoli. Will be giving this one a go soon :) thanks!!
I have been on a cauliflower kick lately- just made a blended cauliflower/sweet potato soup and it was sooo good. I have a texture thing with cauliflower though- I just can’t handle it in it’s whole form- it’d gotta be chopped or blended or something. So weird, right? Anyway, I love your tahini dressing, so I’m gonna give this a go. Maybe I’ll even live on the edge and keep the cauliflowers whole. haha :)
LOVE roasted cruciferous veggies! And I love roasted chickpeas. Looks like this will be dinner tonight :)
I love it! Looks amazing and would be so perfect for lunch!!
This looks incredible. I LOVE anything tahini + lemon + chickpeas so this is getting made this weekend FOR SURE!
I love roasted cauliflower and roasted chickpeas so this is perfect for me!
This recipe looks so delicious, I usually just dress cauliflower in a little white balsamic and olive oil, but I will definitely be trying this soon!
I love cauliflower and broccoli. Can’t wait to try this one out. That dressing sounds delicious!
Sounds amazing!
Here in Hungary broccoli and cauliflower are not in season yet, but I will make it from frozen vegetables. :)
how did that work out?
Hi Angela!
This looks delicious – and very similar to my staple miso soup (method) recipes! I have some suggestions for the impatient types:
1) You can roast the cauliflower and the broccoli using this stovetop method:
Chop up broccoli and cauliflower into florets, and throw into a pot.
Cover with a lid, and turn up heat to high. The water from washing the vegetables should make them start to steam while “burning”.
Watch the pot, and give it a shake now and then. When you reach your desired level of browness, remove from heat and enjoy! (Your place will start to smell like a Chinese restaurant!)
I’ve never tried it with chickpeas, but I’m sure it’ll be a success!
2) Other awesome additions to make your Buddha Belly even happier: chopped bok choy, fresh (or pickled) ginger, wasame, grated carrot, daikon, sprouts …
3) I always always forget to soak my nuts and thus usually omit. The dressing is delicious without the cashews (if you adjust the liquid for consistency). However, I discovered last night that cooked chickpeas make an AMAZING stand in for soaked nuts!! Double bonus because my blender/food processor get mad at me when I try and make sunbutter …
And if you think cauliflower in the winter in Canada is good, make sure to pick some up at the farmer’s market! I hated cauliflower until I got some 2 years ago at the farmer’s market. It was immediately dubbed “magic cauliflower” and I was eating (by myself) a giant head a week. Roasted cauliflower-tofu ricotta, roasted Ethiopian cauliflower, raw cauliflower with tahini and Sriracha, mashed cauliflower in baked goods … So so delicious.
(Note: I’m also in Canada, and can attest to the winter cauliflower quality. Doesn’t hold a candle to the farmet’s market!)
Yummers! This is the exact kind of dish I love your blog for. Healthy, yummy, inventive and easy! It’s such a good template for any other kind of veggie too. Thanks so much!
Also, I just want to say that I miss your “What I eat” series. It is so thought-provoking for me.
What a great idea! The dressing looks delicious and is a great replacement for a cheesesauce, which we typically make in Holland. Thanks!