Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Traybake with Lemon Tahini
Cauliflower and chickpeas roasted hard until the edges caramelize and crisp, then finished with a lemony tahini drizzle. A savory one-tray dinner that happens entirely in the oven.
- Total
- 49 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 39
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Emulsifying
- Savory
- Crispy
- Oven
Instructions
-
Set the oven to 220°C and let it heat fully, about 12 minutes, while you prepare the vegetables.
~12 min
-
While step 1 waits
Cut 250 g cauliflower into 3 cm florets, keeping them similar in size so they brown evenly.
~4 min
Uniform pieces cook at the same rate, so smaller florets won't burn before larger ones are tender.
-
While step 1 waits
Pat 150 g chickpeas dry, then toss them on the tray with the cauliflower, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp paprika, 2 cloves garlic minced, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper until everything is coated. Spread into a single layer with space between the pieces.
~5 min
Drying chickpeas and spacing pieces prevents steam, which would soften the vegetables instead of roasting them crisp.
Dry the chickpeas well and leave gaps between pieces on the tray; trapped steam is what turns roasted cauliflower soft instead of crisp.
-
Roast on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until the cauliflower edges are deeply golden and crisp and the chickpeas are firm and browned.
~35 min
High heat drives off moisture and triggers Maillard browning, creating the caramelized, crisp edges.
Roasting Spread vegetables in a single layer with space between pieces; crowding steams them and prevents browning. Roast at high heat until edges are deeply golden and crisp.
-
While step 4 cooks
While the tray roasts, whisk 1.5 tbsp tahini with the juice of 0.5 lemon and 2 tbsp water until smooth and pourable. It will seize at first, then loosen as you keep whisking.
~4 min
Tahini seizes when acid hits it, but whisking with water re-emulsifies it into a smooth, pourable sauce.
Emulsifying Whisk tahini with lemon juice and water; it will seize at first, but keep whisking until smooth and pourable. Add water a little at a time to reach the right consistency.
-
Drizzle the lemon tahini sauce over the hot tray and toss gently so the crisp edges stay intact. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
~2 min