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Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Tahini – Sandra Valvassori’s 10/10 Recipe Test
Sometimes life hands you a whole head of cauliflower and you think:
“Absolutely not. I don’t need this toot-producing drama in my life.” – MoodyEater, everyday
But then you dig a little deeper. You give it a second chance. And next thing you know, you’re standing over your oven, whispering “yasss queen” to a golden-roasted cauliflower that looks straight off a food magazine cover.
That’s what happened when we tested Sandra Valvassori’s Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini.
Originally inspired by a surplus cauliflower in our Odd Bunch Canada delivery (the unsung heroes of weird-shaped veggies), we almost tossed it straight in the compost. But we persevered. We scoured the internet for a recipe that promised flavour, crunch, and actual excitement—and Sandra’s recipe delivered.
Like… 10/10 delivered.
Why This Recipe Wins
✔ Super clear instructions—it actually turns out like the picture!
✔ Simple pantry ingredients (cumin, turmeric, oil, tahini)
✔ Customizable toppings (we zhuzhed ours with miso + ACV, trust)
✔ Golden, crispy exterior with a tender inside (no sad, mushy florets here)
We even used a leftover sunflower tahini from a failed Ottolenghi test (RIP), and it worked beautifully.
How We Made It (Moody Shortcut Version)
- Clean + prep the cauliflower: Cut the base flat so it stands on its own. Steam for 8–10 mins. Rest for 15.
- Season + roast: Rub all over with olive oil, cumin, turmeric, salt. Roast at 410°F for 40–45 mins.
- Top + slather: Drizzle generously with tahini, scatter chopped mint, parsley, pistachios. We added a spoonful of miso and apple cider vinegar to the tahini for a little punch.
- Serve hot + dramatic. Knife optional. Fingers encouraged.
Final Thoughts
We love a recipe that does what it says on the tin. Sandra’s roasted cauliflower is easy, dependable, and honestly? Cute AF.
Would we make it again? Absolutely.
Would we serve it at a dinner party? Done.
Would we stand over the tray eating florets like popcorn? Already happened.
This is one of those rare veggie mains that feels casual yet impressive—and yes, it tastes as good as it looks. We couldn’t finish it all in one sitting on our own, so we put the rest in the fridge for the next day. Révolution Réchauffé anyone?
#SandraValvassori #RoastedCauliflower #TahiniCauliflower #VegetarianRecipes #MoodyEater #CauliflowerRecipes #EasyDinnerRecipes
✰✰✰✰✰ star TRY BEFORE YOU DIE 10’s across the board
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Sunflower Miso Tahini
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- 1 spice grinder
- 1 blender
Ingredients
For the Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 medium cauliflower head, about 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt divided
For the Sunflower Miso tahini Sauce
- ½ cup sunflower tahini, stirred well**
- 1 tsp miso paste, red
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ice cold water, plus more as needed
Optional garnish
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, dried works as well
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, dried works as well
- salt
Instructions
- Clean the cauliflower by cutting its base so it sits flat and removing any oxidized brown spots. Steam it for 8-10mins, then let it rest for 15 mins.
- Once cooled, rub oil, cumin, tumeric and salt into the cauliflower. Place onto a lined baking tray and roast for 40-45 mins at 410°F.
- Prepare your toppings of mint, parsley, pistachios by crushing them in a pestle & mortar or spice grinder.
- Add miso and apple cider vinegar to the sunflower tahini and stir til blended.
- Smother the cauliflower with the tahini and be generous with the other toppings.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @moody.eater on Instagram and hashtag it #moodyeater #moodyeatersclub .
