Roasted cauliflower and broccoli with tahini sauce

By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Sources checked 5 November 2026

A hot oven changes cauliflower and broccoli completely: the edges turn brown and nutty, the stalks go sweet and tender, and nothing about it tastes like boiled vegetables. A lemony tahini sauce, toasted sesame and parsley finish the tray. Serve it as a side for four, or as a light main for two with bread or a grain.

Difficulty: Easy · Diet: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

Roasted cauliflower and broccoli with tahini sauce

Cauliflower and broccoli roasted at 220°C with cumin until the edges brown, then finished with a lemony tahini sauce, toasted sesame and parsley. Vegan, 45 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Sides

Servings 4 servings

Calories 247 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 600 g cauliflower florets from 1 medium head
• 400 g broccoli florets from 1 large head
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 g
• 1 tsp ground cumin 2 g
• 3/4 tsp fine salt 4 g, divided

For the tahini sauce

• 4 tbsp tahini 60 g
• 2 tbsp lemon juice 30 g
• 1 small clove garlic 3 g, grated
• 4-6 tbsp cold water 60-90 ml

To finish

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds 10 g
• 15 g flat-leaf parsley a small handful, chopped

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets of about 4 cm. Cut the broccoli a little larger than the cauliflower, because its tips brown faster. Peel and slice the thick stalks too; they roast well.
• Pat the florets dry if you washed them. Toss them on a large lined tray with the olive oil, cumin and half the salt. Spread them in a single layer, using two trays if they are crowded, so they roast instead of steaming.
• Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the edges are well browned and a knife slides easily into the stalks.
• Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan, until golden and fragrant. Tip them onto a plate straight away so they do not burn.
• For the sauce, stir the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and the rest of the salt together in a bowl. It will turn thick and stiff at first. Add the cold water a spoonful at a time, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and pours like single cream.
• Pile the vegetables onto a platter, drizzle with the tahini sauce and scatter over the sesame and parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Keyword autumn, broccoli, cauliflower, dairy-free, gluten-free, one tray, roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, sesame, side dish, tahini, tahini sauce, traybake, vegan, winter

Nutrition per serving

Per serving, 1/4 of the tray as a side, calculated from USDA FoodData Central for each ingredient. As a light main for two, one serving is twice these amounts.

Data: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Cauliflower, raw (FDC 169986); Broccoli, raw (FDC 170379); Oil, olive, salad or cooking (FDC 171413); Spices, cumin seed (FDC 170923); Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified (FDC 168604); Lemon juice, raw (FDC 167747); Garlic, raw (FDC 169230); Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried (FDC 170150); Parsley, fresh (FDC 170416); Salt, table (FDC 173468). The vegetables are calculated raw, on the weight of the florets. Ground cumin is calculated with the cumin seed values. The USDA tahini record has no value for sugars, so the sugars line leaves the tahini out. The salt line counts only the salt you add. Carbohydrate is USDA “by difference” and includes fibre.

Swaps and variations

• One vegetable only: use 1 kg of cauliflower or 1 kg of broccoli; the roasting time stays the same.
• Other spices: smoked paprika or za’atar instead of cumin, or a pinch of chilli flakes with it.
• More protein: roast a drained can of chickpeas (about 240 g) on the same tray for a fuller main.
• Yogurt sauce: swap the tahini sauce for Greek yogurt with lemon and garlic (no longer vegan).
• Extra crunch: add a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds with the sesame.

Storage and reheating

The roasted vegetables keep 3 days in a closed container in the fridge. Keep the sauce in a separate jar for up to 4 days; it thickens in the cold, so stir in a little water before using. Reheat the vegetables in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes, which keeps them crisper than the microwave, and add the sauce, sesame and parsley just before serving. Not suitable for freezing once roasted, as the florets turn soft and watery.

Related

• Recipes: Roasted pumpkin with chickpeas, tahini and pomegranate · Roasted root vegetables with thyme and honey · Kale, apple and walnut salad
• Encyclopedia: Cauliflower · Broccoli · Tahini · Sesame seeds
• Diet: Mediterranean diet · Vegan diet

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