This vegan whole-roasted cauliflower with spicy tahini dressing and balsamic glaze makes a beautiful plant-based dish for the holidays!
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❤️ Why make this recipe
If you are looking for a gluten-free vegan main dish for your holiday centerpiece, this recipe is it! Or if you don't want to take the time to make a vegan turkey, vegan ham, or tofu Wellington, and want a simple plant-based dish, you'll love this recipe.
This whole head of cauliflower is blanched in broth, then seasoned and roasted to perfection. Drizzled with spicy tahini dressing and sweet balsamic glaze then topped with pomegranate seeds for a delicious flavor and stunning presentation.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Cauliflower - you will need a large whole head of cauliflower for this recipe.
- Water - to blanch the whole head of cauliflower. You can also use vegetable broth instead for more flavor. (Then reserve the broth for other recipes.)
- Turmeric - this will give the cauliflower a beautiful golden color.
For the basting liquid
- Light Olive Oil - to make the meat moist. (optional) I like refined coconut oil because it is most similar to the fat that you find in meat and will give it the most authentic texture.
- Soy Sauce - or Bragg's Liquid Aminos for flavor.
- Oregano - for flavor in the basting liquid. You can also add a sprinkle of thyme, rosemary, and/or sage, or other fresh or dried herbs as well for more flavor.
- Fresh Ground Pepper - for flavor in the basting liquid.
Extras
- Spicy Tahini Sauce - you can easily make this with tahini, lemon, juice, soy sauce, and sriracha or garlic chile sauce. You can also swap this sauce out for vegan siracha mayo instead. Both are delicious.
- Balsamic Glaze - this sauce is easy to find at most major grocery stores or it's easy to make your own balsamic reduction. You can also swap this out for agave nectar or other sweet sauce to add a little sweetness to the dish.
- Pomegranate Seeds - this adds color, texture, and a delicious taste to the dish.
- Fresh Parsley - optional to add a little color and fresh taste.
🔪 Helpful tools
- A Pot - you will need a pot large enough to blanch a whole head of cauliflower.
- A Baking Dish - You will need an oven-safe dish that is slightly larger than the head of cauliflower. I like to use my small iron skillet, but you can use whatever you have.
🥄 How to make whole roasted cauliflower
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C).
Step 2 - Wash a whole head of cauliflower and cut off the leaves and any stem that is sticking out.
Step 3 - Bring 8 cups of water to a boil then add 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric. (Be sure there's enough water to cover the whole head of cauliflower - add more water if needed.)
Step 4 - Place the whole cauliflower in the boiling water for 5 minutes to blanch it. While the cauliflower head is blanching, mix up the basting liquid.
Step 5 - Take the head of cauliflower out of the water, place it in an oven-safe baking dish, and pour the basting liquid over it.
Step 6 - Place the cauliflower in a 400° F (204° C) oven for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown - taking it out every 15 minutes to spoon the basting liquid over the head of the cauliflower.
Step 7 - Serve your cauliflower with your choice of veggies around it and drizzled with spicy tahini dressing (or sriracha mayo), balsamic glaze, pomegranate seed, and fresh parsley.
You can also swap out the tahini sauce with tahini Caesar dressing, chipotle mayo, or vegan buffalo sauce. You can use a sweet sauce like spicy peanut butter sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, or sweet and sour sauce instead of the balsamic glaze.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Don't blanch the head of cauliflower for more than 5 minutes or I find that the final result is overcooked.
- Be sure to use turmeric in the blanching liquid to give your head of cauliflower a beautiful golden color.
- To make your own balsamic glaze - simmer 1 cup of balsamic vinegar with 2-4 tablespoons of sweetener of choice over low heat for about 15 minutes until the mixture is about 1/2 the volume and it has thickened to the consistency of syrup.
❓ What to serve with whole roasted cauliflower
I love to serve this roasted cauliflower with other vegetables around the base of it to make it pretty. My favorite is roasted Brussels sprouts since the tahini dressing and balsamic glaze also taste amazing with them. You can also serve it with my balsamic roasted vegetables, roasted Brussels sprouts and potatoes, roasted tenderstem broccoli, or roasted root vegetables and tofu. Or you can keep it simple and put kale or steamed broccoli around it.
You can also serve your head of roasted cauliflower on a bed of vegan ricotta, warmed hummus, or vegan feta cheese.
🥡 Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the fridge for 3 - 5 days in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat a serving in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
⏲️ Can I make it ahead of time?
This whole roasted cauliflower tastes best when made fresh. You can prep the basting liquid, drizzling sauces, and pomegranate seeds ahead of time and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I recommend roasting your head of cauliflower just before serving.
🌟 More holiday recipes
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Stovetop Stuffing
- Skillet Cornbread
- Vegan Corn Casserole
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Cranberry Sauce
- Vegan Potato Bake
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
📋 Whole roasted cauliflower recipe
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
For the bastings liquid
- 1/2 cup cooking liquid (from blanching the cauliflower) or broth
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil or other neutral-flavored oil
- 2 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos or tamari
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
To drizzle over the roasted cauliflower
- 1/2 cup spicy tahini sauce or vegan sriracha mayo
- 1/4 cup balsamic glaze
- 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C).
- Wash a whole head of cauliflower and cut off the leaves and any stem that is sticking out.
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil then add 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric. (Be sure there's enough water to cover the whole head of cauliflower - add more water if needed.)
- Place the whole cauliflower in the boiling water for 5 minutes to blanch it. While the cauliflower head is blanching, mix up the basting liquid by combining 1/2 cup of the liquid that you blanched the cauliflower in, plus oil, liquid Aminos, oregano, and black pepper.
- Take the head of cauliflower out of the water, place it in an oven-safe baking dish, and pour the basting liquid over it.
- Place the cauliflower in a 400° F (204° C) oven for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown - taking it out every 15 minutes to spoon the basting liquid over the head of the cauliflower.
- Serve your cauliflower with your choice of veggies around it and drizzled with spicy tahini dressing (or siracha mayo), balsamic glaze, pomegranate seed, and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Don't blanch the head of cauliflower for more than 5 minutes or I find that the final result is overcooked.
- Be sure to use turmeric in the blanching liquid to give your head of cauliflower a beautiful golden color.
Nutrition
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
I am making this for Thanksgiving!! Yes!! Will be family who aren't vegan and was looking for some delicious recipes to prepare. I love cauliflower so this is a win win for me!! Thanks!!!
hi there do you put a cover on top of the cauliflower
No, no need to cover it. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi Monica, this sounds amazing and I'd love to try it for Christmas, not thanksgiving as I'm in Australia :). Can you please let me know what the balsamic glaze is? Thanks so much. Trish.
Balsamic glaze is just a balsamic reduction made from balsamic vinegar and a little sweetener of choice. You can either by it premade or simmer 1 cup of balsamic vinegar plus 2-4 tablespoons sweetener of choice in a saucepan for about 15 minutes until it thickens into a syrup.
Great, thanks Monica - I'll try making it myself 🙂
Hi Monica!
Wd like to make this for Thanksgiving but I’m traveling 40 min by car and I usually cook ahead of time and reheat as I can at destination. I’m wondering how this wd fare cooking ahead though, with roasted veggies around it.
Any ideas?
Thank you!
I think that you could make it ahead at home then reheat it for about 10 minutes when you get to your destination. (Also, don't put the sauce or pomegranate seeds on until you are ready to serve it.) Enjoy! 🙂
Thank you, Monica!
I’ have to cover it to travel, I guess.
What temperature oven to reheat for 10 minutes and would I leave it uncovered to reheat?
Thank you!
If I was adverse to using oil and didn't, do you think that would that make a significant difference to the recipe
The oil helps it get browned on the outside, but you can defiantly leave it out. Enjoy!
Thanx Monica. I understand that I benefit from colour only by using oil. I wasn't being defiant tho. :>)
This is beautiful! I can't wait to make it for Thanksgiving!