This charred cabbage and cauliflower salad is a recipe for those times when your body is begging you for something super healthy…buuuuutttt you also need to feel a bit of indulgence.
I’d just gotten back from several days of living my best life at a couple amazing eco-resorts in the Costa Rican rainforest (I mean, can you believe this??). It’s not that I ate poorly there—in fact, it was lots of fresh produce, but let’s face it, also lots of cocktails—but my body needed a bit of detoxing.
Enter this roasted veggie salad. The cauliflower and cabbage are roasted until they are still a bit crunchy, but also soft and silky and caramelized. Then they’re tossed in a super easy garlic-lemon-tahini dressing with a bit of heat that melds everything together.
It’s a comforting, savory dish that can double as either a vegetarian entree, or a healthy side dish. It also makes great leftovers, as the dressing and flavors really settle in. Even better?? It comes together in 30 minutes or less.
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Cut the cabbage into 1/2-inch ribbons, then cut the ribbons into 1- to 2-inch segments. Cut cauliflower into 1/2- to 1-inch chunks (you want them quite small).
On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower and cabbage with olive oil until lightly coated (about 2 to 3 tablespoons), and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. I used two baking sheets, to make sure everything had room to breathe and not get soggy.
Roast for 15 minutes, then toss everything around so it colors evenly. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, toss again, and 5 final minutes if needed.
I’ll be honest though, sometimes I need even another 5 or 10 minutes after that. Don’t be afraid to get some serious char on the vegetables. They will taste good, not burnt.
While the veggies are roasting, make the dressing in a medium bowl. Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil together, then whisk in some water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a thick dressing consistency (usually 2-3 tablespoons works well).
This is the tahini I love, it’s in a squirt bottle so perfect for dressings (vs. trying to stir together the tahini where the oil separates).
Season the dressing well with a strong spinkle of harissa (if you have it; mine is a spice mix, not a paste), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Taste and add any additional salt as necessary as well.
As soon as the vegetables are crispy, charred, and ready, add them to the bowl with the dressing, toss to coat, and eat right away.
This was such a hearty, craveable dish that was easy to whip up and gave me the healthy vibes I desperately needed when returning home.
This makes pretty great leftovers as well. I usually give it a 10-20 second microwave just to take the fridge chill off, but I prefer it around room temperature vs. actually warm.
Other healthy veggie-based dishes you’ll love:
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen
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Charred Cabbage & Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Dressing
This charred cauliflower & cabbage salad tossed with a garlic tahini dressing is hearty, delicious, healthy, & so easy to make! It's a great vegetarian entree or crowd-pleasing side dish, made with simple & inexpensive ingredients in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- SALAD
- 1/2 pound of savoy cabbage, or green cabbage if you can't find savoy (about half a small head)
- 1/2 pound of cauliflower (about half a small head)
- Olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- DRESSING
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (ideally fresh, but bottled works)
- 2 tablespoons of well-stirred tahini (see my fave linked below)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Water, as needed
- Kosher salt & fresh-ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Optional: Harissa spice, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450°F.
- Cut the cabbage into 1/2-inch ribbons, then cut the ribbons into 1- to 2-inch segments. Cut cauliflower into 1/2- to 1-inch chunks (i.e. quite small).
- On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower and cabbage with olive oil until lightly coated (about 2 to 3 tablespoons), and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. I used two baking sheets, to make sure everything had room to breathe and not get soggy.
- Roast for 15 minutes, then toss everything around so it colors evenly. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, toss again, and 5 final minutes if needed. I'll be honest though, sometimes I need even another 5 or 10 minutes after that. Don’t be afraid to get some serious char on the vegetables. They will taste good, not burnt.
- While the veggies are roasting, make the dressing in a medium bowl. Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil together, then whisk in some water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a thick dressing consistency (usually 2-3 tablespoons works well).
- Season the dressing well with a strong spinkle of harissa (if you have it; mine is a spice mix, not a paste), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Taste and add any additional salt as necessary as well.
- As soon as the vegetables are crispy, charred, and ready, add them to the bowl with the dressing, toss to coat, and eat right away. This makes pretty great leftovers as well.
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