THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DISHES THAT HITS EVERY NOTE!
Savory, herby, creamy, crunchy, and a little bit sweet.
It’s the kind of dish you can serve warm or at room temp, which makes it perfect for entertaining (or just making sure dinner is prepped ahead of time).
Cauliflower gets roasted with olive oil and salt until it’s perfectly golden and crispy. Once it’s out of the oven, it’s tossed with za’atar, adding a burst of earthy, herby flavor without dulling the spice mix in the high heat. You can absolutely use store-bought za’atar, or if you’re feeling inspired, I’ve got a recipe to make your own here.
This beautiful spiced cauliflower gets tossed with sweet raisins and toasted pine nuts before getting plated over a creamy lemony labne sauce.
It’s simple enough for a weeknight, but also pretty enough to serve as a centerpiece dish. I love it with grilled meats, scooped into a pita, or just piled high on a plate with extra herbs and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Don’t have labne? Thick Greek yogurt works too — just know the sauce will be a little looser. The dish is one that invites improvisation, so play around with what you have. You can swap out the pine nuts for slivered almonds or pistachios, and the raisins for chopped dates or dried apricots for example.
Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower with Labne
A side dish that hits every note
INGREDIENTS
- 1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
- a good swig of olive oil
- a generous sprinkle of salt
- 2 to 3 Tbsp za’atar (store bought, or home made)
- 3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 3 Tbsp chopped golden raisins
- 1/2 cup labne (can sub with thick Greek yogurt but the sauce might be a bit looser)
- juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 190C / 375F
- Spread your cauliflower onto a baking sheet and drizzle on olive oil, followed by a good sprinkle of salt.
- Toss through to get everything nicely coated and make sure not to crowd the tray. Bake for 25-30 min or until charred and crispy.
- While your cauliflower is cooking, toast your pinenuts and prep the labne sauce by mixing all the ingredients together.
- Once the cauliflower is done, sprinkle with z’atar, and toss through the pinenuts and chopped golden raisin.
- Plate your dish - Spread your labne sauce onto a plate, top with your spiced cauliflower, pinenut, raisin mixture and garnish with a few sprigs of mint.
