Harissa cauliflower is an easy, foolproof side dish packed with bold flavors from the spicy harissa paste, fresh herbs, and olive oil. The cauliflower is roasted to golden brown perfection and served over smooth and creamy whipped feta. One bite and it's an instant favorite!
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Harissa is what makes this recipe truly stand out. It's a North African spice that's made with dried peppers and aromatics like caraway, cumin, and coriander. It adds a punch of flavor to every bite, and if you love this recipe, you'll absolutely love my honey harissa carrots.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- Homemade Harissa- I used my own harissa paste, which gives you control over the flavor. You can make it mild or spicy. Making your own is super easy, sometimes even easier than finding it at stores, so I definitely recommend it.
- Feta Dressing- Everyone else likes to use tahini sauce, but I think whipped feta is a better pairing. It acts as a cooling dip for the spicy cauliflower, balances the heat, and adds a zesty flavor.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower- Use a head of cauliflower and cut it into florets.
- Harissa Paste- I recommend using my homemade harissa paste but you can use a harissa dry spice blend and turn it into a paste by adding extra oil.
- Olive Oil- Avocado oil or vegetable oil will also work.
- Fresh Parsley- Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or dill.
Whipped Feta:
- Feta Cheese- Let the chunks of feta cheese sit at room temp before using. You can also use goat cheese or ricotta in a pinch.
- Greek Yogurt- I like to use plain Greek yogurt, make sure it's also at room temperature. A great swap would be sour cream.
- Olive Oil- For a smooth sauce.
- Lemon Juice- Adds a zesty note.
- Garlic Clove- You can also use garlic paste but use ⅓ the amount.
💭 Variations
Honey Harissa - Coat the cauliflowers in a mixture of melted butter, harissa, honey vinegar, and salt for a sweet and spicy flavor.
Cauliflower Steaks - Instead of cutting the whole cauliflower in florets, you can leave the core intact and chop them into steaks.
⏲️How to Make Harissa Cauliflower
- You can taste and adjust the harissa mixture before tossing the florets in it. Then, make sure that it's evenly coated before roasting.
- Spread the florets on a baking sheet and make sure to leave space between them. Cauliflower is done when it's tender on the inside and charred on the outside.
- Pulse whipped feta ingredients together in a food processor until you get the right consistency. It should be smooth and creamy, not too thick and not too runny. Then, serve cauliflower on top of the whipped feta and garnish with parsley.
🥗What to Serve with Spicy Cauliflower
While my roasted cauliflower goes well with whipped feta, you can also pair it with tahini dressing, greek olive hummus, or yogurt dill sauce. Serve it with gluten-free flatbreads, warmed pita bread, or a salad like arugula pear salad or cherry tomato salad. You can drizzle it with more olive oil when serving.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
Flip the florets halfway through roasting so that all sides get a nice, golden brown caramelization.
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📖 Recipe Card
Harissa Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 3 Tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Whipped Feta
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- ⅓ cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees while you prep the cauliflower.1 head cauliflower
- In a large bowl whisk together the harissa paste, olive oil and salt. Toss the cauliflower florets in the mixture to evenly coat. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet.3 Tablespoons harissa paste, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Roast the cauliflower or 20 minutes, flip and roast for about 5 minutes more until fork tender.
- Spread the whipped feta on a serving plate. Add the roasted cauliflower and sprinkle with parsley.2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Whipped Feta
- In a food processor, place the feta, yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic. Pulse until creamy.4 ounces feta cheese, ⅓ cup Greek Yogurt, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 1 Tablespoon olive oil
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