Tahini Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
A mixture of tahini, soy sauce, ginger and garlic dress up roasted broccoli and cauliflower for an easy side dish that’s finished with sesame seeds and scallions.
Lately, it seems like not a day goes by that doesn’t involve me roasting something in the oven. A few glugs of oil, a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a sheet pan all make it so easy to whip up a side or a vegetarian main.
But so many exciting things can happen when you add just one step. Nothing complicated—trust me. You’ll understand when you make this tahini roasted broccoli and cauliflower. Whisk together some additional ingredients with the oil, salt and pepper and then just like that you have a dynamite marinade.
We’re more used to thinking about marinades for meat and chicken, and veggies deserve the same treatment too. The best part is that you can stir broccoli and cauliflower florets in this marinade and put them straight on the pan to roast. Marinating might make you think there’s lots of waiting, but vegetables don’t need the time that proteins do to tenderize in the flavorful mixture. They soak it up right away.
The Ingredients
This is what you need for the recipe:
- Broccoli: Really fresh broccoli will have tight clusters of florets. You should not see any yellow flowers. Also, the stem should be firm and not limp.
- Cauliflower: Look for a head of cauliflower that feels heavy for its size. Just like broccoli, the florets should be tightly packed together. And avoid cauliflower with brown spots.
- Tahini: Made with sesame seeds, this magical paste has a wonderful nutty flavor. It’s a key ingredient in hummus. I also love it for drizzling and in salad dressings.
- Soy sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce. Then you have more control on the overall seasoning.
- Oil: The oil should fade into the background. That’s why I use a neutral vegetable oil such as grapeseed oil or canola oil. My preferences are brands that are organic and non-GMO.
- Ginger: Sesame, ginger and soy are a trio that works perfectly together. That’s why I stir in a tablespoon of minced fresh ginger.
- Garlic: There is a minced garlic clove to round out marinade.
- Red pepper flakes: For a touch of subtle heat, I add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the marinade.
- Salt & pepper: Even though soy sauce tends to have a salty taste, I still season the marinade with salt and pepper.
- Scallions: For something oniony and fresh, I finish the dish with sliced scallions.
- Sesame seeds are the final garnish for the roasted veggies.
Substitutions
Maybe you’re a big fan of cauliflower and just meh on broccoli—or the opposite. You can absolutely just go with one vegetable instead of using both.
This tahini-soy marinade is great on other fall – winter veggies including sweet potatoes, butternut squash and acorn squash.
If you don’t have tahini in your pantry, you can use almond butter instead. You may need to warm it, so it is more on the runny side. Then it will be easier to stir with soy sauce and oil.
How To Make Oven-Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Prep the broccoli and cauliflower. Cut the broccoli into florets. Remove the leaves from a head of cauliflower. Trim the rough end off the stem. Then slice the cauliflower and break it into smaller pieces. Some of it will probably fall apart on its own as you cut it. Those flat sides are great for making contact on the pan and browning.
- Make the tahini-soy marinade. In a large bowl, stir together the tahini, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Toss the broccoli and cauliflower in the marinade. Make sure to stir around the veggies, so they all get coated.
- Spread the veggies across a baking sheet.
- Roast the broccoli and cauliflower until they are browned, about 20-25 minutes. Flip them over halfway through roasting. They should be tender but still have their crisp bite.
- Toss the vegetables with sliced scallions and sesame seeds before serving.
How To Serve
Even though the flavors are a twist on the usual roasted vegetables, don’t hesitate to pair it with your basic go-to roasted chicken.
I also love this side with a stir-fry. Then you can have a meal with A LOT of vegetables. Try it with these mushroom and bok choy soba noodles or this ginger garlic veggie tofu stir-fry.
Making The Most of Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can stir them into cooked grains or noodles to stretch them into a meal. I will even add them to leafy greens for a roasted vegetable salad.
More Broccoli Recipes
Balsamic Mushroom Broccoli Rice
Grilled Dukkah Broccoli
Sautéed Broccolini with Spiced Almonds
Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta
More Cauliflower Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Lentil Salad
Grilled Lemon Pepper Cauliflower
Roasted Cauliflower Spinach Pesto Pasta
Cauliflower White Bean Tahini Soup
Tahini Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches broccoli about 1 pound
- 1 head cauliflower about 1-1/2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Trim the broccoli and cut it into small to medium florets. Cut the leaves off the cauliflower and trim the rough end off the stem. Cut the cauliflower into 1/2-inch thick slices, breaking it into pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the cauliflower and broccoli, stirring to coat in the mixture.
- Spread the cauliflower and broccoli across a sheet pan. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking, until browned and tender but still crisp.
- Toss the cauliflower and broccoli with scallions and sesame seeds before serving.
A delicious way to dress up some veggies! So glad i tried it.
We used a bit too much sauce for the amount of veggies, next time I will stick closer to the recipe. Still delicious!
Such a new and flavorful way to do broccoli and cauliflower. I made it exactly as the recipe stated and it was fantastic. I’ve never post reviews I think this is actually my first but it was so amazing I had to post a review. Thanks