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cauliflower chickpea shawarma

Sheet Pan Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma

This flavor-packed sheet pan supper is a very distant cousin to classic shawarma. It has all the requisite flavors and is finished with a flavorful tangy tahini yogurt sauce. Serve it as a main dish or as a side along with roast chicken, fish, or lamb.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Servings 3 as a main dish, 5 to 6 as a side

Ingredients

Shawarma

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup lemon juice about 2 lemons
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
  • 1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/4 lbs, cut into medium florets
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium red onion, halved and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Tahini Yogurt Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Big pinch salt
  • Zest and juice of ½ lemon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, garlic, and salt until blended. Add the cauliflower, chickpeas, and onion and stir everything together very thoroughly so that the marinade evenly coats the cauliflower.

  3. Transfer to the baking sheet and spread it out. Roast until the onions are tender, and the cauliflower begins to brown (and even blacken) on the edges, about 30 minutes.

  4. While the cauliflower roasts, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, yogurt, salt, honey, and lemon juice and zest. The sauce should be thin enough to pour over the cauliflower. If it’s on the thick side, whisk in a splash of water.
  5. When the cauliflower is done, spoon the tahini sauce over everything. Scatter the cilantro on top and serve straight from the baking sheet.
  6. Note: I like the ease of serving this on the baking sheet, but for a dressier dinner, feel free to transfer to a pretty platter or large plate.