This roasted cauliflower with sesame isn’t just any side dish—it’s the cauliflower recipe to end all cauliflower recipes. It comes from the late, great Anthony Bourdain— chef, author and legendary television host.
He was self-deprecating to a fault when it came to his cooking abilities, but when you spend your days alongside culinary giants like Eric Ripert, it’s easy to feel outclassed. This dish however, proves he had his moments and it stands up to any side I have ever eaten.
I received his cookbook – Appetites, for Christmas. Someone put together the facts that I am a fan, and I like to cook. It was a thoughtful gift and one I’ve already put to good use. For a recent family dinner, I paired this cauliflower with his lasagna Bolognese, and let’s just say… it disappeared fast. It’s so delicious that I could obsessively, compulsively eat it all, if others weren’t clamoring for some themselves. What I love about this recipe is how unpretentious it is. Cheffy recipes often call for impossible-to-find ingredients or complicated steps. Not this one. It’s simple, straightforward, and delivers a flavor payoff that feels almost unfair given how little effort it takes.
Let’s Make Roasted Cauliflower
I have reproduced this recipe as faithfully and as closely as possible with one exception. I removed the profane language to protect you, the reader. If you have read any of Anthony’s books, you know what I mean.
Separate the head of cauliflower into florets and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander and oregano. Then arrange them on a baking sheet carefully to make sure they do not touch.
Roast them for 10 minutes, turn them and roast 10 more minutes or until they begin to brown. While roasting toast the sesame seeds and whisk together the sauce.
Fold the cauliflower into the sauce, then toss with sesame seeds and serve. Print
Roasted Cauliflower
Anthony Bourdain’s recipe for cauliflower roasted and served with a delicious tahini-miso sauce.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower – broken into florets
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 TBL tahini
- 1 TBL white miso
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1–1/2 TBL water
- 3 TBL toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cauliflower with the oil, salt, coriander, oregano and a little black pepper. Toss until the florets are coated evenly
- Arrange the florets on a baking sheet taking care to separate them
- Roast for 10 minutes, then turn them with a spatula. Roast an additional 10 minutes or until they begin to brown taking care not to let them burn
- While the cauliflower is roasting, toast the sesame seeds lightly in a non-stick pan and whisk together the tahini, white miso, red wine vinegar, and water
- When finished, remove the cauliflower from the oven and gently combine with the sauce
- Sprinkle and toss with sesame seeds and serve immediately