Vegan Cauliflower Shawarma - Shawarma Spice Roasted Cauliflower in warm flatbreads with hummus & lemony tahini dressing. Easy Wraps or make a Bowl. Vegan Soy-free Nutfree Recipe. Easily Gluten-free with GF wraps.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

Shawarma spice blend: easily doubled or tripled

  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • a generous pinch of nutmeg and allspice
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Cauliflower Shawarma:

  • 1 small head of cauliflower (chopped into florets)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1/3 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp garlic granules or 1 tsp garlic paste
  • Shawarma spice blend (all of the above or 1 tablespoon or more or other Mediterranean blend of choice)

Assembly:

  • Pita breads (or Gluten-free Yeast-free Flatbreads)
  • chopped tomatoes
  • chopped cucumber or pickles
  • lettuce or greens
  • hummus
  • 1 recipe tahini dressing
  • cilantro or parsley

Method

  1. Mix all the spices and keep aside. use a blender if using any whole spices. Prep the rest of the ingredients and tahini dressing.
  2. In a large skillet, add cauliflower florets, water and salt and cover and cook over medium heat for 12 to 14 minutes or until al dente (just about cooked through). Stir once in between.
  3. In 2 tsp oil, mix in 2 to 3 tsp of the spice blend, garlic and cayenne. Pour the oil on the cauliflower. Toss well to coat and cook for 2 minutes or more until the spices start to smell roasted. Stir occasionally. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
  4. Warm the pita, add a good helping on hummus and spread. Add warm cauliflower to the pitas, add tomatoes, cucumber, greens. Drizzle tahini sauce. Sprinkle cilantro or parsley. Serve.
  5. Variations: Make this with chickpeas or other cooked beans: Add oil and spices to a pan and cook until the oil is hot. Add cooked chickpeas, salt, garlic, cayenne, toss to coat and cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated well. Use to fill pita breads.
  6. Roast the cauliflower: Toss the cauliflower in oil, salt, garlic and the spice blend. Bake at 425 degrees F / 220ºc for 25 minutes or until tender to preference.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.