Shawarma-Spiced Cauliflower and Kale Salad
A hearty, craveable raw kale salad topped with Shawarma-spiced cauliflower, chewy medjool dates and crunchy sunflower seeds tossed with a Smokey Tahini Dressing! It's vegan, nut-free and unbelievably delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower about 5 cups of florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2½ tbsp salt-free Shawarma seasoning store-bought is great or there's a homemade recipe in notes below
- ¼ tsp kosher salt I use Morton's
- 1 bunch curly green kale
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ shallot
- 6 pitted Medjool dates
- ⅓ cup roasted sunflower seeds
Smokey Tahini Dressing
- 4 tbsp light runny tahini Such as Soom or Simply Organic
- 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 5 tbsp water
Instructions
Roast the Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and then cut the cauliflower into small florets. Tip: try to make all of the florets similar in size for even cooking.
- Place the cauliflower in a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil and Shawarma seasoning and salt then use cleans hands to thoroughly rub the spice blend all over the cauliflower.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a lined cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes or until crisp around the edges and tender in the center.
Make the Kale Salad
- While the cauliflower roasts, de-stem the kale and chop into bit sized pieces. Place the kale in a large mixing bowl and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Massage for 1 minute or until the kale is reduced in size by about 1/2.
- Chop the shallot and dates and add to the bowl with the kale along with the sunflower seeds. Set aside.
Make the Smokey Tahini Dressing
- Combine tahini, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and smoked paprika in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and then gradually add one tablespoon of water in at a time, whisking as you go, until you reach a creamy but pourable consistency. Then add half of the dressing to the kale salad and toss well. Reserve the remaining dressing for serving.
Assemble
- Distribute the kale salad onto plates and top with the warm cauliflower and a drizzle of the reserving salad dressing. Serve with some extra lemon wedges on the side and enjoy!