Lebanese Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Chowder

Name: Lebanese Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Chowder
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 49 min
Total time: 1 h 11 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 2 lb (1 large head, trimmed weight about 1.75 lb) (900 g) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (300 g) large yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground allspice; 1¼ lb (570 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ⅓ cup (80 g) well-stirred tahini, at room temperature; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1½ lemons; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; ½ cup, loosely packed (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling; ¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet until golden (optional); Aleppo pepper flakes, for sprinkling, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Deeply browned roasted cauliflower and tender Yukon Gold potatoes are simmered with cumin, coriander and a whisper of allspice, then enriched with nutty tahini and bright lemon. It is creamy without heavy cream, and finished with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Prep: 22 min
Cook: 49 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 16 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L), serving 6

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the roasted cauliflower
2 lb (1 large head, trimmed weight about 1.75 lb) (900 g) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
For the soup
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (300 g) large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground allspice
1¼ lb (570 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
For the tahini finish
⅓ cup (80 g) well-stirred tahini, at room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1½ lemons
1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
To finish
½ cup, loosely packed (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet until golden (optional)
Aleppo pepper flakes, for sprinkling, to taste (optional)

Equipment (5)

Large rimmed baking sheet, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
5-6 quart (4.7-5.7 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven
Immersion blender (or a countertop blender)
Medium mixing bowl and whisk
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Stir the jar of tahini well before measuring. The oil separates and the paste at the bottom can be stiff.
Start the soup base while the cauliflower roasts. The timing is built around this overlap (the oven time is counted within the soup steps), so read all steps first.
Use a rimmed sheet pan large enough to hold the florets in a single layer, or roast on two pans. Crowded cauliflower steams instead of browning.
Have the lemon juice and parsley ready before you finish the soup. The tahini is added at the end and the soup must not boil afterward.

1
Preheat and prepOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position an oven rack in the upper third and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch (2.5 cm) florets, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and peel and cube the potatoes into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Zest the lemon before juicing it.
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Ready when: Florets are roughly the same size so they roast evenly.
Tip: Keep potato cubes small and even. Larger pieces will not be tender by the time the soup is finished.
2
Roast the cauliflowerOven 425°F / 220°C
- On the large rimmed baking sheet, toss the florets with 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp cumin and 1 tsp salt.
- Spread them in a single layer with space between pieces.
- Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 28 to 30 minutes, tossing once at the 15-minute mark.
- The roasting runs while you make the soup base in the next steps, so start the onion right away.
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Ready when: Edges are deep golden brown and the thickest stems pierce easily with a fork.
Tip: Use two pans rather than crowding one. Crowded cauliflower steams and turns pale.
3
Sweat the onion
- While the cauliflower roasts, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and ½ tsp salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and lightly golden at the edges, not browned.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown quickly, lower the heat to medium-low.
4
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, 1 tsp cumin, the coriander and the allspice to the onion.
- Stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly fragrant and the garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter. Move straight to the next step as soon as it smells toasty.
5
Simmer the potatoes
- Add the potatoes and the broth.
- Raise the heat to high until it boils, then reduce to medium-low.
- Cover partly and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- The cauliflower should finish roasting at about this point.
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Ready when: A potato cube is nearly tender when pierced but still holds its shape.
6
Add roasted cauliflower
- Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven.
- Set aside about 1½ cups (roughly one-third) of the best-browned florets for topping.
- Scrape the rest into the pot, including any browned bits from the pan.
- Simmer, partly covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Potatoes are completely tender and crush easily against the side of the pot.
7
Blend partially
- Turn off the heat.
- Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup in short bursts for 20 to 30 seconds, leaving plenty of chunks.
- About half of the soup should look creamy and half chunky.
- If using a countertop blender, blend 3 cups of soup until smooth (vent the lid and cover with a towel), then stir it back into the pot.
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Ready when: Thick, creamy base with visible pieces of potato and cauliflower.
Tip: Never fill a blender more than half full with hot liquid, and always hold the lid down.
8
Whisk the tahini mixture
- In the medium bowl, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice and zest.
- It will first seize and look thick and pasty.
- Whisk in the milk a little at a time until smooth.
- Then whisk in 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot soup broth, a ladleful at a time.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth, pourable and pale, like thin cream.
Tip: Adding hot soup in portions warms the tahini gradually, which helps prevent a grainy or split soup.
9
Finish the chowder
- Pour the tahini mixture into the pot and stir well.
- Set over low heat and warm for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, without letting it boil.
- Stir in half of the parsley and the black pepper.
- Taste and add salt, about ¼ tsp at a time, and a little more lemon juice if you like.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming, evenly creamy and coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Boiling after adding tahini can make the soup grainy and bitter. Keep it at a gentle steam.
10
Rest and garnish
- Let the chowder rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the flavors settle.
- Ladle into bowls.
- Top each with the reserved roasted cauliflower, the remaining parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and the optional pine nuts and Aleppo pepper.
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Ready when: Soup is thick enough to hold the garnishes on its surface.
Tip: Warm the bowls first if you can. Tahini soups thicken as they cool.

Good to know

Tips

Roast until the cauliflower is truly browned. The caramelized edges are the main source of depth in this chowder.
Stir tahini thoroughly before measuring, and use a fresh, good-quality jar. Old tahini tastes bitter.
Add lemon juice gradually at the end. Brands of tahini and lemons vary in intensity, so taste before serving.
For a thicker chowder, blend a little more of the soup. For a brothier soup, blend less and thin with a splash of broth.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 7 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, with the reserved roasted cauliflower stored separately. When ready to serve, reheat gently, then whisk the tahini mixture (step 8) and finish as directed. Adding the tahini just before serving gives the best flavor and texture.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended after the tahini is added, but the soup base from step 7 freezes well for up to 2 months. To reheat, warm gently over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of broth or milk to loosen. Do not boil.

Substitutions

whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or additional vegetable broth. Makes the chowder fully vegan. Oat milk keeps it creamy, while broth gives a lighter result.
Yukon Gold potatoes → russet potatoes. They break down more, giving a thicker chowder. Reduce partial blending slightly.
low-sodium vegetable broth → water plus an extra ½ tsp salt. Flavor will be milder, so add more lemon, cumin and salt to taste.
pine nuts → toasted slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds. Provides the same crunchy contrast at lower cost.