Harissa Cauliflower Beetroot Salad

This salad is a vibrant, nutritious dish with its roasted cauliflower, beetroot, and crispy butter beans, all coated in a spicy harissa blend. Topped with a golden tahini dressing, fresh dill, cucumber, and crunchy almonds, it's a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Author Sarah Cobacho (plantbaes.com)

PREP TIME20

COOK TIME30

TOTAL TIME50

Servings 3

Course Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean-Inspired

Keyword Antioxidant-Rich Food, beetroot, cauliflower, cucumber, Easy Vegan Dish, High Fiber Meal, lemon, maple syrup, Nutritious Lunch Idea, Protein-Packed Salad, tahini, turmeric

Ingredients

1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp harissa paste
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cauliflower head chopped into florets
2 beet peeled, and diced
2 cups butter beans cooked
1 cup dry wholewheat pearl couscous
1 large cucumber finely sliced
1 shallots finely sliced
½ cup fresh dill finely chopped
3 tbsp slivered almonds
sea salt flakes to taste

Golden Dressing

2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp hulled tahini
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup water
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), fan on.
Prepare the vegetables: In a large mixing bowl, combine the paprika, harissa, and 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped cauliflower and beets, then mix well to coat.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper and spread the cauliflower and beets evenly.
Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Bake the beans: Line a medium baking tray with baking paper. Add the butter beans, the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Mix well to coat all the beans.
Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
Toast the almonds: Place the almonds in a small oven-safe dish and bake on the lower rack for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden.
Prepare the couscous: Cook according to the packet instructions (usually 1 cup of water for 1 cup of pearl couscous). Once cooked, rinse under cold water until fully cooled to prevent sticking, then drain well.
Prepare the dressing: In a small blender, combine the lemon juice, tahini, maple syrup, turmeric, black pepper, and water. Blend until smooth. If you don’t have a small blender, whisk everything together in a bowl with a fork or small whisk.
Assemble: In a large serving bowl, combine the couscous, roasted cauliflower, beets, butter beans, cucumber, shallots, dill, almonds, and dressing. Mix well, adjust salt to taste, and serve.

Video

Notes

Tahini: Getting a good-quality, runny hulled tahini is key to making the dressing amazing. We've included some brand recommendations from our community around the world. Feel free to share your favorite in the comments so we can keep building the list—it’s super helpful for everyone.

Sauce: Tahini dressings tend to thicken quickly, which makes them nice and creamy. If the sauce becomes too thick after sitting out for a while or the next day, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time and stir well until it reaches your desired consistency.

Couscous: If you can’t find pearl couscous, regular couscous or quinoa for a gluten-free option, work beautifully in this recipe

Nutritional Information - Per Serving