This Israeli Couscous and Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce is exploding in textures. The tang of the tahini sauce with the chewy texture of the couscous makes this dish one to remember.
Israeli couscous, from its actual name ptitim, and sometimes referred to as pearl couscous, is said to have been created in the 1950s, during the austerity period in Israel, when rice supplies were scarce. Israel’s prime minister at the time requested that a wheat-based product be developed to be used as a substitute. Ptitim originally was made in the shape of rice, but inspired by couscous, the company started producing the small ball-shaped variety. Ptitim is made by extruding dough through a mold, cutting and toasting it, giving its distinct nutty flavor. It is versatile and can be used to replace pasta or rice in many instances. It is often prepared with fried onions or garlic, and vegetables or meat can be added.
In this recipe, we envelop the Israeli couscous and the deeply roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce. We then add some sautรฉed garlic and pine nuts, for an extra decadent warm dish that’ll blow your socks off. Yes, there are many little things to put together, but they can all be done while your cauliflower roasts. Try it and let me know what you think!
For another recipe using cauliflower and tahini, check this out: Cumin Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce.
PrintIsraeli Couscous and Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Sea salt and pepper
For the Israeli Couscous
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups Israeli couscous
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
For the Tahini Sauce
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- Juice of 1 juicy lemon
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- Extra lemon slices, to serve
For the Pine Nuts and Parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
For the Roasted Cauliflower
Preheat oven to 425หF (225หC). On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss together the cauliflower, garlic, red bell pepper slices, olive oil, red pepper flakes, if using, and sea salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through, until vegetables are charred in spots.
For the Israeli Couscous
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the couscous and toast, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes.* In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the couscous and the salt. Return to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain off any remaining water.
For the Tahini Sauce
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
For the Pine Nuts and Parsley
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the pine nuts and sautรฉ, stirring often, until the garlic looses its bite and the pine nuts take on some color, about 3 to 5 minutes.
To assemble, toss together the roasted vegetables, the couscous and the pine nuts and parsley garnish. Add the tahini sauce and mix again. Serve with some lemon slices on the side. Bon appรฉtit!
Notes
*This step is optional. It does, however, bring out the yummy nutty taste of the couscous.
Keywords: Israeli couscous, cauliflower, pine nuts, tahini
Couscous israรฉlien avec chou-fleur au four et sauce tahini
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 ร 5 portions 1x
Ingredients
Pour le chou-fleur au four
- 1 grosse tรชte de chou-fleur, coupรฉe en petits fleurons
- 6 gousses d’ail, pelรฉes et entiรจres
- 1 poivron rouge, รฉpรฉpinรฉ et coupรฉ en laniรจres
- 3 c. ร soupe d’huile d’olive
- Pincรฉe de flocons de piments chili broyรฉs (en option)
- Sel de mer et poivre, au goรปt
Pour le couscous israรฉlien
- 2 c. ร soupe d’huile d’olive
- 2 tasse de couscous israรฉlien
- 3 tasses d’eau
- 1 c. ร thรฉ de sel de mer
Pour la sauce tahini
- 1/3 tasse de tahini
- 1/3 tasse d’eau
- Jus d’un demi citron bien juteux
- Sel de mer et poivre, au goรปt
- Tranches de citron, pour servir
Pour les noix de pins et le persil
- 2 c. ร soupe d’huile d’olive
- 3 gousses d’ail, hachรฉes
- 1/4 tasse noix de pin
- 1/4 tasse persil frais, hachรฉ
Instructions
Pour le chou-fleur au four
Prรฉchauffer le four ร 425หF (225หC). Sur une plaque de cuisson prรฉalablement recouverte de papier parchemin, mรฉlanger les fleurons de chou-fleur, les gousses d’ail, le poivron rouge, l’huile d’olive, les flocons de piments chili broyรฉs, si dรฉsirรฉ, et du sel de mer et poivre, au goรปt. Mettre au four et rรดtir pendant 30 ร 35 minutes, jusqu’ร ce que les lรฉgumes soient bien dorรฉs. Retourner les lรฉgumes autour de la mi-cuisson.
Pour le couscous israรฉlien
Dans une poรชle, chauffer l’huile d’olive ร feu moyen. Ajouter le couscous israรฉlien et faire sauter en brassant, de 3 ร 5 minutes.* Dans un chaudron moyen, porter l’eau ร รฉbullition. Ajouter le couscous israรฉlien et le sel de mer. Porter de nouveau ร รฉbullition, rรฉduire le feu, couvrir et cuire jusqu’ร ce que le couscous soit tendre, environ 15 minutes. Retirer du feu et รฉgoutter, si nรฉcessaire.
Pour la sauce tahini
Mettre tous les ingrรฉdients dans un petit bol et fouetter jusqu’ร l’obtention d’une consistence onctueuse.
Pour les noix de pin et le persil
Chauffer l’huile d’olive dans une petite poรชle ร feu moyen. Ajouter l’ail et les noix de pin. Faire revenir, en brassant souvent, environ 3 ร 5 minutes.
Pour assembler, mรฉlanger le chou-fleur, le couscous israรฉlien, la garniture de noix de pin et persil. Arroser de la sauce tahini et mรฉlanger ร nouveau. Servir avec des tranches de citron frais. Bon appรฉtit!
Notes
*Cette รฉtape n’est pas essentielle, mais rehausse grandement le goรปt du couscous.
Keywords: couscous israรฉlien, chou-fleur, noix de pin, tahini