Crisp-tender spice-roasted cauliflower & broccoli are served with a subtly-flavoured, summery couscous salad. A relaxing vegan dinner!
This is the sort of vegetarian meal that many meat-eaters – my own dearest DH included – often complain about. It consists basically of side dishes, with no identifiable lump of protein to be seen. However, to such people I say, get a grip – it’s delicious! You may need to manage expectations when you serve this, but it’s definitely worth it.
Roasted cauliflower and broccoli
You could certainly serve these roasted vegetables, or the couscous salad, as a side dish. However I think they’re so yummy, savoury and filling that they make a fabulous meal in themselves. The roasted cauliflower and broccoli are crispy without, tender within, and the coating browns gorgeously in the oven to create a lightly spiced taste sensation!
Meanwhile the couscous has a gentle, understated flavour that complements without overpowering. Yum yum yum.
No-stress cooking – roasted cauliflower & broccoli
Although the spice roasted cauliflower and broccoli take a little while to cook, I found making this dinner quite relaxing. You have plenty of time to get the various parts ready without any rushing, and there’s even time to set the table nicely and make a quick fruit salad for dessert if that’s your thing. A stress-free meal – perfect.
I used ras-el-hanout as my spice mix, as it’s fragrant and complex without too much heat. DH complained that it wasn’t hot enough. If you like your spices fiery I recommend doctoring the recipe with some hot paprika, cayenne or chilli to taste. Or splash over a little tabasco at the table.
Easy recipe – simple ingredients
The ingredients for these roasted vegetables and couscous salad couldn’t be simpler. I love meals that come together from basic fresh produce plus a few store cupboard standbys. To make this spice-roasted cauliflower and broccoli with olive couscous salad, all you will need is:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Ras-el-hanout – or a similar spice blend like baharat, hawaij or shwarma spice
- Flour – helps the roasted veggies to get really crispy
- Couscous
- Olive oil
- Vegetable stock – or just use hot water
- Fresh parsley
- Tomatoes
- Black olives – or use whatever kind of olives you have to hand
Simple salad
The couscous salad is simplicity itself to make. You can easily adjust the ratio of olives/tomatoes/herbs/couscous to suit your taste. My daughter Kipper, for instance, would probably have 90% olives, no tomatoes, 1% parsley and 9% couscous, but that’s just the way she rolls. Feel free to make it your own.
This made enough couscous salad for 2-3 people, but we scoffed down all the delicious veggies and could happily have eaten more. Make plenty. This amount serves 2 (ish).
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📖 Recipe
Spice-roasted cauliflower & broccoli with warm olive couscous salad
Ingredients
For the spice-roasted vegetables
- 1 small cauliflower
- 1 medium head broccoli
- 1 teaspoon ras-el-hanout
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
For the couscous salad
- 150 ml hot vegetable stock
- 120 g couscous
- 50 g pitted black olives
- 50 g cherry tomatoes
- Good handful fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
For the vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Put a large pan of water on to boil.
- 1 small cauliflower, 1 medium head broccoliCut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets and wash well. Cook in the boiling water for 2 minutes then drain thoroughly.
- 1 teaspoon ras-el-hanout, 1 tablespoon flour, 2-3 tablespoon olive oilMeanwhile, mix the ras-el-hanout with the flour and oil. Toss the drained vegetables in the spice-flour-oil mixture.
- Spread the vegetables out on a non-stick baking sheet and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes, until crisp and cooked through.
For the couscous salad
- 150 ml (⅝ cups) hot vegetable stock, 120 g (⅔ cups) couscousBring the vegetable stock to the boil. Add the couscous, stir, remove from the heat and cover. Leave to stand for at least 5 minutes.
- 50 g (1 ¾ oz) pitted black olives, 50 g (1 ¾ oz) cherry tomatoes, Good handful fresh parsleyMeanwhile, slice the black olives and cut the tomatoes into small dice. Finely chop the parsley.
- 1 tablespoon olive oilOnce the couscous has absorbed all the stock, add the olive oil and fluff with a fork. Stir in the olives, tomatoes and parsley, and serve, with the roasted vegetables.
Nutrition
More delicious vegetarian recipes
Other delicious vegetarian meals you might enjoy include this easy Mediterranean vegetable and halloumi tray bake, this delicious carrot and butterbean tagine, or this fabulous cheesy parsnip pasta bake.
Cornelia
I love coniokg with lemon. The smell just makes we happy and it taste great. Your dinner would be a perfect dinner on a nice night outside with a great bottle of white! love it!
Anna @ shenANNAgans
Roasted cauliflower is amazing, I wish my folks prepared it that way when I was a kid, I feel I wouldnt have wasted all the years not liking the vegetable. Ha! Love your salad, cant wait to prepare it, might just make over the weekend. 🙂
Helen
Thanks Anna! I agree about roasted cauli. I think it just hadn’t been invented when we were kids!
Riz
Yum! I love using couscous!
Prateek D
Ras El Hanout is one of my favorite spice blends, great recipe loved the cauliflower and couscous combo!
Helen
Thanks Prateek. It’s a great blend – so easy to make things taste delicious!
nadiashealthykitchen
My hubby used to be like that, meat had to be the centre of his meal, but now most of our meals are like this, vegan with veggies, beans and grains and he loves it! Many of my relatives don’t consider a meal complete without meat which I think is a shame because veggie meals can be so delicious, good for you, good for the animals and the environment. Everyone wins 🙂
Helen
I’m glad your husband’s come round to this way of eating! And I agree with everything you say about veggie meals. We do eat this kind of meal a lot, but I think secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly!) DH would rather have a lump of meat with veg and potatoes. Hey ho. He gets his way occasionally, so we’re both happy, on the whole 🙂
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
This looks wonderful! Have you ever tried roasting cauliflower? It really brings out the nutty flavour.
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
Sorry just saw that you did, only noted that you boiled it, doh!
Helen
LOL! I’m glad you like the look of it, anyway 🙂
Heidi Roberts
I never get around to roasting cauliflower but I always mean to!
Helen
Do it! The crispy bits are the BEST!