Recipe 6: Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Lemony Tahini and Olive Tapenade

Lifestyle |
4 min read

Written By

Mallory Junggren

Published

November 21, 2025

Medically reviewed by

Alyssa Dweck MS, MD, FACOG, MSCP, Chief Medical Officer

This Mediterranean recipe is built around whole roasted cauliflower. Every ingredient in this dish, from the hormone-supporting cauliflower¹ to the bone-healthy tahini² and anti-inflammatory olives³ has been intentionally chosen to make eating healthy feel both delicious and empowering during the menopausal transition.

As a first step in this recipe, we will par-boil the cauliflower. This is the secret to getting a tender, creamy inside of the vegetable and a perfectly roasted outside. Then, we'll coat it in olive oil and spices. As a cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower is a powerhouse that helps your body metabolize estrogen and support hormonal balance.⁴ And like the Mediterranean diet, which is popular with menopausal women, we’re utilizing olive oil and spices, instead of just butter and salt, which are more heart healthy.⁵

While that roasts, we'll make a creamy Lemony Tahini Sauce. Tahini is packed with plant-based calcium which is helpful for supporting bone density, as well as protective antioxidants which have been shown to be beneficial for heart health, immunity and hormone balance.⁶

For a briny, savory finish, we’ll add on a simple olive tapenade. Olives and extra virgin olive oil are both powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients, which are great for soothing joints and supporting heart and brain health.⁷

Now, we bring it all together. Serve the cauliflower over that creamy tahini with all the prepped ingredients for a health, nutritious and beneficial meal.

Ingredients

For the Roasted Cauliflower:

1 medium-large head of cauliflower, stem trimmed flat
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the Lemony Tahini Sauce:

½ cup tahini
½ cup cold water
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced or grated
¼ tsp sea salt

For the Olive Tapenade (Hand Chopped):

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

To Garnish:

2 tbsp toasted walnuts, chopped
Freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully place the whole cauliflower in the boiling water and cook for 7 minutes to parboil. Remove the cauliflower, drain it well, and gently pat it completely dry.
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Place the dry cauliflower in a baking dish, pour the seasoning mixture over it, and use a brush or your hands to coat the entire surface. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown and tender.
While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Begin to whisk while slowly streaming in the cold water. Continue mixing until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Prepare the olive tapenade by combining the hand-chopped olives, capers, fresh parsley, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice to combine.
To assemble the dish, spread a generous layer of the lemony tahini sauce onto a large serving platter. Once the cauliflower is done roasting, carefully place it in the center of the platter.
Drizzle more of the tahini sauce over the cauliflower, then spoon the olive tapenade over the top. Garnish with toasted walnuts and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Slice into wedges to serve. Enjoy!

For a quick instructional video on how to put this recipe together, check out the below clip!

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