Veggie Cauliflower Shawarma with coleslaw in a Pitta

Cauliflower Shawarma Pitta with Salad Recipe

45 Minutes
Serves: 2
Cauliflower shawarma is a delicious middle eastern dish, cauliflower steeped in a shawarma marinade, served with a crunchy salad of cabbage, onion, cucumber and tomato flavoured with mint and coriander and a creamy garlic and parsley sauce neatly served inside a warm pitta bread

Recipe Ingreds

Veg

  • 0.5 head cauliflower
  • 0.75 tbsp sunflower oil

Marinade

  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 pod cardamom
  • 1.5 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt (to taste)
  • 125 ml yoghurt

Salad

  • 40 grams white cabbage
  • 0.5 whole cucumber
  • 3 sprig fresh mint
  • 0.5 whole onions
  • 2 whole tomatoes
  • 4 sprig fresh coriander
  • 0.5 whole lemon

Dressing

  • 3 sprig fresh parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise light
  • 30 ml sour cream
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • 0.5 whole lemon

Bread

  • 4 single pitta bread

Recipe with pictures Steps

Step 1

  • Make the marinade
  • peel and crush the garlic using the garlic crusher or chop finely
  • remove the seeds from the cardamom
  • grind the cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle
  • mix the marinade ingredients together
  • add to the rectangular pie dish

Step 2

  • cut the cauliflower into florets
  • place in the marinade
  • refrigerate for at least two hours preferably overnight

Step 3

  • remove the cauliflower from the fridge

Step 4

  • set the oven to 180C 350F or gas mark 4
  • heat the frying pan with a little oil
  • brown the cauliflower in batches
  • for 2 to 3 minutes
  • place on a baking tray
  • place in the oven
  • cook for 20 mins

Step 5

  • peel and crush the garlic using the garlic crusher or chop finely
  • wash and finely chop the fresh parsley
  • add to the food processor and blend

Step 6

  • add the mayonnaise and the sour cream to the blender
  • season with salt and pepper
  • blend
  • squeeze the lemon(s) .
  • add the lemon juice a bit at a time to meet your personal tastes
  • blend
  • set a side

Step 7

  • wash and chop the cabbage into fine strips
  • peel the cucumber and chop into matchsticks
  • peel and finely slice the onion(s)
  • wash and chop the tomatoes
  • mix the salad ingredients together in a bowl

Step 8

  • wash and finely chop the fresh coriander
  • wash and finely chop the mint
  • add the herbs to the salad
  • squeeze the lemon(s) .
  • add the lemon juice to taste
  • toss the salad
  • set a side

Step 9

  • five minutes before the cauliflower is cooked
  • place the pitta breads under the grill or toaster heat through but do not brown.
  • cut the pitta bread in half lengthwise

Step 10

  • add the salad to the pitta bread
  • add the dressing

Step 11

  • remove the cauliflower from the oven
  • add the cauliflower to the pitta

Recipe Utensils

  • 1 baking tray
  • 3 chopping board
  • 1 fish slice
  • 1 frying pan
  • 2 Garlic crusher
  • 1 hand liquidiser
  • 3 large knife
  • 2 lemon squeezer
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 mortar and pestle
  • 1 rectangular pie dish
  • 1 small bowl

How to make vegetarian cauliflower shawarma pitas

Make the marinade by mixing the allspice, cardamom, cider vinegar, cinnamon, garlic, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, olive oil and yoghurt. Cut the cauliflower into florets, and coat in the marinade, refrigerate for at least two hours, then quickly fry the cauliflower until golden brown and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked. Make the salad by chopping the white cabbage, cucumber, onions, and tomatoes and mix, chop the coriander and mint and add to the vegetables with the lemon juice. Make the dressing by chopping the parsley and crushing the garlic, mix in the mayonnaise, sour cream, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the salad. Toast the pitta bread slice to open the pitta and then place the salad and cauliflower into the pita. 

When to cook veggie shawarma

This recipe is the ideal quick-cook dinner and is perfect all year round, this dish is healthy as it is packed full of fresh vegetables, all served in toasted pita bread.

 Who will love this recipe?

This dish is perfect for a family midweek meal it's quick to cook and very tasty. It is ideal for vegetarians and cheap to make so great if you are on a budget. It’s perfect for a brunch, a light lunch with friends or a casual get together

What to do with leftovers.

This is so delicious that you probably won’t have any leftover shawarma spiced cauliflower but if you do you can serve them mixed into a pistachio pilaf and served in a wrap

What to eat with roasted cauliflower shawarma?

We serve this dish in a pita bread packed with salad, but if you’re looking for other meal ideas for this dish, we have some great serving suggestions  a simple herby green salad, or grilled Mediterranean vegetables like courgettes, aubergines, and tomatoes a crispy topping for a risotto

What makes meat-free shawarma the best?

It's perfect if you are looking for something spicy, tasty, and good for you, the cauliflower is roasted in a delicious selection of warm middle eastern spices combined with the fresh coleslaw making the perfect meal.

What is shawarma

It is a traditional middle eastern dish; it was originally a lamb dish it gets its name from the spice mix used to marinate the meat. We have used this mix to make a veggie recipe by marinating cauliflower in the spice mix of black pepper, chilli flakes, cinnamon, garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin, lemon, olive oil, paprika, salt, and turmeric

Other vegetarian Middle Eastern recipes

Cheese, Pine Nut and Herb Tart

Feta & Courgette Fritters with a Pistachio Rice Salad

Imam Bayildi Turkish stuffed Aubergine


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