Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Spicy Lentils

Savor a festive vegan feast with this Whole Spiced Roasted Cauliflower paired with Spicy Lentils. It’s a flavorful, hearty dish, perfect for holiday gatherings, offering a delightful mix of textures and spices.

One of the big dilemmas of the holiday season is what to cook for a vegan coming over for Christmas dinner, or what to make for yourself for Christmas dinner, that isn’t, well, nut roast. Is it just me who’s sick of nut roast already? Christmas dinner is one of the most important meals of the year, often one of the only times the whole family is around the table together, so a good meal is a must.

This spiced cauliflower is bursting with great flavour, sitting on a bed of spicy, thick lentils, it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The lentils are gently spicy and intensely tomato-ey, and they add a real heartiness to the dish.

It’s also one of the easiest recipes you will ever make, there’s almost no prep involved, and the majority of the time needed is hands off. Just some chopping and light frying at the beginning. Then, I would suggest you enjoy a nice glass of wine with some Christmas music on, while the stove and the oven do the hard work for you ;)

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4.73 from 11 votes

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Spicy Lentils

Savor a festive vegan feast with this Whole Spiced Roasted Cauliflower paired with Spicy Lentils. It's a flavorful, hearty dish, perfect for holiday gatherings, offering a delightful mix of textures and spices.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 254kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 cauliflower
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin ground
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp lemon juice freshly squeezed

Lentils

• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup black lentils
• 3 + 3/4 cups vegetable stock (900 ml)
• 1 can tomatoes crushed
• 3 tbsp tomato Paste
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

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Instructions

• Prepare the cauliflower first. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Peel the leaves off the cauliflower and cut the bottom of the stalk off so you can lay the cauliflower flat on the base.
• Mix together the olive oil and the spices and rub all over the top of the cauliflower. Cover the cauliflower in aluminum foil and place in a baking tray. Bake for 60/90 minutes until cooked through.
• While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the lentils.
• Finely dice the shallots and green pepper. Fry the shallots for 2-3 minutes in a large stock pot, then add the minced garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. add the green pepper and chilli powder and continue to fry until the pepper is soft.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30-35 minutes until the lentils are cooked and the mixture is thick.
• Serve the cauliflower on a bed of lentils and top with some freshly chopped coriander, pomegranate seeds and flaked almonds.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 704mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1067IU | Vitamin C: 100mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 6mg

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