Charred Cauliflower Shawarma Ragù: My January Kind of Comfort
January always makes me nostalgic for the street smells of Tel Aviv—shawarma spice in the air, citrus on fingertips—while my London life demands dinner in under an hour. This dish is how I bridge that gap: slow-feeling, weeknight-real.
The inspiration came from treating vegetables the way I learned to treat meat in restaurant kitchens: hard heat first, then patience. I char the cauliflower until it’s almost scandalously dark, chop it fine, and cook it down with shawarma spices until it turns spoonable—like a ragù that just happens to be plant-based. Underneath is my creamy safety blanket: cannellini beans blitzed with tahini, lemon, and garlic until silky. (Yes, tahini belongs on everything. I said what I said.)
I first made a version of this after a freezing walk home, when I needed comfort but also brightness. The saffron-pickled celery is that little jolt—floral, sharp, crunchy—while crispy capers bring the briny crackle I’m obsessed with. Dill makes it feel alive.
Make it yours: swap cannellini for chickpeas, add harissa for heat, or top with pomegranate for sweetness. More herbs is always the answer.
Featured Recipe
Charred Cauliflower Shawarma “Ragù” on Creamy Cannellini–Tahini Purée with Saffron Pickled Celery, Crispy Capers & Dill
In January, I crave something slow-feeling but actually weeknight-real—this is my answer. I treat cauliflower like meat: deeply charred, chopped, and cooked down with shawarma spices until it becomes a spoonable, savory ragù, then I pile it onto a silky cannellini–tahini purée with bright pickled celery and crunchy, briny capers.
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Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower (large)(cut into small florets; keep some stem, chopped finely)
- 6 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil(divided)
- 1 Yellow onion(finely diced)
- 4 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 2 tsp Ground coriander
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika(or sweet paprika)
- 1 tsp Ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground allspice(or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
- 1 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper(or 1 tsp chili flakes, to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt(plus more as needed)
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 3/4 cup Vegetable stock or water(plus a splash more if needed)
- 1 Lemon (zest and juice)(zest first, then juice)
- 2 cans Cannellini beans(15 oz/425 g each, drained and rinsed)
- 1/3 cup Tahini (well-stirred)(use a good, runny tahini)
- 1/2 cup Ice-cold water(plus more to loosen)
- 1 clove Garlic(grated or minced for the purée)
- 3/4 tsp Salt(for the purée, to taste)
- 3 stalks Celery (with leaves if you have them)(thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal)
- 1/3 cup White wine vinegar(or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 pinch Saffron threads(optional but gorgeous)
- 2 tbsp Hot water(to bloom saffron)
- 3 tbsp Capers(drained well and patted dry)
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil(for crisping capers (sunflower/grapeseed))
- 1 cup Fresh dill(fronds only, loosely packed)
- 1/2 cup Fresh parsley(roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds(optional, for finish)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 240°C/465°F (or 230°C fan). Toss the large cauliflower florets and chopped stem with 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Spread on a large tray (don’t crowd), and roast until aggressively browned at the edges, 18–25 minutes. You’re not aiming for tender—you're aiming for char.
25 min
Tip: If your oven runs cool, finish with 2–3 minutes under the broiler/grill to push the color. That deep roast is what makes the cauliflower read like “meat” later.
- 2
While the cauliflower roasts, make saffron pickled celery. Bloom saffron (if using) in 2 tbsp hot water for 2 minutes. In a bowl, whisk 1/3 cup White wine vinegar, 2 tsp Sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and the saffron water. Add 3 stalks Celery (with leaves if you have them), toss, and let it sit at room temp, stirring once or twice.
10 min
Tip: January celery is crisp and sweet in a quiet way—pickling gives it a sharp suit and makes the whole plate feel alive.
- 3
Make the cannellini–tahini purée. In a blender or food processor, combine 2 cans Cannellini beans, 1/3 cup Tahini (well-stirred), 1 grated garlic clove, 1 Lemon (zest), 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup Ice-cold water. Blend until completely silky. Add a splash more cold water until it spreads like hummus but feels a touch looser (it should swoosh on the plate).
8 min
Tip: Ice-cold water is my tahini trick: it whips the mixture lighter and brighter, instead of heavy.
- 4
Build the cauliflower shawarma “ragù.” In a wide pan over medium heat, warm 3 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 Yellow onion and a pinch of salt; cook until softened and lightly golden, 8–10 minutes. Add 4 cloves Garlic and 2 tbsp Tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly.
12 min
Tip: That quick fry on the tomato paste gives you a deeper, almost caramelized backbone—like you’ve been simmering for hours.
- 5
Add spices (2 tsp Ground cumin, 2 tsp Ground coriander, 1 tsp Smoked paprika, 1 tsp Ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Ground allspice, 1 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper) and stir 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Tip in the roasted cauliflower and chop it up in the pan with your spoon/spatula—some small bits, some bigger. Add 3/4 cup Vegetable stock or water and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and the mixture turns spoonable and glossy, 6–10 minutes. Finish with remaining lemon juice (to taste) and check salt.
10 min
Tip: If it looks dry, add a splash of water; if it looks wet, keep cooking. You want a loose ragù, not a stew.
- 6
Crisp the capers. In a small pan over medium heat, heat 3 tbsp Neutral oil. Add 3 tbsp Capers and fry until they open and crisp, 60–90 seconds. Remove to paper towel. (Keep the caper oil—it’s gold.)
3 min
Tip: Pat the capers dry before frying or they’ll spit. Use a splatter screen if you have one.
- 7
Plate like I would at my kitchen counter: swoosh a generous spoonful of cannellini–tahini purée onto each plate or into a shallow bowl. Pile cauliflower ragù on top. Scatter pickled celery (and a little of its vinegar), crispy capers, 1 cup Fresh dill, and 1/2 cup Fresh parsley. Drizzle with a bit of the caper oil and a final thread of 6 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil. Finish with 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds if you want.
5 min
Tip: The whole point is contrast: creamy base, hot spiced ragù, cold pickle, crunchy capers, lots of herbs. Don’t be shy with the dill.
Chef's Notes
This dish is my London-meets-Tel Aviv winter mood: you want something cozy and spoonable when it’s dark at 4pm, but you still need brightness and crunch or I get bored halfway through. Substitutions I actually love: swap cannellini for butter beans; swap celery for thinly sliced fennel or kohlrabi; add a handful of chopped dates if you want sweet heat; or serve everything over warm pita or toasted sourdough. If you have leftover ragù, it’s absurdly good tucked into a toasted pita with the purée as the “sauce” and extra pickles.
Yael Mizrahi
Bold flavors, beautiful plates
Born in Tel Aviv to a Moroccan mother and Iraqi father, I grew up speaking the language of spice. My kitchen was always full of cumin, preserved lemons, and the sound of multiple conversations happening at once. I moved to London at 22, cooked my way through the city's best restaurants, and discovered that the whole Mediterranean was my playground. Now I create dishes that celebrate the entire region—from Marrakech to Athens, with plenty of stops in between.