Roasted Harissa Cauliflower Bites
Crispy roasted cauliflower bites coated in a light dairy-free batter, finished with a warm vegan harissa sauce and fresh herbs, yum!
These harissa cauliflower bites are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a bold, smoky harissa dairy-free butter sauce that is ready in under an hour! This recipe uses minimal oil and does not require any deep frying which makes it a healthier alternative to the traditional buffalo cauliflower.
If you’re looking for more vegan appetizers, give the following recipes a try.
- Crispy air fried vegan pizza rolls
- party favorite jackfruit nachos
- Korean inspired tofu kimbaps
What is harissa cauliflower
Harissa cauliflower draws inspiration from North African and Middle Eastern cooking traditions, where harissa paste has been a staple for generations. Harissa is a spicy, aromatic chile paste made from roasted red peppers, garlic, cumin, coriander, and caraway — it’s great for marinating protein and veggies! This recipe is for harissa cauliflower bites. The cauliflowers are broken up into bite size florets and baked in an ultra crispy vegan batter. The harissa sauce is tossed on at the end and a mix of fresh herbs are loaded on top.
How to make roasted harissa cauliflower bites
Step 1. Mix the batter ingredients together
Step 2. Coat the florets in the batter and roast
Step 3. Make the harissa sauce
Step 4. Toss in the roasted cauliflower bites
Key ingredients & substitutions
- Cauliflower — One whole head gives you plenty of florets but try to cut them up into equal size pieces. Store-bought pre-cut florets work too, though they tend to be drier. Pat the florets extra well before battering.
- Sparkling water — The carbonation is what creates that impossibly crispy texture. If you don’t have it, use 3/4 cup regular water mixed with 1 tbsp cornstarch for a thicker coating.
- Harissa — You can find harissa paste or harissa sauce in the international or condiment aisle. DIY version: 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp cumin, pinch of caraway.
- Fresh herbs — I like a mix of cilantro, parsley, and mint to brighten up the sauce!
- Flour – I use all purpose flour but you can substitute for gluten-free flour or even whole wheat
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overcrowd the baking tray – give each battered floret room to roast. They’ll steam instead of crisp if touching and they won’t turn out as crispy.
- Don’t skip the nonstick spray – the batter tends to stick to the parchment paper
- Serve immediately out of the oven – the batter is most crispy when it is fresh out of the oven and quickly tossed in the sauce. If it is left out in the sauce it will start to become soggy
Roasted Harissa Cauliflower Bites
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep the cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 415℉. Cut the cauliflower into bite size florets. The cauliflower should be in roughly equal sizes with some stem on. Pat dry after washing and then toss the cauliflower florets in the olive oil.
- Mix the batter. In a large bowl, mix well to combine the all purpose flour, cumin, salt, garlic powder, baking powder. Slowly add in the sparkling water until the mixture becomes wet and thick. Toss in the cauliflower, making sure the cauliflower is coated evenly.
- Roast the cauliflower. Add a layer of parchment paper on top of the baking tray and spray with some nonstick spray. Then evenly space out the cauliflower florets so that they are not overcrowded. Roast for 20 minutes and then flip the cauliflower, roasting for another 20 minutes so that both top and bottom are roasted. Let it rest for 5 minutes before handling.Tip: Do not add extra batter onto the cauliflower as this will make it harder for the cauliflower to really crisp up in the oven.Note: I recommend not skipping the nonstick spray as the batter could very easily stick to the parchment paper.
- Make the harissa sauce. Heat the butter over low to medium heat in a sauce pan until melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the harissa, finely diced fresh herbs, and juice of half a lemon. Toss in the crispy cauliflower and garnish with more fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.
