If you love bold flavors and nutrient-packed meals, these vegan Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls are a must-try!
This dish is inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine and features warm, spiced roasted cauliflower, tangy pickled cabbage, fresh tabbouleh, and a creamy tahini-garlic sauce.
Everything comes together in one satisfying bowl, making it an excellent meal for meal prep, busy weeknights, or a hearty weekend lunch.
Cauliflower is always a delicious addition to bowls. You can also try it in these Cauliflower Chickpea Potato Bowls and Roasted Cauliflower Burrito Bowls. For a variation on this recipe, these Chickpea Shawarma Salad is delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Loaded with Flavor: Warm spices, tangy pickles, and fresh herbs create the perfect balance.
- Nutritious & Filling: High in fiber and plant-based protein.
- Great for Meal Prep: Make the components ahead of time for easy lunches or dinners.
- Versatile: Enjoy as a bowl, wrap, or with added protein like chickpeas or white beans.
- Dietary: These bowls are vegan and can be made gluten-free by making the tabouleh with quinoa.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cauliflower: This recipe is for cauliflower shawarma but you could substitute chickpeas here. Use the same spices and roasting technique! You could also add a rinsed can of chickpeas to the cauliflower for combo.
- Red Cabbage: You could substitute green cabbage if needed.
- Bulgur: You can use couscous or farro, or quinoa if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar for the pickled cabbage.
- Serving: Hummus and pita are optional but recommended for serving. Your favourite hot sauce or Vegan Tofu Tzatziki is good for extra sauce too!
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations & Additions
- Protein: Add canned or roasted chickpeas, baked tofu or tempeh or your choice of protein.
- Shawarma Wrap or Pita: Serve everything in a pita or flatbread for an easy handheld meal.
- Rice or Potato: Serve over your choice of cooked rice or with roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes. Try these Rosemary Lemon Roasted Potatoes or this simple method for How to Bake Sweet Potatoes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large bowl, toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and spices until well coated. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender.
Step 2: Place shredded cabbage in a heatproof bowl. In a small pot, heat water, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the hot brine over the cabbage and toss to coat. Let sit, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, coriander, and garlic. Add parsley, mint, cucumber, tomatoes, and cooked bulgur. Toss well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. Add 3-4 tbsp water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Note: The mixture will thicken as it sits, so adjust water as needed.
Step 6: Spoon tabbouleh into bowls, add roasted cauliflower and pickled cabbage alongside. Drizzle tahini-garlic sauce over the cauliflower. Serve with a dollop of hummus and warm pita wedges.
FAQs
Yes. Just swap the bulgur wheat for cooked quinoa.
Yes. You can use quinoa, farro or couscous instead of barley. You could also make this Chickpea Tabouleh Salad.
The assembled bowls will keep up to 4 days in the fridge in airtight containers or you can make the tabbouleh, pickled cabbage and tahini sauce in advance and store in separate containers in the fridge until ready to serve.
The cauliflower is best served hot and fresh but you can make it in advance if needed.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.
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Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
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Preheat oven to 425 F.
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Roast Cauliflower: In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, spices and oil. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Transfer cauliflower to an unlined baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 min, tossing halfway through, until golden and tender.
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Pickle Cabbage: Place cabbage in a heat proof bowl or jar. In a small pot, add water, vinegar, maple syrup and salt. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cook for 1-2 min, until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour brine over cabbage. Toss to coat. Set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally.
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Cook Bulgur: Cook bulgur according to package directions. Let cool slightly.
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Mix Tabbouleh: In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon, coriander and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. To the dressing, add tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint and cooked bulgur. Toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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Make Tahini Sauce: In a small bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. Add 3-4 tbsp water. Season with salt. Whisk until smooth. Add more water, if needed (Note: Mixture will thicken as it sits)
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Assemble Bowls: Spoon some tabbouleh into bowls. Arrange roasted cauliflower and pickled cabbage alongside. Drizzle tahini-garlic sauce over cauliflower. Dollop hummus in the centre. Add hot sauce, if you like. Dig in with warm toasted pita.
Red cabbage, tahini sauce and tabouleh can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in containers. Cauliflower is best fresh and hot but assembled bowls can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge in airtight containers.
Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 518kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Sodium: 679mg, Potassium: 1131mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 3749IU, Vitamin C: 164mg, Calcium: 178mg, Iron: 6mg
