Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls

5 from 1 vote

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If you love bold Middle Eastern flavors and nutrient-packed meals, these vegan Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls with pickled red cabbage, tabbouleh and garlic tahini sauce are a must-try!

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Cauliflower shawarma bowl with roasted spiced cauliflower, shredded cabbage, couscous tabouleh, hummus and tahini sauce and hot sauce drizzled over top.

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.

You can also use just the cauliflower shawarma recipe in other bowls, salads, wraps, pitas and as a side dish.

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: This is a vegan recipe and can be made gluten-free by making the tabouleh with quinoa.

Ingredients & Substitutions

All the ingredients in bowls for making a cauliflower shawarma bowl with couscous, cabbage, spices, tahini sauce and pickled cabbage.
  • 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. A mandolin is best for slicing the cabbage but if you do’t have one, use a sharp knife to very finely chop.
  • 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.
  • Spices: You’ll need curry powder, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, paprika and salt to make the shawarma seasoning.
  • Fresh Parsley: Use curly parsley and ideally, a mini food processor to chop it up very finely.
  • Serving: Hummus and pita are optional but recommended for serving. Your favourite hot sauce or Vegan Tofu Tzatziki is good for extra sauce too! For hummus, you could use the easy hummus from these Mediterranean Hummus Bowls or this Roasted Garlic Hummus.

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.
  • Greens: Serve the bowls over a bed of greens like spinach or lettuce.
  • Shawarma Wrap or Pita Bread: 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

Roasted cauliflower on a baking sheet.

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 brown and tender.

Shredded cabbage in a glass bowl with a pair of tongs in it.

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.

Couscous tabouleh in large bowl.

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.

Creamy tahini dressing in a bowl with a spoon.

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, warm pita wedges and a squeeze of lemon juice over top.

Roasted spiced cauliflower in a bowl with tabouleh and pickled red cabbage.

FAQs

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes. Just swap the bulgur wheat for cooked quinoa.

Can I use another grain for the tabbouleh?

Yes. You can use quinoa, farro or couscous instead of barley. You could also make this Chickpea Tabouleh Salad.

Can I make these for meal prep?

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.

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5 from 1 vote

Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls

A well-balanced, plant-based meal with bold flavors! Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls include roasted cauliflower, pickled cabbage, fresh tabbouleh, and a smooth tahini sauce. Great for meal prepping or weeknight meals.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients 

Cauliflower

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (about 970g of florets)
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Quick Pickled Red Cabbage

  • 3 cups thinly shredded red cabbage, 185g
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Tabbouleh

  • ½ cup dried bulgur wheat or quinoa, or 1 cup couscous
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 2 bunches curly parsley, finely chopped, about 1-1.5 cups once finely chopped (use a mini food processor to speed this up)
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (sub with roma)

Tahini Garlic Sauce

  • ¼ cup tahini, 50 g
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • Salt

For Serving

  • hummus
  • pita wedges

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • Roast Cauliflower: In a large mixing bowl, combine cauliflower, spices and oil. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Transfer cauliflower to an unlined sheet pan. Roast for 20-25 min, tossing halfway through, until golden and tender.
    1 head of cauliflower, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 ½ tbsp olive oil, Salt and pepper
  • 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.
    3 cups thinly shredded red cabbage, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup or sugar, 1 tsp sea salt
  • Cook Grain: Cook bulgur, quinoa or couscous according to package directions. Let cool slightly.
    ½ cup dried bulgur wheat or quinoa, or 1 cup couscous
  • 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.
    ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp coriander, 1 clove garlic, 2 bunches curly parsley, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, 1 cup cucumber, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 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)
    ¼ cup tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp cumin
  • Assemble Bowls: Spoon some tabbouleh into bowls. Arrange roasted cauliflower and pickled cabbage alongside. Drizzle tahini dressing over cauliflower. Dollop hummus in the centre. Add hot sauce, if you like. Dig in with warm toasted pita.

Video

Notes

Red cabbage, tahini sauce and tabouleh can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container. 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. 

Nutrition

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
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1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Loved these for meal prep! The cauliflower comes out slightly sweet and spices and is super yummy with the tahini sauce. Ideally, I’d store the cabbage and tabbouleh separately so I could reheat the cauliflower but I just packed everything into containers, including the dressing and we ate them cold. Even better if you have some pita to kind of scoop everything up. Hope you enjoy them, leave me a comment and star rating if you try this recipe!