Moroccan Cauliflower Tagine With Chickpeas
Warm spices mingle with tender vegetables, sweet golden raisins, briny olives, and chickpeas to make this Moroccan Cauliflower Tagine a flavourful and satisfying vegan dinner!
Moroccan food is known for its warmth—both in terms of actual heat (hello, harissa!) and also cozy spices like cinnamon and coriander. This Moroccan cauliflower tagine has both, making it fragrant and absolutely delicious! Serve it with couscous (or Herb & Veggie Fregola!) for a comforting vegan dinner perfect for brisk fall days.
Why I Can’t Get Enough of This Moroccan Tagine
Friends, I am so excited for you to give this cauliflower tagine a try! Here’s what makes it so fantastic.
- Fragrant and flavourful. Between the harissa, all those warm spices, sweet raisins, and salty green olives, this Moroccan tagine has layers of flavour—and it’ll make your kitchen smell amazing as it cooks too!
- A hearty meal. With cauliflower, onions, tomatoes, and chickpeas, this Moroccan tagine is a filling dinner, especially when you serve it over couscous.
- Tender roasted cauliflower. The cauliflower is roasted, which gives it a mellow, mildly nutty flavour and ensures that when the tagine is done, the florets are super tender.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this vegan Moroccan tagine recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Tagine:
- Cauliflower – Cut or break this into florets.
- Red onion – When roasted, the red onions impart flavour into the cauliflower and the onions themselves get tender in the centre with crispy edges. So good!
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – Cumin seeds, ground turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, coriander, and cinnamon.
- Yellow onion and garlic – Aromatics that, when combined with spices, make the sauce flavourful.
- Harissa paste – Harissa can vary in heat level from one brand to the next, so if you prefer your tagine to be more tame, add a smaller amount and then adjust to taste.
- Chickpeas – Drain and rinse these before adding them.
- Golden raisins – These get tender as they soak up the sauce and they add a welcome sweet balance to the dish.
- Green olives – I love Castelvetrano olives because they have a flavour that’s almost a little bit buttery, but “regular” green olives are fine too!
- Chopped tomatoes – You can use fire-roasted tomatoes for a subtle smokiness.
- Water
- Maple syrup – Or Date Syrup, if you prefer.
- Fresh parsley
- Toasted almonds – I love the crunch these add! For a nut-free alternative, use pepitas.
For Serving:
- Couscous – Cook this according to the package instructions.
- Tahini-yogurt sauce – Mix equal parts tahini and vegan yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of salt.
How to Make Moroccan Tagine With Cauliflower and Chickpeas
This visual guide shows you step-by-step how to make this cauliflower tagine at home.
- Roast the cauliflower. Toss the cauliflower and red onion with a tablespoon of oil and cumin seeds, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Roast in a 425ºF oven for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping at the halfway point, until the florets are tender and charred on the edges.
- Start the sauce. While the cauliflower roasts, warm the remaining oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the yellow onion for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened, then stir in the garlic, coriander, cinnamon, and harissa. Cook until fragrant.
- Simmer. Stir in the chickpeas, golden raisins, olives, tomatoes, water, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve. Stir in the roasted cauliflower and red onions. Season to taste, then serve over couscous with tahini-yogurt sauce, parsley, and toasted almonds.
Tips and Variation Ideas
- Cut the cauliflower to even sizes. It’s hard not to have some little florets that break off, but the largest pieces should all be around the same size so they’re all tender when they’re done roasting.
- Make sure your spices are fresh. This is key to the best flavour! When you open the jars, you should be hit with a strong aroma. If not, your spices may have been sitting in the pantry a bit too long and they’re due for replacement.
- Swap out the raisins. Not a raisin fan? Swap in dried currants, dried cranberries, or sliced dried apricots.
- Make it without olives. Olives are another ingredient that can be polarizing! You can use capers instead for a similar brininess, or simply leave them out.
What to Serve With Tagine
Couscous is the most common accompaniment to Moroccan tagine, but it’s not your only option! You can serve it over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or cooked quinoa, too. I also love pairing it with my Vegan Naan Recipe, kind of like a curry.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze this Moroccan tagine for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm up leftovers in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or heat individual bowls in the microwave.
More Recipes With Cauliflower
Enjoy friends! If you make this Moroccan cauliflower tagine, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Cauliflower Tagine With Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the Tagine
- 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets – about 2 lbs. / 900g
- 1 medium red onion, cut into thick wedges (for roasting) – 150g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided – 30mL
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2g
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, 1g
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2g
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (for sauce) – 150g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced – 9g
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 2g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2g
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste, 15g
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 400g
- ⅓ cup golden raisins, 50g
- 100 grams pitted green olives, 3 ½ ounces
- 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, 400g
- 1 cup water, 240mL
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 15mL
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped – about ¼ cup / 15g
- ¼ cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped – 30g
For Serving
- Couscous, prepared according to package – about 2 cups cooked / 350g
- Tahini-yogurt sauce, mix equal parts tahini and vegan yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets and red onion wedges with 1 tablespoon olive oil, cumin seeds, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and charred on the edges.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, coriander, cinnamon, and harissa paste, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add chickpeas, golden raisins, olives, tomatoes, water, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Stir the roasted cauliflower and red onion into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper as needed.
- Spoon the tagine over couscous. Top with dollops of tahini-yogurt sauce, a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and the toasted almonds for crunch.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze this Moroccan tagine for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm up leftovers in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or heat individual bowls in the microwave.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
