This recipe uses the whole cauliflower – leaves and all – for a deliciously healthy and vegetarian meal.

I love cauliflower. It is such an unnasuming vegetable that many of you might just see as a soggy, bland side on a roast dinner. But cooked right, it can be so, so delicious.

This recipe was inspired by Mob kitchen, who used the leaves to make a coleslaw. I usually throw the leaves away and it is such a waste. Every year in the U.K, we waste around 9.5 million tonnes of food. As a society we all need to get better about adopting a ‘no-waste mentality’, and this recipe is perfect for that, taking a usually discarded bit of the cauliflower and turning it into something really yummy.

This is the first recipe I’ve decided to film for my Tik Tok and Instagram in over a year – I want to turn this blog, and my cooking, into a full career one day, and videos really are the place to start. But I forgot just how much effort it takes to film everything nicely, edit it all and write up an entire recipe when I’m used to just chucking everything into a pan and seeing if it tastes good. So, I need to say a big thank you to my wonderful partner who spent most of her Sunday filming me chopping veg and writing down the recipe while I cooked! You’re my biggest supporter.

Spiced cauliflower

To make cauliflower the star of any show, you need to season it well. In this recipe, I’ve added a heap of spices to the cauliflower and chickpeas and roasted them till crispy. I’ve then served it with 2 sauces for extra flavour – a spicy green parsley sauce and a garlic aoili. It all comes together perfectly in the pita bread, although if you’re wanting something a little lighter this would work really well as a salad.

Tangy slaw

This slaw is so easy to make – but this is important: make it first. The leaves need time to marinade in the dressing and soften. Once you’ve separated the leaves and washed them, make this and leave it to one side while you cook. It will taste better and better over time!

Spicy green sauce

This sauce is so easy to make – all you need is a blender, yoghurt, jalapenos, parsley and capers. The parsley gives the sauce its beautiful vibrant colour. Coriander would also work really well here.

A big thank you

Thank you to everyone who has liked my posts and followed my blog – I love cooking and I’m so grateful there are people out there who enjoy seeing what I make.

So, here’s the recipe – I hope you enjoy!

Easy cauliflower pita breads with slaw and spicy green sauce

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 30-40 mins

Serves: 2-4, depending on how hungry you are!

Ingredients

Roasted cauliflower and chickpeas

• 1 head cauliflower, leaves removed (don’t throw them away!)
• 1 tin chickpeas, drained
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp of each: paprika, garlic granules, parsley, oregano, garam masala, turmeric powder, cumin powder, chilli flakes – or your own favourite seasonings
• Salt and pepper

Cauliflower leaf slaw

• Cauliflower leaves, washed and patted dry
• 1/2 a red onion
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp golden syrup/honey
• 1-2 tbsp oil

Spicy green sauce

• 1 large handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• 1-2 tbsp capers
• 2 tsp jalapeno, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp greek yoghurt
• 1/2 – 1 garlic clove, depending on your preference
• Lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Garlic mayonnaise

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2-1 clove garlic, depending on your preference
• Lemon juice and salt to taste

To serve

• Pita breads, toasted and opened
• Spring onions, finely chopped

Recipe

1. Begin by making your slaw – the leaves need some time in the dressing to soften. Peel away the leaves of the cauliflower, then wash and pat them dry. Chop finely into long, thin strands and add to a bowl with 1/2 a chopped onion.
2. Make the dressing by combining mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, honey/golden syrup and oil to a jug. Mix till thickened slightly and fully combined. Pour over the cauliflower leaves, season and mix well. Leave to one side.
3. Chop the head of the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, and add to a baking tray with a tin of drained chickpeas. Season well with the herbs and spices listed, or your favourite seasonings (the more the better).
4. Drizzle the cauliflower and chickpeas, and roast for 30 minutes at 180 degrees C, or until the cauliflower softens and browns.
5. While the cauliflower is cooking, make the sauce by combining yoghurt, chopped parsley, garlic, lemon juice, capers and jalapenos in a blender. If you don’t have a blender, you can chop the ingredients separately and then mix with the yoghurt, but it won’t have the same green colour.
6. Blend sauce until thin, smooth and bright green. Taste and season to your preference.
7. Make the garlic mayonnaise by combining 2 tbsp mayonnaise with crushed and diced garlic. I like it with a whole clove of garlic, but this might be a bit too garlicky for some. Season with lemon juice and salt.
8. Once the cauliflower is cooked, toast the pita breads in a toaster, then cut to create a pocket. Smear the mayonnaise onto the inside of the bread, then fill first with the slaw, then cauliflower. Finally drizzle over as much sauce as you like and top with green spring onions.
9. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for more vegetarian and vegan recipes, why not try my cauliflower soup, jerk lentils or crispy cauliflower tacos?

Or, if you’re looking for fancy dinner ideas, take a look at my pea and feta croquettes or honey mustard salmon.

If you liked the recipe, please do follow me on Instagram or TikTok at @what_kate_ate_blog and let me know your thoughts in the comments!