When I'm craving an easy, cozy weeknight dinner, I make this cauliflower puree. I sprinkle it with capers, roasted chickpeas & fresh rosemary.
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Updated: Nov 28, 2022
This cauliflower puree might just be my last cauliflower post of the season. I’m trying to remind myself that it’s still March and many of you have snow on the ground. Or at least slush. Which is hard for me to comprehend because it suddenly became July here this week.
But last week, when it was a little bit cooler and cauliflower was still showing up at my door, we made this fancy little meal. Cauliflower, two ways… a light velvety puree, with roasted florets and chickpeas on top.
Cauliflower Puree with Chickpeas
Give this simple, healthy cauliflower puree an elevated feel by topping it with roasted chickpeas and cauliflower florets! Vegan and gluten-free.
Author: Jeanine Donofrio
Recipe type: Main dish
Serves: 2-3, scale accordingly
Ingredients
Cauliflower Puree:
- 1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
- 3 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup vegan butter (or regular butter)
- ½ cup chickpeas, cooked & drained
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
- Squeeze of ½ to 1 whole lemon, plus some zest (to taste)
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- Milk or water to thin, or more chickpeas if necessary to thicken
Roasted chickpeas & cauliflower
- 1½ cups cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 1½ cups cooked (or canned) chickpeas, drained
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Minced garlic
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- A few pinches chopped rosemary
Plate with:
- A sprinkle of capers
- An extra drizzle of olive oil
- A few pinches of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, boil 3 cups of the cauliflower florets until tender, about 10-20 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is boiling, start roasting the rest of the cauliflower and the chickpeas. Prep 2 baking sheets with foil. Separately toss the chickpeas and cauliflower with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt & pepper. (I do this right on the baking sheet). Roast both in the oven until golden brown, about 25-35 minutes, checking halfway through.
- Make the cauliflower puree: Drain the boiled cauliflower, and transfer to a high speed blender. Add the garlic, butter, ½ cup chickpeas, rosemary, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and blend to form a smooth puree. Taste and adjust, adding more salt, pepper, and/or lemon as necessary. If yours is too thick, add some water or milk. If it's too thin, add some more chickpeas. The consistency should be thinner and lighter than hummus. (*note that I used a Vitamix. If you're using a regular blender yours might not be as smooth).
- Plate with a generous scoop of the puree and top it with the roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, a drizzle of olive oil, capers, a few small pinches of red pepper flakes, and another pinch of rosemary. And an extra squeeze of lemon if necessary.
Notes
You can make the cauliflower puree up to one day in advance. The texture might change overnight in the fridge, and you might want to blend it again just before serving.
Delicious!!
Maybe I’m the black sheep here, but blending raw garlic into the puree made it quite spicy, so much that it was unpleasant to eat. Did anyone else experience this? If I were to do it again, I would fry the garlic first before adding it to the puree. However I still like the idea of cauliflower puree with roasted chickpeas.
So so yummy – my 7-year old completely approves. I didn’t have enough chickpeas so I substituted cannellini beans in the puree and saved the roasted chickpeas as a topper. Perfect!
This morning I was searching for new ideas for cauliflower, and chanced upon your site…and this recipe. I was going to make it for dinner but couldn’t wait and I’m currently nom-nom-nomming on it now! What a yummy recipe! I wish I could post the photo of what is the prettiest dish I’ve ever made. I added in some edamame beans too. I’ll be making this regularly!
I’m so glad you liked it! Ha, so funny that you couldn’t wait until dinner :).
Just made this. Heaven! I couldn’t wait to eat it, I got my tongue burnt. Still delicious!
Your photography is always stunning and this recipe is delicious – it has become a frequent rotation in my house (Winter here in Aus atm). Dad passed on a beautiful cauliflower from his garden and there was no better use for it then this recipe! You are a star!
It’s like Xu Meng head fiercely poured cold water. Xu Union will be more deep resentment can imagine, he stared fiercely a full Feng Ting Liu Yiyi chest, eyes can not wait to dig into from the cleavage of the last helpless sigh, talk about a girlfriend so tired even point Consolation not give. Thanks to his endurance. Otherwise, early yellow.
I love cauliflower! This is beautiful, cant wait to make and taste. Lovely blog.
That sounds fantastic… I love mixing cauliflower and broccoli (like 2/3 cauliflower 1/3 broccoli). Do you think it would work with this recipe?
Your blog is amazing btw. You’re really helping my family eating veg 🙂
It must taste delicate and amazing. I can almost imagine it.
This looks so very delicious. Cauliflower and chickpeas, I’ve never thought of putting the two together. Have to try it.
Compliments on a beautiful blog!
Thanks Sharmila!
I believe I’ve eaten my weight in roasted cauliflower this winter, deeply enamored of it as is, burnished and perfect. But paired with my all-time favorite addictive snack, I wish that this dream combination had arrived far earlier than mid-March. Still, we’ve got some Winter left in Minnesota.
I think I’ve eaten my weight in cauliflower this winter too 🙂
Just made the purée for dinner tonight. It is absolutely dreamy. Can’t wait to finish it off with the chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, and some braised tempeh.
oh so glad you like it (so far!)
Lovely! I cooked an enormous batch of chickpeas this weekend and I’m slowly gathering new recipes to mix in with the old standbys. Yum!
This sounds delicious – definitely making this soon!
I love this dish! What a fantastic idea. So many wonderful flavours and textures. I have some chickpeas and some cauliflower in the house – so I think I better give this a try this weekend.
i’m all for the coming of spring and the lovely produce that she brings, but i’m sad about the ‘last cauliflower of the season’. i have mine sitting in the fridge now, it was destined for a white bean salad, but this has me reconsidering…
Hi Katie,
I know cauliflower turned out to be a favorite this winter for sure 🙂
This is so beautiful! I am definitely going to have to try this before we can’t get cauliflower here anymore.
Oh my gosh this looks heavenly. I will absolutely be making this VERY soon.
Love this! I absolutely love cauliflower and roasted chickpeas. Beautiful photos.