A rustic bowl of roasted Moroccan cauliflower topped with orange segments, capers, toasted almonds, red onion slices, and a creamy yoghurt dressing. A jar of dressing and vintage silver forks sit alongside on a dark wooden table.

Cauliflower doesn’t always get the love it deserves—but this Roasted Moroccan Cauliflower with Capers and Almonds might just change a few minds. It’s all about contrast: smoky charred edges, bold Moroccan spices, briny bursts of capers, and the crunch of toasted almonds. No soggy veg here—just big texture and even bigger flavour. Serve it as a show-stopping side, a hearty salad, or a veggie-packed main that holds its own next to any meat dish. Boring cauliflower? Not on this tray.

Thanks to Cherie Metcalfe for sharing this recipe from her cookbook, Keepers, published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $45, photography by Melanie Jenkins.

A rustic bowl of roasted Moroccan cauliflower topped with orange segments, capers, toasted almonds, red onion slices, and a creamy yoghurt dressing. A jar of dressing and vintage silver forks sit alongside on a dark wooden table.

Roasted Moroccan Cauliflower with Capers and Almonds

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Side Dishes
Servings 6

Ingredients
 

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 3 tablespoons Moroccan spice paste see below
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 50 g sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • ½ red onion thinly sliced
  • mint leaves

Orange Yoghurt Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons plain unsweetened yoghurt
  • 20 g mint leaves
  • 1 orange
  • salt to season

Moroccan Spice Paste

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

Instructions
 

  • Remove the leaves and bottom of the stalk of the cauli, then slice into 2cm- thick steaks. Mix the spice paste, salt and oil together, then liberally coat the cauliflower.
  • Preheat a grill pan or barbecue, then grill the cauliflower until nicely charred on the outside and starting to get tender in the middle. Don’t worry if it breaks up, it’s just easier to grill as steaks rather than florets. Let the cauli cool, then chop or break up the steaks into chunky florets.
  • Toast the almonds by either quickly heating a skillet and browning, or popping on a tray and into a preheated 180°C oven for 10 minutes.
  • For the orange yoghurt dressing, mix the yoghurt, mint and the zest of the orange in a bowl. Then peel the orange and cut out the fine segments, leaving all the white pith behind. Pop the segments aside to garnish the dish, and squeeze the juice that’s left on the white ‘skeleton’ into the yoghurt. Season to taste with a little more salt.
  • Layer the cauli on a serving platter with the capers, onion, some of the almonds and orange segments, drizzling the dressing over each layer. Garnish the top with mint leaves, more orange segments and almonds, and serve any extra dressing on the side.

Notes

Cover of Keepers by Cherie Metcalfe
Recipe extracted from Keepers by Cherie Metcalfe, published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $45, photography by Melanie Jenkins.
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