Roasted Cauliflower Mexican-Style Grain Bowls (Vegan)
Vibrant, full of flavour and colour, these Roasted Cauliflower Mexican-Style Grain Bowls are a delicious 30-minute dinner that is ideal for meal prep, too. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, they are a great source of fibre and protein.
I love Mexican-style recipes and this one has a few delicious components: spiced roasted veggies, pickled beets, a green tahini sauce, charred corn and tomato salsa, your favourite grains and some black beans. It all comes together to make a beautifully vibrant and nourishing bowl that is originally inspired by a recent Abel and Cole delivery of organic fruit and vegetables. I just love the range that they offer and it honestly got me so excited to cook. The focus of this recipe is to eat seasonally and with ease, so feel free to swap out veggies that you have to hand and enjoy.
Why will I love this?
This bowl is so good:
- Vibrant, flavoursome and packed with texture
- Full of veggies
- A great source of fibre
- From all of the vegetables
- With gut-health ingredients
- Pickled beets and organic yoghurt
- Focusing on wholefoods and plants
- A good source of protein
- Naturally egg-free, dairy-free and vegan
- Gluten-free and nut-free
- Made with a few delicious components
- Can be made ahead of time
- Delicious meal prep
- Great warm or cold
- Ideal for lunchboxes
- Everyone will love it
- Full of colour
- Different coloured veggies have different benefits
- Use whatever grains you have
- You can swap the vegetables
- A great seasonal meal
If you already love the sound of this recipe, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the roasted veg:
- Cauliflower: this is from Abel and Cole and is so good roasted as it absorbs lots of flavour.
- Tenderstem broccoli: I use the organic ones from Abel and Cole, but regular broccoli will also work.
- Extra virgin olive oil: the better quality adds a lovely flavour.
- Spices and herbs: smoked paprika, dried oregano and cumin.
- Salt and pepper: to season.
As for the beets:
- Chioggia beetroot: peel the beetroots and then thinly slice them.
- Apple cider vinegar: or white vinegar will work well.
- Warm water: not hot.
- Sugar: this helps to pickle the beets.
To make the green tahini:
- Tahini: the runner and smooth kind.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: I use organic Cocos coconut yoghurt – you want a thick Greek-style yoghurt that is unsweetened.
- Fresh herbs or carrot tops: like coriander or mint would really well or use fresh carrot tops.
- Lemon juice: to add zestiness and tang.
Finally for the bowls:
- Grains: I use a mix of quinoa and seeds, but rice or buckwheat will also be great.
- Tomatoes: late summer tomatoes are so good and in season.
- Corn: this is a fresh corn cob, gently fried off in a pan until charred and then chop off the corn.
- Lime: to add a lovely tang.
- Black beans: these are great with Mexican-style foods and are a great source of fibre and protein.
- Sesame seeds: for some texture on top.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This bowl is naturally gluten-free (check your grains) and this is naturally nut-free.
How do I make this?
These are ready in a steps:
- Chop the veggies and toss with the spices: and then roast for 30 minutes until tender and charring.
- Peel the beetroot and combine with the vinegar mix: and leave to one side.
- Blend together the green tahini ingredients: until smooth.
- Char the corn and chop off the cob: and toss with the tomatoes.
- Plate up the bowls with the grains, beans, salsa and veggies: and add on the tahini.
How long will it last?
These will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge in sealed containers. The pickles will keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge in a sealed container.
What other recipes can I try?
For more grains and bowls:
- Roasted Sweet Potato Butternut Grain Bowls with Red Pepper Miso Dressing
- Cashew Kale Quinoa Bowls with Crispy Tofu
- Edamame Hummus and Lemon Tofu Buckwheat Bowls
- Chickpea Smashed Cucumber Quinoa Bowls with Satay Sayce
- Mediterranean Rice Bowls with Chickpeas
Roasted Cauliflower Mexican-Style Grain Bowls (Vegan)
Vibrant, full of flavour and colour, these Roasted Cauliflower Mexican-Style Grain Bowls are a delicious 30-minute dinner that is ideal for meal prep, too. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, they are a great source of fibre and protein.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- 1 head organic cauliflower, de-stemmed
- 2 packs (250g) organic tenderstem broccoli
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
For the Pickled Beets:
- 3 organic Chioggia beetroot
- 125ml apple cider vinegar
- 125ml warm water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
For the Green Tahini:
- 4 tbsp runny smooth tahini
- 4 tbsp thick coconut yoghurt
- 3 tbsp fresh herbs e.g. parsley or coriander and/or carrot tops
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp water, as needed
For the Bowls:
- 2 organic tomatoes
- 1 organic ear of corn, charred
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped carrot tops or herbs
- 1 tin black beans, drained (240g)
- 4 portions cooked grains e.g. quinoa and/or rice
- 4 tsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 180Fan/200ºC and have 1-2 baking trays to hand.
- Chop the cauliflower into small florets (about 400g in total) and trim the ends of the broccoli. Cut larger stems in half. Add the cauliflower to the baking tray with most of the olive oil and all of the paprika, oregano and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and toss with your hands. Roast for 20 minutes and then add the broccoli with the rest of the olive oil, toss well and roast for another 10 minutes. Everything will be nicely tender and slightly charred when ready.
- Meanwhile, make the pickled beets. Wash, peel and then trim the ends of the beetroot. Slice thinly and add to a glass jar. To a separate jar, add the vinegar, warm water, sugar and salt and stir to dissolve. Pour this over the beetroots and place a lid on (make sure the water isn’t too hot) and shake. Leave like this in the fridge for 2 weeks.
- Now, for the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a small blender with salt and pepper and blend until creamy and smooth. Place in a bowl and cover. Leave in the fridge until you are ready. Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- To char the corn, remove the husk, lightly rub with olive oil and then place in a hot pan. Cook over a medium-high heat, turning over regularly to cook through and char the corn. Allow to cool slightly and then cut off the corn.
- Chop the tomatoes small and add to a bowl with the corn, herbs/carrot tops, some lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- To plate up, divide the grains between four bowls, and then top with the roasted vegetables. Add on some corn tomato salsa, the black beans and a scoop of the green dressing. Add on some pickled beets, sesame seeds and enjoy straight away.
- To eat these later, allow everything to cool down and then keep in sealed containers (plated up, if you like for lunch) in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Roasted Cauliflower Mexican-Style Grain Bowls so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these rolls, I’d love to see, so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With cauliflower love x
p.s. this recipe was first made with Abel and Cole but this blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.
Skip to Recipe