I almost didn’t post this. Firstly, it’s so simple, I feel almost guilty calling it a “recipe”. Secondly, because my photography skills are sadly lacking, this just looks like a big mess and doesn’t do this dish justice at all. It’s really delicious, I promise! It’s a regular in my mid week meal rotation!
This dish is just veggies roasted with just a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper, then topped with a simple tahini drizzle sauce and a scattering of spices, pine nuts and coriander.
Served with a side of lebanese bread wedges or pita bread, it’s perfect as a meal, or of course as a side. This is a great way to use up the random leftover roast-able veggies you have at the end of a week.
I’ve simply used a store bought za’atar spice mix which you can buy here in Sydney in any major grocery store alongside other common spices, but I’ve also provided a couple of alternatives for making your own za’atar spice mix or other Middle Eastern spices you can use instead. I often make this with just a sprinkle of cumin and coriander powder.
If you don’t have tahini, a great alternative is to make a simple yoghurt sauce – just combine yoghurt with a squeeze of lemon, minced garlic, salt and olive oil. – Nagi xx
PS If you enjoyed this, try this Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef topped with spiced beef – it’s amazing!
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Middle Eastern Roasted Vegetables with Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 red onion , sliced thickly
- 1 carrot , cut into thick sticks
- 1 zucchini , cut into thick sticks
- 1/4 pumpkin , cut into 2"/3cm cubes
- 1 1/2 cups large cauliflower florets
- 1 beetroot , cut into 1.5"/2cm cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Tahini Sauce (see notes for alternative)
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove , minced (or 1/2 large)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- Water
Garnishes
- 2 tsp za'atar spice mix (see notes)
- 2 tbsp pine nuts , dry roasted
- 1 tbsp coriander , chopped (or parsley)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Combine Roasted Vegetable ingredients, spread on baking tray and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Combine Tahini Sauce ingredients. Mix until smooth, and use water to adjust to the consistency of honey.
- Pile roasted vegetables onto a plate. Sprinkle with za'atar, drizzle with Tahini Sauce, scatter over roasted pine nuts and coriander.
- Serve with lebanese bread wedges or pita bread.
Recipe Notes:
2. If you don't have za'atar, you can substitute with a combination of other Middle Eastern spices such as cumin, coriander, sumac.
3. You can make your own za'atar if you want, here is the recipe: 1/4c sumac, 2 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 2 tbsp marjoram, 2 tbsp oregano. This makes more than you need, but keep the leftovers - it is fantastic sprinkled on salads and especially on bread with a drizzle of olive oil and baked until warm!
4. This dish also goes perfectly with a yoghurt sauce - just mix 1/3 cup yoghurt, 1 small garlic clove minced (or 1/2 large), salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Then use water to adjust the consistency - or leave it thick if you wish.
Hi Nagi and JB, just wondering if you can use unhulled tahini for this sauce? I bought a jar as I read somewhere you can use it like peanut butter on toast, but I find it quite bitter on its own, so wondering what else I can do with it?
Delicious dressing! Perfect balance 🙂 Thanks 🙂
Made this tonight. Really delicious, so many flavours.
Didn’t have much cauliflower so added some chickpeas instead. Some came out crunchy.
Hubby liked it too, so that’s a bonus.
Best Roasted Veggies I have ever tasted! And the sauce/dressing is absolutely to die for.
Nagi, you are the Julia Child of our time!
Thank you for sharing all your flawless recipes. 💕
I crave this tahini sauce constantly 😆
I really love these vegetables. I always use whatever I have on hand. But follow everything else. Your website is so fantastic and I have recommended it heaps of times. Love that I can type in an ingredient and find recipes to suit. Thank you!!
Ah Nagi, you’ve done it again! 🤣👍
Nagi, you knocked it out of the park again!! I used your Chicken Shawarma spices to marinate some bone in, skin on thighs, then I roasted them at the same time as these vegetables.. I served everything with the toppings, together… .so, so, so good!!!
So very tasty, this is regularly on our menu! For health, cost, flavour and effort it’s outstanding 😍
Fab dish….
Roasted Butternut Squash coated in Rapeseed oil and a sprinkling of Sweet Paprika for 30 mins, added red onion halfway through. Toasted some Pumpkin Seeds and added a few leftover pieces of cooked chicken before dressing in the Tahini Sauce, topped with Coriander; delicious.
Thanks Nagi
Hi Nagi, I used this as a general guide for roasting vegetables without bothering with the sauce and it was yummy. Just letting you know though, that the measurements for imperial and metric are not even close for matching up for the chopped pumpkin and beetroot
It may be a “simple” recipe, but the flavours were amazing! I made a recipe with tahini once before, and I wasn’t a big fan of it so I was a little nervous cooking this one. But I still had some left over tahini so I decided to give it another go, knowing how amazing your recipes always are. I’m so glad I did! Hubby and I both had second serves of veggies. Another keeper, thank you Nagi!
Sorry, forgot to give it 5 stars!
Thanks Nagi for this recipe. I used it to do my roast vegetables which served as a side to a slow cooked leg of lamb I did for my wife’s birthday! (recipe of that also taken from you…)
I left out onion and cauliflower and added red pepper instead.
I did not use the tahini sauce or the garnishes, instead topped the veggies with bits of goat cheese.
It came out amazing!
Sounds like you nailed it!! N x
🙏
Turned out great! Even my hubby, a veggie hater, had double helpings. He loved the amount of flavour everything had. Thanks Nagi! 🙂
That’s great to hear!!!
Very good.. Easy. Cooked faster than expected. Blended yogurt Tamari and “Mike’s Hot Honey” and some cardamon to create a really tasty hot/sweet yogurt drizzle for this dish. Used Eggplant, squash, carrot, red onion, red bell pepper and zucchini.
Sounds great Kira!
Absolutely gorgeous, and so simple. I’m so glad you decided to post it, thank you 🙏
I LOVE HEARING THAT!! *Sorry for shouting* 😂
I tried this recipe and it turned out very good. Thanks so much!
Hi Sharda! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to come bak and let me know! N xx
Than you for the recipes. Could someone tell me if when I open the tahini tin, do I drain off the oil? Thank you i
Hi Ela! I mix it in 🙂 If yours is really hard, pop it in the microwave in 10 second bursts (remove metal lid, make sure there is no metal silver on label) and that makes it super easy to mix it in.
One of my faves!
I didn’t realise you were from Sydney too?! 🙂
Yes!! Where are you??? I’m up in the Northern Beaches!!
Oh that’s awesome. I’m just over in the Inner West 🙂
Yum! This was so good! I added some baby spinach and freekah, and just used whatever veggies I had in the fridge, and it was perfect. A delicious veggie dish perfect for the cooler weather. I’ve shared on my page and a few others I’m a member of, that’s how yummy I thought it was. Thank you!
http://www.facebook.com/MumLovesFood
Oooh! So glad you enjoyed this Lou, it’s been AGES since I made it, thanks for the reminder! 🙂 N x