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    Home » Recipes

    November 14, 2018

    Lebanese Cauliflower Bites ~ Arnabeet

    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer

    Tangy baked cauliflower with tangy lemon and tahini sauce.

     

    There are days I can't remember where I put my keys or what I ate for breakfast. Is it the 3 kids that made me lose my memory or just getting older? I'm not sure but I do know that there are some memories that are hard to forget. Like Sunday meals with the family growing up. Sundays were one of the only days my dad didn't open the shop. It was also the day where we had a big meal, often chicken and toum, grape leaves and side dishes of hummus and baba ganoush. Not too long ago, I remembered a dish my mom used to make, fried cauliflower. Fried bites of cauliflower with tangy, delicious tarator sauce. But let's be honest, I don't like frying much. So I thought recreating this well loved recipe by roasting the cauliflower, resulting in a delicious side dish or appetizer perfect for Sunday supper or an appetizer or side dish at your holiday gathering. 

     

    Baked not Fried

    Arnabeet Mekleh (translated to fried cauliflower) is a common Lebanese snack. Cauliflower florets dredged and fried into morsels of goodness, drizzled with the classic tarator sauce (tahini garlic sauce). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE these bites, they are everything you dream of. But I do NOT like frying, especially savory foods. I'll fry a donut any day of the week, but savory foods tend to evoke more of a smell when frying. And let's be honest, anything baked is 10x healthier for you. Do you prefer baked foods versus fried? Truth be told, my kids aren't cauliflower fans, until they tried these delicious bites. Roasted to perfection with a healthy coating of toum to really caramelize and glaze the bites, tangy lemon squeezed on top and garlicky tarator to dip. These simple ingredients truly transform the simple, humble cauliflower to the perfect snack. 

    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer

    A squeeze of lemon on the hot charred cauliflower.

     

    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer

    Classic taratore sauce (tahini, garlic and lemon) take these from ordinary to extraordinary.

     

    Health Benefits

    Cauliflower has been the CRAZE lately, cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza (which I beg to disagree on). Truth is, cauliflower is a superfood that we all should be eating more of. It's an excellent source of fiber, high in Vitamin C and an anti-inflammatory. I always appreciate new ways of enjoying vegetables, with this dish being both vegan and gluten free, it's a winner for anyone looking for a delicious, nutritious dish. 

    As always, I hope you enjoy this dish and love seeing your creations. Tag me on Instagram @CosettesKitchen or post on my Facebook Page.

    xoxo,
    Cosette

    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer

    Enjoy as an appetizer or side dish for any meal.

     

    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer

    Lebanese Cauliflower Bites, Pin for later.

     

     

    Print Recipe
    Lebanese Cauliflower Bites ~ Arnabeet
    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword fall, lebanese
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    Baked Cauliflower
    • 1 head cauliflower
    • 1 tablespoon toum *can sub 1 tablespoon olive oil + 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder, using toum will result in better flavor)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • lemon wedges
    Tarator (tahini sauce)
    • 1-2 large garlic cloves
    • ⅓ cup tahini
    • ¼ cup water
    • ½ cup lemon juice
    • salt to taste
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword fall, lebanese
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    Baked Cauliflower
    • 1 head cauliflower
    • 1 tablespoon toum *can sub 1 tablespoon olive oil + 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder, using toum will result in better flavor)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • lemon wedges
    Tarator (tahini sauce)
    • 1-2 large garlic cloves
    • ⅓ cup tahini
    • ¼ cup water
    • ½ cup lemon juice
    • salt to taste
    cauliflower, tahini, lebanese, appetizer
    Instructions
    Baked Cauliflower
    1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
    2. Prepare cauliflower by cutting into florets.
    3. Spread florets on baking sheet and coat with toum and salt, be sure each floret is coated.
    4. Bake for 20-25 minutes tossing halfway to ensure all pieces are browning evenly.
    5. Once browned and caramelized, remove from oven and squeeze liberally with lemon.
    6. Plate and enjoy with taratore sauce.
    Tarator Sauce
    1. With mortar and pestle smash garlic, add your tahini, water, lemon and salt. Adjust lemon and salt to your liking. Add additional water or lemon juice to thin if too thick.
    Share this Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cheryl Merrill says

      November 15, 2018 at 11:11 pm

      What is toum, please?

      Reply
      • Cosette's Kitchen says

        November 16, 2018 at 6:55 am

        Hi Cheryl,
        Toum is a Lebanese emulsified garlic sauce. You can find the recipe linked in this text of this recipe or right on the webpage:
        https://cosetteskitchen.com/recipe/toum

        Hope that helps! Message me with any questions you have.
        Cosette

        Reply
    2. Julie M says

      January 16, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      This was a hit! My daughter and husband are not fans of cauliflower but I thought I’d give this recipe a shot anyway, since it’s been the only way I’ve gotten my daughter to eat veggies. They loved it! This is definitely something that needs to be eaten right away, as they’ll get soggy if waiting to long to eat, but they were delicious! I might just have to get two heads of cauliflower next time, since I couldn’t stop picking on them before dinner 😆
      This one too gets a 5 star from me!
      ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

      Reply
      • Cosette's Kitchen says

        January 16, 2020 at 3:47 pm

        Hahaha! Yes, same here but somehow these make me enjoy cauliflower and for sure eating them right away is best. Sometimes you can crisp back up in the oven if you need to reheat.

        Xoxo,
        Cosette

        Reply
    3. Corey King says

      July 01, 2020 at 10:44 am

      Hello,
      Could this recipe be cooked in a Phillips air fryer?
      Or would it be better to just fry them 🙂 my oven cannot reach past 220 degrees.

      Reply
      • Cosette's Kitchen says

        July 01, 2020 at 4:10 pm

        I think that would be WONDERFUL!♥️

        XOXO,
        Cosette

        Reply
    4. Sharon Splett says

      July 03, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      I made this Arnabeet for a party, even subbing the oil and garlic powder for the Toum, and they said it was "Excellent!" This time I made the Toum from scratch and I am amazed at the flavor of the condiment! Can't wait to make the Arnabeet with it! Your recipes are clear and the dishes turn out perfect! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Cosette's Kitchen says

        July 03, 2021 at 6:10 pm

        Hi Sharon,

        Thank you so much for leaving such a kind review. I'm so glad you and your guests enjoyed the cauliflower. Such a simple, healthy and flavorful dish. And YES to toum! It's perfect for so many dishes! Have a wonderful weekend.

        xoxo,
        Cosette

        Reply
    5. Safa says

      December 10, 2022 at 8:08 pm

      The tarator sauce, when made to the exact measurements listed, is extremely runny -- nothing like what I've had before and nothing like the pictures show. Twice as much liquid as tahini definitely does not work (and yes, my tahini was the correct consistency). So disappointed as we had to just throw it out.

      Reply
      • Cosette's Kitchen says

        December 10, 2022 at 8:13 pm

        I'm so sorry you had issues with the tarator sauce, the consistency should be quite loose, not thick at all. I feel bad that you threw it away, you could always add a touch more tahini to adjust if you felt it was a bit too thin for your liking. Hope you do try it again with adjustments to suit your needs.

        Cosette

        Reply

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