Step by step

Method

4 steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss 1 large head cauliflower (florets) with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Spread on a sheet pan in a single layer.

2. 2

   Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the edges are deeply browned and the stems are tender when pierced. Pale cauliflower means it needed more time or a hotter, less crowded pan.

3. 3

   Whisk ¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water until pourable — add another splash of water if it's too thick to drizzle.

4. 4

   Pile the cauliflower on a platter, drizzle with the tahini sauce, and finish with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds if using. You want deeply browned cumin-paprika cauliflower with a creamy lemon-tahini drizzle — not steamed pale florets or a pasty unthinned tahini blob.