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Lebanese fried cauliflower appears on many Lebanese restaurant menus. This dish is easy to make at home and such a treat as a part of mezze (appetizers) or a side dish.
Cauliflower is such a beloved star in the world of vegetables, and it is a Lebanese classic when fried to a light crispiness and served with garlicky tahini sauce. My mother always reminisced about the way her mother made fried cauliflower, coated in a cinnamon spiced batter and pan-fried. My version here is also traditional, and simply fries big, meaty par-cooked florets to golden brown crispiness.
The Appeal of Fried Cauliflower
We don’t fry too often around here, so that makes it a-okay to have a fried treat like this one occasionally! And I’m such a fan of cauliflower that I’m always looking for different ways to make and eat it. When prepared correctly, the frying process transforms raw cauliflower florets into big, bite-sized pieces with a crisp crust and golden brown exterior that is hard to resist. The flavor of the cauliflower shines through, and while the Lebanese way includes tahini sauce, deep fried cauliflower is delicious with a variety of sauces and seasonings.
The Ingredients Youโll Need
The star of the dish is, of course, the head of cauliflower. I much prefer to buy the whole head and cut into florets myself rather than buying a bag of pre-cut cauliflower. Those bags hold lots of tiny pieces of cauliflower and most of the florets are small. Neither of those are good for this recipe.
When it comes to frying, having enough oil is crucial. Get a big jug of neutral oil. I like to use expeller-pressed organic canola oil. Any vegetable oil is ideal; you can also use olive oil.
For the tahini sauce, it’s a simple mix of tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and ice cold water (get more tahini sauce tips in my tahini sauce recipe post).
Cooking Methods
To prepare the cauliflower, cut out the core and cut the head into large florets, about 3 inches in size. This size is easier to handle and maintain control during the frying process.
It’s also helpful to par-cook the florets very briefly in lots of salted water. This flash-cooking with salty water imparts a lot of flavor to the cauliflower and makes the cauliflower much more tender. It also allows for shorter frying time.
If you’re looking for a great roasted cauliflower recipe, try my Cauliflower Shawarma.
Deep Frying
To achieve the ultimate crispy texture, golden color, and great flavor, deep frying is best. You can use a deep fryer or a deep pot. Frying evenly cooks the cauliflower and ensures that all sides of the cauliflower get that delicious golden brown color.
I like to use a smaller pot to fry in so I don’t need to use as much oil to get the depth of oil needed. In that case, just fry in smaller batches of 2 or 3 at a time.
Get the oil very hot, 375ยฐF, and try to keep it there by letting the oil rest for a minute to return to temperature after each batch fries. A slotted spoon can help you handle the cauliflower easily, ensuring safe immersion in the hot oil and that each piece cooks evenly and the excess oil drains away.
The cooking time to ensure you get crispy fried cauliflower florets and not overdone is approximately 2-3 minutes. Monitor the cauliflower closely; you’ll want to see a beautiful golden brown color developing, indicating that they are ready to be removed from the oil. Be sure to have a paper towel-lined plate or tray near the fry station. Paper towels soak up any excess oil after frying, keeping the final dish crispy and not greasy.
Air frying
Air frying works here! The results are a little different than frying, with more of a roasted cauliflower experience, but delicious with crispy cauliflower nonetheless! Still follow the method here for par-cooking the cauliflower. Then air fry in batches, filling the air fryer basket only partially, in a single layer, to allow some space around the florets. Preheat to 400ยฐF. In a large bowl, coat the cauliflower florets with neutral oil. Season with a pinch of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, or any seasoning that sounds good. Air fry in batches for about 10 minutes, stopping to shake the basket and turn the cauliflower as it cooks.
โMaking the sauce
A traditional Lebanese accompaniment to fried cauliflower is a creamy tahini sauce. This sauce is simple to prepare in a small bowl, combining tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and ice cold water until you achieve a smooth, thick consistency.
Serving suggestions
You may have found your new favorite way to enjoy cauliflower, as crispy fried cauliflower! You can serve it as a vegetable side dish alongside your main meal or as an appetizer or snack at your next gathering. It makes a great vegetarian alternative to chicken wings.
Use the fried cauliflower as a filling for a pita wrap, including trimmings of the tahini sauce, turnip pickles and other pickles, fresh mint, cucumbers, you name it.
Consider presenting your fried cauliflower on a baking sheet with a squeeze of lemon juice and some lemon wedges for an extra pop of color and flavor.
Remember that it can be paired with your favorite dipping sauce, many various dips beyond tahini sauce. You can also switch things up and serve the fried cauliflower with hot sauce or a rich homemade tartar sauce, or even enjoy with some freshly grated parmesan cheese for an added layer of flavor. Spicy buffalo sauce is great on these. The next generation in our family eats almost everything with creamy ranch sauce, and here is no exception!
Tzatziki or sriracha are also great here.
Storage Tips
If you happen to have any leftover fried cauliflower, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They won’t return to their fresh, just-fried state, but they will still be delicious. the best way to reheat and refresh the cauliflower is in a hot frying pan with a little olive oil over medium-high heat to help restore that crispy texture. You can also warm them up in the oven or even eat them cold.
Allow the fried cauliflower to cool down to room temperature before storing. Place the cooled cauliflower in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture, which helps prevent sogginess.
You can use the air fryer to give them a quick reheat.
Fried Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
- 1 head cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 cups neutral oil
For the tahini sauce:
- 1/2 cup tahini , (shake or stir before measuring)
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup ice cold water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or mint
Instructions
- To prepare the cauliflower, core the head by cutting at an angle around the core. Wash the cauliflower, then cut it apart into large florets, about 2-3 inches in size.
- Blanch the cauliflower: in a large pot, bring 8 cups of water and the salt to boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes, just until the florets are al dente, stirring once or twice. Drain and spread out on a paper towel to cool and dry, about 45 minutes. The florets must be completely dry before frying.
- In a medium pot, heat the oil (1ยฝ inches deep) to 375ยฐF. Add 5 florets to the hot oil, which will bubble up rapidly all around the cauliflower. Fry until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to absorb the oil. Return the oil to 375ยฐF again before adding more cauliflower, and be sure to maintain steady heat throughout the frying process. To do this, increase and decrease the burner heat as needed, and remove the pot from the heat as needed as well.
- For the tahini sauce, use a blender or a mini food processor, or a whisk by hand. Add the tahini, garlic and salt. Slowly add the cold water and the lemon juice, stopping to scrape the sides and stir as needed if using a blender or processor, until the sauce is smooth and thick, the texture of labneh or Greek yogurt. Top with chopped parsley or mint.
- Arrange the cauliflower on a platter with a small bowl of the tahini sauce on the side. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Healthier to put in Air fryer
Unnecessary calories and oil, and still wonderfully crispy
Fond memories of my sitto making fried cauliflower and vidalia onion wedges from my childhood.
I now toss the veggies in olive oil and bake in the oven @420F on a parchment lined baking tray โฆhonestly it tastes the same as the fried version and clean up is a snap! (Plus no more fried smell in the house).
Excellent John, thank you!
Find memories of my sitto making fried cauliflower and vidalia onion wedges from my childhood.
I now toss the veggies in olive oil and bake in the oven @420F on a parchment lined baking tray โฆhonestly it tastes the same as the fried version and clean up is a snap! (Plus no more fried smell in the house).
Does Tante Marie still offer the six-month cooking course?
Kelsey, Tante Marie’s closed last year, I’m sorry to say! Check out the San Francisco Cooking School though–state-of-the-art and wonderful!
Been craving cauliflower the past week (October 2013–the weather turned unexpectedly cold here in northern NM–don’t know if there is a connection between early Fall and my craving, but probably there is)–bought a beautiful white cauliflower, broke it into florets, steamed until not hard, then fried it in extra virgin olive oil–with salt and freshly ground pepper–totally totally totally enjoyed it!
Wonderful Diane! Sounds so good!
Love reading about your cauliflower experience… sharp knives…. ๐ And, it sounds so YUMMY… I want to go out & buy cauliflower & try it …. ๐
Thanks so much Allison!! The cauliflower is super delicious!! I’ve been thinking about your eggnog recipe and hope I can try it next year!!
As Rebecca said, you captured it! That exhilarating first day and all those fretting and joyful days forward.
Thank you for posting this as it brings back beautiful moments of an amazing 6 month journey at Tante Marie’s with you and the gang. I miss all the fun. Love your recipes and photos! XO
Another lovely post, as always – I love seeing these pictures of SF and your house there as well – any more?
Thanks Beth–and yes, lots more where those came from…
You exactly captured the feeling of the first day of school- one year ago! The first day of anything new is always so exciting! Here’s to many more first days!!!
And how lucky I was to sit next to YOU that first day…little did I know I what a treasure you’d be in my life.
I would have loved the experience of that cooking school; San Fransisco is the ideal city for it too. This is one of my favorites and even my kids loved it.
Thanks Joumana–it is a wonderful place indeed. If you ever have time, the school has weekend and week-long classes too.