This Moroccan-inspired meat and veggie bowl combines those classic Moroccan spices and sweet and salty flavors. Cauliflower gets roasted in a bit of tomato paste until charred and caramelized, then tossed with sweet, chewy dates and fresh herbs. Ground beef gets cooked simply in a warm, cozy spice blend and served over the cauliflower. It gets topped off with a lemony yogurt, crunchy cucumber, and toasty nuts. You can eat this on its own for a lighter meal, but I love it with a side of crusty buttered bread.
Ingredient highlight
Cauliflower! Is a great source of vitamin K and vitamin C. Like all of it’s cruciferous family members, cauliflower contains compounds, called glucosinolates, that may help prevent cancer.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 6-7 cups roughly chopped cauliflower (from 1 large 2.5 lb head, chopped small)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp black pepper, divided
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped dates or dried apricots
- ½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- 1 lb ground beef*
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt**
- 1 tbsp lemon juice**
- Chopped toasted almonds or pistachios, for topping
- Lemon wedges, for topping
- *Use any ground meat or use half meat (8 oz) plus a can of beans.
- **You can skip this step and just top with yogurt and sprinkle with salt and top with extra lemon.
- Bulk it up! ~ I love eating this with a side of buttered or avocado toast. You could also serve it over a bed of grains, like rice, quinoa, etc…
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F convection (or 450F regular). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the cauliflower to the baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons oil and tomato paste. Pour over the cauliflower along with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Use your hands to toss to coat and rub the oil/tomato mixture into the cauliflower. We’ll use that same bowl to make the yogurt mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is charred. Scatter the dates onto the baking sheet and bake for 5 more minutes. Add the parsley to the baking sheet and toss to mix everything together.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the beef, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, break into chunks and let it cook, undisturbed for 2-4 minutes or until nicely browned. Continue to break into smaller chunks and cook until cooked through. Add the spices, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper, and stir for just 15 seconds to toast the spices. Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce.
- In the medium bowl, add the yogurt, lemon, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir to combine.
- Serve the beef over the cauliflower. Top with the yogurt, cucumber, nuts, and generous squeeze of lemon. Serve with bread or another starchy base, if desired.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 6-7 cups cauliflower
- Chop ¼ cup dates dried apricots
- Chop ½ cup parsley or cilantro
- Mix together spices (optional)
- Peel/chop 1 cucumber
- Make the yogurt mixture
- Toast nuts, for topping
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, replace the beef with either 2 (15 oz) cans of drained beans or about ⅔ of a block of crumbled tofu. Use at least ½ teaspoon salt and then use your judgment/taste buds to decide if it needs more (beans need a lot of salt). Cook them both the same way – toast them up/brown them in oil and salt, then add spices/soy at the end.
- To make vegan, see above + use a vegan yogurt or skip the yogurt and top with lots of lemon and some avocado.
- Use a combination of cauliflower and carrots or potatoes. Just make sure to cut the potatoes or carrots very small so they cook through in 25 minutes.
- Easily sub cucumber with another crunchy raw veggie, like radish, fennel, or celery. You could also skip it and top with some pickled red onions or other pickled crunchy things.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet until warmed through.
- Top with all the toppings.
- Add some canned beans, top with a fried egg, and or serve with cooked grains to stretch the meal.
