Healthy Recipes Ingredients Healthy Vegetable Recipes Healthy Cauliflower Recipes Spiced Cauliflower & Whipped Ricotta Pitas 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews Spiced cauliflower bites sit atop a bright and nutty walnut spread layered with creamy whipped ricotta in this delicious open-face sandwich. The cauliflower bites are seasoned with shawarma seasoning, a complex Middle Eastern spice blend that can include cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and more. These cauliflower bites blend seamlessly with the flavors of both spreads on pita bread, but you can make the cauliflower bites separately and serve them as a side dish or appetizer. By Craig Ruff Craig Ruff Craig Ruff was first exposed to professional food service while working for an event center at the business school he was attending. There, he was responsible for maintaining the kitchen for caterers. He has been a lifelong cook, and followed his passion through culinary school and to working in restaurants. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 5, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Tested by Melissa Gray Tested by Melissa Gray A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Melissa Gray trained in traditional French-style cooking, restaurant and front-of-house management. Since transitioning to recipe development and food styling in 2015, Melissa has developed over 1,500 original recipes and styled in over 300 photo shoots. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Fiber Vegetarian High-Protein Egg-Free Gut Healthy Mediterranean Diet Jump to recipe These Spiced Cauliflower & Whipped Ricotta Pitas have layer upon layer of flavors and textures! The shawarma seasoning blend envelops the cauliflower with deep warm tones. The muhammara—roasted red pepper spread—provides a spicy, smoky kick infused with a hint of sweetness from the pomegranate molasses. Then comes a hit of herby, peppery freshness from the arugula, herbs and lemon zest, along with a medley of textures from the creamy whipped ricotta and toasty whole-wheat pita. Loaded with fiber and antioxidants, this sandwich fills you up while still feeling light. Keep reading for expert tips, like how to roast your cauliflower to a perfect golden brown. Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! To save time, you can purchase muhammara (like Haig's brand) online, or you might be able to find it at Whole Foods.If you want a no-salt-added shawarma seasoning, you can easily find it online; otherwise, you’ll likely find salt-added varieties at most grocery stores. Leave plenty of space between the cauliflower florets on a large sheet pan for maximum browning.You can use baby arugula or any greens you have on hand, like spinach or baby kale. Nutrition Notes As a cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower is low in carbs and offers several nutrients, including fiber, plant protein, choline, potassium and vitamin K. Cauliflower is especially rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that can help protect your heart and reduce cancer risk. Whipped ricotta is mild in flavor but high in protein and calcium. It’s a lower-sodium cheese and can be enjoyed even if you’re watching your sodium intake. Ricotta does contain lactose, so if you’re lactose-intolerant, look for a lactose-free brand of ricotta—it’s difficult to find, but it does exist! If you can’t find lactose-free ricotta, you could replace it with lactose-free cottage cheese. Muhammara is a delicious blend of heart-healthy walnuts, olive oil and garlic, antioxidant-rich red bell peppers, Aleppo pepper and lemon juice. Whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs add a little bit of fiber. Pomegranate molasses is essentially super-concentrated pomegranate juice—and pomegranate juice is loaded with antioxidants and may even help manage blood sugar. With that said, pomegranate molasses typically has added sugar, so you don’t want to drink it like you would 100% pomegranate juice. Besides acting as a base for this sandwich, the whole-wheat pita provides fiber and complex carbs for steady energy. And while you could use a pita made with white flour, you’ll miss out on the fiber and antioxidants you get from the whole-wheat pita. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 large head cauliflower, broken into bite-size florets 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons shawarma seasoning blend (such as Rumi) ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt ½ cup unsalted walnuts, toasted 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry ½ cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 5 teaspoons lemon juice, divided 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses 3 cloves garlic, grated and divided ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese ¾ cup packed tender herbs (such as dill, mint and parsley), divided 1½ cups loosely packed baby arugula (about 1½ oz.) 4 (5½-inch) rounds whole-wheat pita Directions Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss cauliflower, 3 tablespoons oil, shawarma seasoning and salt together on a large rimmed baking sheet; spread into an even layer. Roast, stirring once, until tender, about 20 minutes. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Meanwhile, process walnuts in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add roasted red peppers, panko, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, ¼ teaspoon garlic and Aleppo pepper; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Clean and dry the food processor bowl. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Place ricotta, ¼ cup herbs, 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and the remaining ½ teaspoon garlic in the food processor. Process until light and airy, 1 minute, 30 seconds to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Transfer to a small bowl. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Add arugula and the remaining ½ cup herbs; toss to combine. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Lay pita rounds flat on a work surface; spread with red pepper mixture (about 5 tablespoons each). Spread ricotta mixture on top of the red pepper mixture (about ¼ cup each). Place ½ cup arugula mixture on top of each pita and top each with 1 cup of the roasted cauliflower. Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Nutrition Information Serving Size: 1 topped pitaCalories 714, Fat 46g, Saturated Fat 10g, Cholesterol 32mg, Carbohydrates 58g, Total sugars 9g, Added sugars 5g, Protein 21g, Fiber 11g, Sodium 773mg, Potassium 1,052mg Frequently Asked Questions Why are my cauliflower bites soggy? If you cram too many florets onto one roasting pan or add too much oil, the cauliflower will start steaming and the veggies will be covered in moisture, which will cause them to lose their firm texture. What should I pair with spiced cauliflower? It’s an excellent side dish to any main course, including beef, chicken or pork. If you decide you don’t want to make it into a sandwich, you can use this recipe as an appetizer, pairing it with slices of naan or pita bread. You can serve it as a topping for rice, couscous or quinoa. Can I make cauliflower bites ahead of time? You can make the spiced cauliflower and double or triple it (Step 1). You can prep the red pepper dip (Step 2) up to 3 days ahead, and you can prep the whipped ricotta (Step 3) up to 3 days ahead. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When ready to serve, that’s when you should pick up with Steps 4 and 5, preparing the greens and assembling the sandwiches. EatingWell.com, August 2024 Rate It Print Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a freelance writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications, such as Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, and has edited cookbooks for Dovetail Press and The Taste Curators. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines