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braised cauliflower with olives, cinnamon & turmeric
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Braised Cauliflower with Olives, Cinnamon & Turmeric

This Braised Cauliflower with Olives, Cinnamon & Turmeric is classic Greek ladera-style cooking: vegetables gently braised in olive oil and tomatoes until tender and deeply flavored. Featured in My Greek Table Season 5: Flavors of Longevity and inspired by the episode “Delicious Abstention” (fasting), this is exactly the kind of plant-based Mediterranean diet dish that feels both comforting and restorative.Cauliflower drinks in the warm spice of cinnamon and turmeric, brightened with orange zest and balanced by briny Greek olives and sun-dried tomatoes. It’s naturally vegan, fasting-friendly, and built around the longevity staples I return to again and again: olive oil, vegetables, aromatics, and slow, patient simmering.

Course main
Cuisine Greek, vegan
Keyword Delicious Abstention, easy healthy pasta, Mediterranean diet pasta, fasting food, Greek cauliflower stew, ladera, longevity diet, My Greek Table Season 5 Flavors of Longevity, olive oil braised vegetables, plant-based Greek recipe, vegan Greek recipes
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 30 minutes
TIME 45 minutes
SERVES 4

Ingredients

  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 medium cauliflower about 1½ to 2 pounds 680–900 g, stem trimmed and chopped and head cut into florets
  • 1½ cups chopped plum tomatoes with juices
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 1- inch piece orange zest preferably from an organic orange
  • Greek sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 16 pitted Greek green olives
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a cup of warm water to soak for about 15 minutes, or until softened. Remove, coarsely chop, reserve the soaking water, and set aside.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large wide pot over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until wilted, about 8 minutes, stirring. Stir in the turmeric.
  3. Add the cauliflower pieces, toss to coat in the oil, and add the plum tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the red wine, bring to a simmer, and add the bay leaves, cinnamon, and orange zest. Add the sun-dried tomatoes.
  4. Taste the soaking liquid and if it isn't too salty, add that to the pot as well. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  5. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender but still al dente. Add the olives and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove and serve, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley and a little extra olive oil if desired, for garnish.

Notes

If you like this recipe, you will love these three dishes, too:

 

Nutrition & Tips

  • Fasting/Longevity angle: This is a perfect Delicious Abstention dish—plant-based, olive-oil rich, and vegetable-forward in the true Flavors of Longevity spirit.
  • Turmeric tip: Blooming turmeric briefly in the oil deepens its flavor and color.
  • Make-ahead: Like most ladera dishes, this tastes even better after resting (and it’s excellent at room temperature).
  • Serving idea: Add a whole grain on the side (brown rice, barley, or crusty bread) to make it a complete fasting-friendly meal.