Golden Cauliflower & Zucchini Traybake
October 27, 2025
Delicious golden traybake with crispy cauliflower, buttery soft zucchini, and a fresh herby yogurt dressing.
This cauliflower traybake is an easy dinner recipe, with less than 20 min to prepare, leaving the oven to do the rest. Beautifully golden with tumeric and cumin, the cauliflower turns slightly crisp while the zucchini stays buttery soft. The barley is then added to soak up all the delicious spices, with a fresh herby yogurt dressing tying it all together.
Ingredients
Traybake
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 small zucchini (courgettes), cut into thick wedges slightly at an angle
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
Pearl Barley Base
- 200 g (1 cup) uncooked pearl barley
- 720 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock (2 big tsp of bouillon powder or 1½ vegetable stock cubes) or water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Herbed Yogurt
- 120 g (½ cup) Greek yogurt
- 1 handful fresh parsley, cut finely
- 1 handful fresh mint, cut finely
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- A pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings
- Pumpkin seeds
Instructions
1. Cook the pearl barley
- Simmer barley in stock or water for 25-30 minutes, until tender but chewy. Add salt if not using stock.
- Drain well, stir in olive oil.
2. Roast the vegetables
- While the barley is simmering, preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (fan 200°C).
- Toss cauliflower, zucchini, and onion with olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a large baking tray and roast for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden and slightly crisp at the edges.
3. Add barley
- Scatter barley across the tray.
- Roast another 10 minutes.
4. Make yogurt dressing
- Combine Greek yogurt, parsley, mint, lemon, olive oil and salt and pepper.
5. Assemble
- Spoon barley and roasted vegetables onto a plate.
- Drizzle generously with the herbed yogurt and sprinkle a couple of pumpkin seeds on top (roasted and raw) if using.
Serving Suggestions
- •Perfect as a complete meal on its own.
- •Pair with a simple green salad.
- •Serve with warm flatbread or pita.
- •Add grilled haloumi or crumbled feta.
- •Serve with a side of hummus to dip in.
Storage & Meal Prep
- •Fridge: Keeps well for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- •Reheat: Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- •Yogurt dressing: Store separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Variations & Substitutions
- •Grains: Swap pearl barley for quinoa.
- •Vegetables: Replace zucchini with sweet potato, pumpkin, or bell peppers.
- •Dressing: Use a lemon-tahini drizzle if you want to make it dairy free.
- •Herbs: Basil or coriander also works great in dressing.
Enjoy!
This cauliflower traybake is an easy dinner recipe, with less than 20 min to prepare, leaving the oven to do the rest. Beautifully golden with tumeric and cumin, the cauliflower turns slightly crisp while the zucchini stays buttery soft. The barley is then added to soak up all the delicious spices, with a fresh herby yogurt dressing tying it all together.
Ingredients
Traybake
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 small zucchini (courgettes), cut into thick wedges slightly at an angle
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
Pearl Barley Base
- 200 g (1 cup) uncooked pearl barley
- 720 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock (2 big tsp of bouillon powder or 1½ vegetable stock cubes) or water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Herbed Yogurt
- 120 g (½ cup) Greek yogurt
- 1 handful fresh parsley, cut finely
- 1 handful fresh mint, cut finely
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- A pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings
- Pumpkin seeds
Instructions
1. Cook the pearl barley
- Simmer barley in stock or water for 25-30 minutes, until tender but chewy. Add salt if not using stock.
- Drain well, stir in olive oil.
2. Roast the vegetables
- While the barley is simmering, preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (fan 200°C).
- Toss cauliflower, zucchini, and onion with olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a large baking tray and roast for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden and slightly crisp at the edges.
3. Add barley
- Scatter barley across the tray.
- Roast another 10 minutes.
4. Make yogurt dressing
- Combine Greek yogurt, parsley, mint, lemon, olive oil and salt and pepper.
5. Assemble
- Spoon barley and roasted vegetables onto a plate.
- Drizzle generously with the herbed yogurt and sprinkle a couple of pumpkin seeds on top (roasted and raw) if using.
Serving Suggestions
- •Perfect as a complete meal on its own.
- •Pair with a simple green salad.
- •Serve with warm flatbread or pita.
- •Add grilled haloumi or crumbled feta.
- •Serve with a side of hummus to dip in.
Storage & Meal Prep
- •Fridge: Keeps well for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- •Reheat: Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- •Yogurt dressing: Store separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Variations & Substitutions
- •Grains: Swap pearl barley for quinoa.
- •Vegetables: Replace zucchini with sweet potato, pumpkin, or bell peppers.
- •Dressing: Use a lemon-tahini drizzle if you want to make it dairy free.
- •Herbs: Basil or coriander also works great in dressing.
Enjoy!
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