If you want a change to your run-of-the-mill side dishes, look no further than this recipe for Braised Greek Cauliflower. Cauliflower and potatoes simmer in olive oil with a bunch of warm, aromatic spices and tomato paste to make a vegetable dish you seldom see stateside.

Cauliflower cultivation started in Asia Minor and spread throughout the Mediterranean region, so it’s easy to see how the Greeks picked up the vegetable and started using it in their cuisine. Kounoupidi Kapama or Greek Braised Cauliflower is a classic dish with a load of variety, but the base is almost always the same. A bunch of cauliflower gets simmered in olive oil, tomato paste, and spices until soft and tender. Some recipes add an aromatic base of onions and garlic, while others add things like olives. This version is a no-frills classic that can be added to or enjoyed as is.

After prepping the cauliflower and potato, add the vegetables into a pot that is full of warm olive oil. Next add the allspice berries, cinnamon stick, and cloves

For this recipe, whole spices rather than ground spices are preferred, as they impart a stronger flavor without comprising the braising liquid with loads of gritty powder. Add the tomato paste and give everything a good stir.

Bring everything to a boil and reduce to a simmer, covering, and cooking until the cauliflower and potato pieces are fork tender. Remove the spices before serving.

Flavor of this Greek Braised Cauliflower goes beyond your average cauliflower dish. The florets absorb the tomato, olive oil, and spices to create a dish that’s savory and wonderfully fragrant. The spices are prominent but not overpowering and are offset by the earthy ingredients like olive oil and tomato paste.

This recipe injects tons of flavor into the vegetables for a dish that’s refreshingly different and additively crave-able. It’s stewed without being heavy and has just enough of Greek’s style of spices to make you feel like you’re off the Mediterranean Sea in the shade of olive trees.