Meet my new favourite cauliflower salad recipe. Because of a light-weight lemony dressing and plenty of recent herbs, this easy cauliflower salad tastes surprisingly scrumptious and lasts within the fridge for days. Jump to the Herby Cauliflower Salad Recipe
My New Favourite Cauliflower Salad
Right here’s the factor. I like cauliflower, particularly if it’s roasted or when used to make this soup, however to be fully sincere, I don’t LOVE uncooked cauliflower. That was till we have been out at a restaurant and ordered a charcuterie plate. On the plate, there was quite a lot of meats and cheeses, however the factor that each Adam and I stored going again to was a uncooked, kind-of-pickled, cauliflower salad. It blew my thoughts. In order that’s how somebody who wasn’t the most important fan of uncooked cauliflower, is right here attempting to persuade you to do this uncooked cauliflower salad.
Right here’s one other favourite cauliflower recipe so that you can strive: Chimichurri Cauliflower Steaks (they’re so good!)
You may be sitting there saying there isn’t a means that is going to be nearly as good as she says, however belief me on this one. In truth, right here’s an inventory of why I feel it’s essential to make this cauliflower salad asap.
- It’s satisfying. We add chickpeas, which provides protein and makes the salad very filling.
- It’s scrumptious. A lot of recent lemon juice, lemon zest, and an nearly offensive quantity of recent herbs makes this cauliflower salads totally scrumptious.
- The cauliflower has much less chew and turns into tender. Because the cauliflower is seasoned with salt and sits in a lemony herb dressing, it softens a little bit. So whereas it’s uncooked, after a while within the dressing, it tenderizes simply sufficient to remove the uncooked chew.
- It’s an incredible make-ahead salad. The salad retains for days within the fridge. The final time we made it, it stored for a couple of week, making this good for make forward lunches and dinners.
Methods to Make Cauliflower Salad
I like how easy this salad is. Let me stroll you thru how we make it (you can too watch the video to see us make it).
Step 1, Lower or pull the cauliflower into tiny florets or as Heidi from 101 Cookbooks calls them, “tiny bushes.” By breaking the cauliflower down into tiny bushes, the salad is far more approachable and the lemony herb dressing has an opportunity to get into each nook and cranny. This does add an additional minute or two of prep time, however it’s completely value it! Another choice is to make use of a meals processor and make a chunky cauliflower rice. Check out our Herby Cauliflower Rice to see how we do it.
Step 2, Season the cauliflower with salt and pepper. You’re in all probability used to seasoning meats with salt and pepper, however do you season your salads? On this case, tossing the cauliflower with a beneficiant quantity of salt and pepper earlier than including the dressing ensures that each single chew of the salad is properly seasoned (which implies scrumptious). I additionally suppose that the salt helps to tenderize the cauliflower a little bit, too.
Step 3, Make the lemon herb salad dressing. This dressing is a less complicated model of the dressing we use for our Lemon and Herb Couscous Salad. To make it, we whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, crushed purple pepper flakes, and a few salt collectively. We use an identical dressing to make this easy Bean Salad, however swap lemon juice for purple wine vinegar.
Step 4, Toss cauliflower with chickpeas, numerous herbs, and the dressing. For the herbs, you should utilize any high-quality herbs that you’ve got entry to. My favourite herby trio is parsley, mint, and dill. I’d use all of them on this salad. Within the recipe under, we propose utilizing 1/2 cup of recent herbs, however truthfully, on the subject of recent herbs, I’m often within the camp of the extra the merrier. I don’t suppose you’ll be able to over do it — or not less than I haven’t but? For one more chickpea salad, check out our Curried Chickpea Salad Bowls.
Step 5, Add pickled onions. Pickled onions are one thing we preserve in our fridge most weeks. They’re easy to make (right here’s our recipe for Pickled Onions for you to check out). Should you don’t have them, you’ll be able to depart them out, however know that they do add a beautiful pop of candy pickled taste. I haven’t tried different pickles within the salad, however I do suppose chopped pepperoncinis can be a enjoyable and spicy spin on the cauliflower salad.
Step 6, Let the salad marinate earlier than serving. The salad tastes good right away, however in the event you depart it to take a seat and marinate for not less than half-hour, it will get even higher. In truth, I truly want this on day two! I advised you that that is the right make forward salad!
Professional tip: For a roasted cauliflower salad, roast the cauliflower florets tossed with a little bit olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then toss the nice and cozy roasted cauliflower with the salad dressing, herbs, and chickpeas. Serve scorching or chilly. For tips about roasting cauliflower, see our Simple Roasted Cauliflower.
What To Serve It With
The recipe under makes a big batch, so Adam and I’ve had the possibility to take pleasure in it alongside quite a lot of meals. For lunches, I discovered myself spooning it on prime of salad greens.
It’s additionally wonderful added to rice bowls, and even scattered onto tacos. I particularly find it irresistible with these Shredded Rooster Tacos. It could even be the right facet for Roasted Salmon, Pork Chops, and these Lemon Rooster Thighs.
Extra Simple Salad Recipes
- Critically Good Quinoa Salad is ultra-flavorful, satisfying, and filled with superfoods.
- Simple Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Dill is fast to make and you can also make it upfront.
- Fast and Simple Pasta Salad is loaded with crisp greens, recent mozzarella, and tossed with a easy do-it-yourself dressing.
- Our Avocado Salad couldn’t be less complicated to make and may be loved all by itself, as a facet, as a chunky salsa or spooned on prime of bigger salads.
- Mayo-Free Cilantro Lime Coleslaw Salad is filled with taste. We add numerous cilantro, lime, scallions, and a wholesome quantity of minced serrano (or jalapeño) pepper.
- Farro Salad with Apple and Arugula is made with cooked farro, candy apples, greens, and a vivid salad dressing.
Herby Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas
Because of a light-weight lemony dressing and plenty of recent herbs, this easy uncooked cauliflower salad recipe tastes surprisingly scrumptious and lasts within the fridge for days. The pickled onions are an elective ingredient, however they do take the salad to the following stage. Right here’s our recipe for pickled onions, so you’ll be able to see how easy they’re to make.
We break the cauliflower down into tiny florets, however another choice is to make use of a meals processor and make a chunky cauliflower rice. Check out our cauliflower rice recipe to see how we do it.
Makes about 10 cups
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Want
1 medium head cauliflower, about 1 3/4 to 2 kilos (6 to 7 cups small florets)
1/2 teaspoon high-quality sea salt, plus extra to style
1/2 teaspoon recent floor black pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/4 cup recent squeezed lemon juice, plus extra to style
1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed purple pepper flakes, elective for some warmth
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or use 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
1/2 cup high-quality recent herbs like parlsey, dill, or mint, chopped
1/2 cup pickled purple onions, chopped, elective, see our pickled onions recipe
Instructions
Lower away leaves and the core from the cauliflower. Then lower or pull the cauliflower aside into little florets and add to a big bowl. Chop longer stems into small items, after which add to the bowl with florets.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon of high-quality sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon floor black pepper, after which toss the cauliflower across the bowl till all of the florets have had an opportunity to be seasoned.
To make the dressing, whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, purple pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt collectively till creamy and emulsified.
Add the chickpeas, herbs, pickled onions, and the dressing to the cauliflower. Toss till every little thing is evenly coated. Style, after which season with extra salt, pepper or lemon juice.
The cauliflower salad does style finest when given a while to marinate. When doable, let the salad marinate, stirring infrequently, for not less than half-hour earlier than serving. The salad will preserve, lined within the fridge, as much as one week.
Adam and Joanne’s Ideas
- Within the dressing, we use each the zest and juice of 1 massive lemon. A microplane makes fast work of zesting citrus, however you can too use a vegetable peeler to peel the skinny zest (not the white pith) from the lemon, after which finely mince it earlier than including to the salad dressing.
- Pickled onions take the salad to the following stage in taste. Should you depart them out, you may discover the salad wants a little bit additional lemon. Different pickled greens like inexperienced beans or pepperoncini peppers, can be a distinct, however scrumptious addition.
- For a low carb or keto cauliflower salad, omit the chickpeas and substitute with diced ham or turkey.
- Roasted cauliflower salad choice: Roast the cauliflower tossed with a little bit olive oil, salt and pepper till tender and light-weight brown on the perimeters. Then toss with the remaining salad substances.
- Vitamin details: The vitamin details offered under are estimates. Now we have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
Should you make this recipe, snap a photograph and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We like to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Discover us: @inspiredtaste
Vitamin Per Serving: Serving Dimension 1 cup / Energy 140 / Complete Fats 7.2g / Saturated Fats 1g / Ldl cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 237.7mg / Carbohydrate 15.8g / Dietary Fiber 4.9g / Complete Sugars 2.7g / Protein 5.3g
