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This delicious cauliflower salad is loaded with cooked cauliflower florets and fresh parsley, tossed in a flavorful light vinaigrette. It’s a fresh, low-calorie side dish that is so simple to make!
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This cooked cauliflower salad on a light vinaigrette is not only super healthy, but also tastes utterly delicious. Perfect if you’re craving a vegan low-carb vegetable salad or side dish with good nutrients for your body.
It’s prepared in no time and can be served all year round as a healthy vegetable side dish. Thought, I love this cauliflower salad especially on hot summer days. Such a healthy, refreshing, and delicious low-calorie and low-carb salad that is welcomed at every BBQ party!
It gets even better when it’s allowed to sit through a bit before serving – perfect to make ahead!
I like to toss this salad with some fresh chopped Italian parsley! If you like, you can make this salad with colorful cauliflower when available (chances are it’s best at the vegetable market).
Want to turn it into a fuller meal? Add some hard-boiled eggs!
Cauliflower is low in calories and carbohydrates. It also contains valuable vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Some people like raw cauliflower salad, but cooking the cauliflower makes it more tender, plus it’s better to digest.
Convinced? Then let me show you how to make this healthy cooked cauliflower salad recipe in no time.
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Cauliflower → Fresh cauliflower cut into florets. Is blanched only briefly, so that it still has a good crunch but is slightly tender.
- Parsley → Some freshly chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley gives a little more color and flavor!
- Vinaigrette: Shallot, Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar, Dijon Mustard, Maple Syrup, Salt & Pepper → These ingredients make the vinaigrette. Feel free to substitute white balsamic vinegar with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice. I like to thin the dressing with some cooking water (in which the cauliflower is cooking). The shallot (red onion works too) can also be briefly sautéed in olive oil, which makes it easier to digest.
Love Garlic? Add one minced or grated garlic clove to the vinaigrette.
Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner!
- Wash cauliflower and cut it into florets (half or quarter florets). Add them with ½ tsp salt into a small pot, top it water, and bring it to a boil. Let it cook for 5 minutes, drain over a sieve, and let it steam for 5 minutes. → Don’t forget to set 2 tbsp of the cooking water aside for the dressing.
- Meanwhile, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl.
- Add warm cauliflower to the dressing and toss to combine. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Just before serving, add chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
The cauliflower salad recipe can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge until needed. Doing this will set the flavors together a little longer but not cause the salad to wilt at all. 😉
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
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📖 Recipe
Cauliflower Salad
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Ingredients
- 20 oz (600 g) cauliflower
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ bunch (10 g) Italian parsley minced
Dressing
- 1 shallot minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp cooking water in which the cauliflower was cooked in or just water
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Wash cauliflower and cut it into florets (half or quarter florets). Add them with ½ tsp salt into a small pot, top it water, and bring it to a boil. Let it cook for 5 minutes, drain over a sieve, and let it steam for 5 minutes. → Don't forget to set 2 tbsp of the cooking water aside for the dressing.
- Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
- In a bowl, toss warm cauliflower with the dressing. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Just before serving, add chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.