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This roasted cauliflower salad hits all the right notes. Crispy, tangy, briny, and a little sweet. It turns a basic vegetable into a bold, textured salad that actually eats like a meal.
Serve the salad warm or cold. It’s sturdy enough for meal prep and bold enough to stand as a vegetarian main or crowd-pleasing side for a potluck.
Why This Salad Deserves a Spot on Your Table
The roasted factor: High heat gives the cauliflower and onion real caramelized flavor and crispy bits, none of that steamed mush.
Texture party: Chewy raisins, crunchy nuts, crumbly feta, tender arugula. There’s a reason this doesn’t feel like rabbit food.
Bold vinaigrette: The lemon, garlic, and mustard dressing cuts through the richness and ties everything together.
Meal-prep smart: The roasted veg mix stays great for days. Just wait to toss in the arugula until serving to keep it fresh.
Love cauliflower? Don’t miss our whole roasted cauliflower. It’s big, bold, and built for the spotlight.
Recipe Tips
Cut the veggies evenly: Aim for similar-sized cauliflower florets so they roast at the same rate.
Don’t skimp on the oil: It helps the cauliflower crisp up and carry flavor.
Use parchment for less mess: It makes cleanup fast and easy.
Plump those raisins: Soaking them in lemon juice makes them extra juicy and adds a subtle zing.
Toss warm: Mix the roasted veggies with the vinaigrette while it’s still warm to help soak up all that flavor.
Dress arugula separately: A light toss in vinaigrette keeps seasons the salad greens and adds a pop of freshness.
Want another make-ahead salad that actually satisfies? This white bean salad is loaded with herbs, lemon, and texture. And my cranberry broccoli salad is always a favorite.
Serve It Warm or Straight from the Fridge
This roasted cauliflower salad pulls its weight. It’s hearty without being heavy, bright without being sharp, and every bite hits different. Serve it up warm cold.
For more bold, briny salads, try my fennel and olive salad. It’s crisp, punchy, and just as easy to throw together.
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Roasted Cauliflower Salad
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Ingredients
Roasted veggies:
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (or 2 small heads)
- 1 red onion, sliced into thick wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
Salad fixings:
- ½ cup raisins, or chopped dried apricots
- 1 to 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- ⅓ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped (or use walnuts or almonds)
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 4 to 5 ounces arugula
Lemon-garlic vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Roast the cauliflower and onion: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the cauliflower and red onion with olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp on the edges.
- Plump the raisins (optional but worth it): While the veggies roast, soak the raisins in warm water and a splash of lemon juice for 10 minutes, then drain. This softens them and makes them extra juicy.
- Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the warm roasted cauliflower and onion with the olives, raisins, parsley, and nuts. Toss with about half to three-quarters of the vinaigrette, just enough to coat everything well while it’s still warm so the flavors absorb. (This mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated.)
- When ready to serve, toss the arugula with a splash of vinaigrette to lightly coat it. Then fold it into the cauliflower salad and top with crumbled feta. Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Toss the roasted cauliflower with vinaigrette while warm. It soaks up flavor best that way.
- If prepping ahead, wait to add arugula until just before serving.
- Soak raisins in warm water or lemon juice for extra plumpness.
- Swap pistachios for walnuts or almonds if that’s what you’ve got.
- Serve warm or cold.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the arugula separate if possible.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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