Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Smoky roasted cauliflower, caramelized onions, briny olives, and sweet raisins tossed with lemon-garlic vinaigrette. Serve warm or cold with arugula and feta for a bold, textured salad.
Servings: 6 servings
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
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 625mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1311IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg
