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This Cauliflower Salad is tossed with an easy Greek dressing and loads of crunchy veggies. It’s the perfect make-ahead lunch and a crowd-pleasing salad that you could serve at a party or potluck.
Roasted cauliflower has a comforting texture and neutral flavor that lends itself to a variety of recipes.
Hence the popularity of cauliflower pizza, cauliflower tacos, and cauliflower soup!
In this recipe, you’ll roast the cauliflower to give it a more pleasant taste and texture. While that’s cooking, you can chop the other veggies you’ll use and stir together an easy Greek salad dressing.
By the time the cauliflower is done, you can toss it all together for a fast & easy meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Similar to a Greek salad, this recipe is made with cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion for a fresh, crunchy texture.
You can add any other toppings you love! Olives can be a polarizing ingredient, so add them if you love them! I also like to add crumbled feta cheese to give this salad some creaminess and extra tang.
Leave off the cheese for a dairy-free option!
Tip: You can add a tablespoon or two of tahini to this salad dressing, for some dairy-free creaminess.
How to Make Cauliflower Salad
Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces, then toss it with olive oil. Spread it out on a large rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle it with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Roast until the cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes at 400ºF. Keep in mind that the cauliflower won’t be as crispy if it’s packed together on a baking sheet, so for extra-crispy cauliflower, feel free to use 2 large baking sheets for this amount of cauliflower, instead.
I don’t mind the steamed texture for this recipe, and I prefer not to wash another baking sheet later, but the choice is yours!
While the cauliflower is roasting, add the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the bottom of a large mixing bowl.
Whisk it together, and then you can chop the veggies and add them to the dressing as you go.
I like to start with the red onions, so they can sit in the dressing the longest and mellow in flavor. Next, you’ll add in the chopped tomatoes and cucumber, and stir well.
When the cauliflower is done roasting, let it cool briefly on the pan, for about 10 minutes. Then transfer it to the bowl of dressing and veggies, and toss well.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding more salt, as needed, as well as any optional toppings you love, such as sliced olives and crumbled feta cheese. You can serve this salad right away, or let it chill in the fridge before serving.
Seasoning note: When you add the olives and feta cheese, I like to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt to this recipe at the end, but if you omit either of these ingredients, you may want to use a little more than that to help punch-up the flavor.
If you ever find that your salad tastes bland, it’s probably because you haven’t used enough salt yet! But when you add other salty things, like olives and feta, you won’t need as much, so be sure to taste and adjust as you go.
Storage Tips
Cauliflower salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, so feel free to make this in advance for a party or packed lunch idea.
I don’t recommend freezing it, however, as the veggies will be mushy and watery when they thaw later.
Looking for more salad recipes? Try Quinoa Black Bean Salad or Kale Feta Salad for more ideas.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cauliflower , cut into bite-sized florets
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , divided
- salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 red onion , diced (about 1 cup)
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes , sliced in half (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces cucumber , diced (about 2 cups)
- 4 ounces feta cheese , crumbled (optional)
- 1/2 cup pitted olives , sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Arrange the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to coat the cauliflower evenly, then spread it out in an even layer and season with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Place the pan in the oven to roast until the cauliflower is fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large mixing bowl, along with the vinegar, garlic, oregano, black pepper, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.
- Add the diced veggies to the bowl as you chop them, starting with the red onion so it will have time to marinate in the dressing and mellow in flavor. Add in the cherry tomatoes and cucumber next, stirring each time so the veggies can start picking up the flavor of the dressing.
- When the cauliflower is tender, let it cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then add it to the bowl of dressing and veggies. Toss well to coat, and add in any optional toppings you love, like the olives and feta cheese. (For a dairy-free dish, simply omit the cheese.) You can serve this right away, or place it in the fridge to chill until you're ready to eat. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Cauliflower Salad, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to serve cauliflower?
This was delicious, Megan! I added about half again as much dressing, since I added a can of rinsed chickpeas. I also subbed some broccoli for the full amount of cauliflower! Your recipes are such a blessing — thanks so much! Especially loved the dressing! Well, and the feta cheese. No wait, and the red onion. And all the veg! 🙂
I thought this was diabetic recipes..