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.
Why You’ll Love It
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
What’s in Cauliflower Salad?
- Cauliflower
- Red onion
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Spices
From there, you can add in any optional toppings you love. I realize that olives can be a polarizing ingredient, so add them if you love them, and I also love to add a sprinkling of 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 the Best Cauliflower Salad
1. Roast the Cauliflower. 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!
2. Make the dressing. 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.
3. Toss it all together! When the cauliflower is done roasting, let it cool briefly on the pan, 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 didn’t use 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.
Expert Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use raw cauliflower in salad? If you prefer to make a raw cauliflower salad, I would recommend making cauliflower rice in a food processor or blender, so the pieces will be very small and easy to chew. This texture will allow the cauliflower to be more easily coated in dressing, and will give the salad a more pleasant mouthfeel.
Can I use a different vinegar? Of course! Apple cider vinegar will give you somewhat similar results, and if you prefer to use lemon juice, you could use 3 to 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to replace the vinegar.
Can I omit the oil? The oil helps the dressing “stick” to the veggies, but you could swap it for a couple tablespoons of tahini or almond butter, instead. Be sure to use a nut or seed butter that has no added oil, if you’re trying to achieve an oil-free recipe. You can dry-roast the cauliflower to keep it oil-free, or simply steam it on the stove top instead.
How to make it more filling? You can add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to this recipe, for extra protein and fiber in each bite! Or, feel free to top it with your favorite cooked protein, like chicken, fish, or baked tofu.
I hope you’ll enjoy this cauliflower salad as much as I do!
Greek Cauliflower Salad
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?
Wow, this truly looks fantastic!
This looks great! I made something similar last night (inspired by your last what I ate wednesday post). It turned out great. Thanks for sharing!
I love cauliflower so much, but have never been a pasta eater. I do love all of the lovely sauces and toppings that tend to go with pasta though, and this looks like the perfect way to get my fix. Thanks for the recipe!
Mmmmmm….my daughter will LOVE this (crazy about cauliflower). THANK YOU! Question – cauliflower gives my husband and me horrible tummy aches – is there a way to alleviate this? Thank you Megan – we LOVE your website 🙂
Just made this and bringing some for lunch tomorrow. Looks delish! I bought a pack of organic mixed color cauliflower…so vibrant!
I have just discovered Spaghetti Squash as a pasta sub…my kids even enjoy it. I am for sure going to try this recipe this weekend–looks yummy!
I recently tried hearts of palm cut up to pasta size noodle shape and cooked about 5 min in boiling water as a pasta sub & it is amazing. Has texture similar to real pasta & neutral taste once it’s boiled. Maria of mariahealth.blogspot has some good info and recipes including mac & cheese using hearts of palm. Will have to try your Greek pasta salad with this sub. It sounds delicicios!!
Looks totally delish nice way to use cauliflower instead of the pasta. I noticed you said goats milk feta, I thought all feta was goats milk.
I used to think that too! If you look at the ingredients though, it will specify whether the milk used is from cow or goat. I personally can’t digest cows milk very well but goats milk is naturally much lower in lactase so some people find it easier to digest. The term “feta” refers to the flavour and texture of the cheese. If it doesn’t bother you don’t worry about it but if you prefer goat feta, read the ingredient list before you buy. Hope that helps!
I didn’t have fresh herbs so I substituted dry and this was still fantastic. Thanks for another great recipe!!!!
Looks so delicious! What blood type are you? (If you dont mind me asking!)
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for sharing.
can u tell me how many cups of cauliflower that is? thanks.
This looks wonderful! Also, I was just wondering if the bestowed box giveaway was still on-Or did I just miss the results? Thanks!
The winner has been posted on the giveaway post!
I look forward to trying this :0)! I plan to try it with kalamata olives & another time topped with toasted almonds :0), though not properly combined. All of the ingredients are delicious, & I’m sure this recipe is versatile enough to transform it into many other versions – delicious experimenting ahead :0D!
just made this and it was fantastic!! such a great summer lunch. thanks for posting!!!
This recipe is GREAT! Thanks I’m eating asi type it’s Delicious!!
AMAZING! I tweaked it a bit by adding a bit more lemon juice, a bunch of fresh parsley, roasted red peppers, a few shakes or red pepper flakes, and a can of organic garbanzo beans for added protein. This is fabulous!
I made this last night and it’s delicious! I didn’t have fresh oregano so I added chive blossoms – my new favorite herb. I even put them on my cauliflower crust pizza this weekend. Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Mmm, just made this for my family’s 4th of July BBQ. I love getting my parents to eat their veg. 🙂 Haha!
Just made this. What a great combination of flavors. I took your suggestion and made rosemary infused olive oil. Love picking the rosemary, basil and oregano from my garden. Thanks again
I make this all the time… even those who are VERY skeptical and picky with healthy eating LOVE THIS. Great for your toughest critics! 🙂
Megan, I love your site and cookbook! Today, I brought the greek cauliflower pasta salad (a favorite of mine) for a potluck at work, and it won a prize for tastiest healthy dish 🙂 Now 50 of my co-workers know about detoxinista.com!
I look forward to continuing to find great recipes and inspiration on your website.
Wow, I’m so happy to hear that! Glad you all enjoyed it. 🙂
This was really tasty. My husband wrapped it in a flour tortilla and added fresh avocado and loved it. He puts everything in a tortilla!
Yum way to use cauliflower! I wish I used fresh cherry tomatoes but taste was real good!
So tasty!
This was a crowd pleaser! Brought to a potluck and even the kids what seconds 👍🤤
My whole family loves this recipe! So delicious. Thank you!
I devoured this. Another Detonxinista winner!
I forgot to say that I add chickpeas to this to boost the protein and it is delicious.
I modified this recipe to make it a cold salad. Used cauliflower rice instead of cooking it and put a little less than 2 cups, added a can of garbanzo beans, and omitted the salt. Really really good.
I loved this recipe, I added all the optional ingredients plus the chickpeas to eat it along with a soup. Very filling and tastes delicious!