Must Try Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
Try this low carb Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad made with roasted cauliflower and lots of fresh herbs. Keep it light by pairing it with a green salad or serving it alongside your favorite protein or seafood.
When it comes to making nutritious cauliflower recipes, most people stop at cauliflower rice. But, have you ever tried making cauliflower salad? It can be enjoyed as a tasty side or add chick peas and make it a vegetarian main dish. It is absolutely delicious.
Why You’ll Like This Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
If you’re looking for a dish that is easy, healthy and an absolute crowd-pleaser, this Mediterranean cauliflower salad is it.
Just think of it as a pasta salad but, instead of pasta, fiber-rich cauliflower takes the center stage.
Unlike a pasta salad, however, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy, and keto — c’mon triple threat!
Back in the day, pasta salad was one of my favorite recipes to make. A box of pasta doesn’t cost much and of course it stretches to feed a crowd.
Well guess what?
Fresh cauliflower is also affordable, incredibly healthy, but you won’t have to worry about a spike in blood sugar after this meal. This roasted cauliflower “pasta” salad is based on how I used to make my own pasta salad but instead, it utilizes delicious cauliflower florets and herbs.
It’s the combination of herbs and flavors that makes this cauliflower salad so enticing. I knew that I hit “the nail on the head” when my kids asked for more.
Serve the salad with grilled chicken, fish, seafood or grilled steak. As a vegetarian option, you can add garbanzo beans. Part of what makes this salad so great, is the fact that cruciferous vegetables are so versatile and just brimming with health benefits.
This salad is perfect in warmer months, but can also be served all year round.
Is cauliflower healthy?
I thought you’d never ask. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable.
Cruciferous vegetables are a group of vegetables that include broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, kale, arugula, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and more. What makes these vegetables so amazing is that they are filled with phytonutrients, fiber, antioxidants and anti-cancer benefits.
If you opt to eat this salad raw, the fiber acts as good food for gut bacteria.
And the “lowering cancer risk part” is no drop in the bucket. There are numerous studies that show reduced risk of prostate, lung, breast and other cancers with the consumption of cruciferous vegetables.
You’ll be delighted to know that cauliflower is naturally a low carb vegetable and makes for versatile healthy cooking. Even if you’re cooking with cauliflower for the first time, you’re going to like this recipe.
Tools You Need (Recommended)
Ingredients in Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
This healthy cauliflower salad is packed with Mediterranean flavors and can be served at room temperature or cold.
- cauliflower
- black olives or kalamata olives
- extra virgin
- red peppers
- jalepeno
- olive oil
- roasted sun dried tomatoes
- red onion
- fresh thyme leaves
- Italian seasoning
- nutritional yeast
- chopped scallions or green onions
- basil leaves
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
- extra virgin olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- minced garlic
- dry mustard
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Salad
In this Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad recipe, the flavors are tasty enough to enjoy right away, but set it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight for peak flavor to serve the next day.
Roasting the cauliflower versus boiling it not only brings out the color but maximizes the flavor as well. So here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2: Spread the bite-sized cauliflower unto two large baking sheets.
Step 3: Toss it in olive oil.
Step 4: Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through.
Step 6: Broil on high the last 5 minutes of cooking. (You can skip this part if you want, but you would be missing some awesome color and additional flavor).
Step 7: Place the roasted cauliflower in a bowl and add olives, onions, tomatoes, peppers, onion, thyme, Italian seasoning, basil, and scallions.
Step 8: Add ingredients to make dressing (olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper) to a food processor.
Step 9: Mix dressing into the salad.
Step 10: If you can, let it set in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving. (This is where you’re going to get tremendous flavor).
Extra Tips to Give You Cauliflower Salad an Extra Burst of Flavor (Optional)
- Cut off any brown spots on the cauliflower before cutting.
- Remove the tough more fibrous parts of the cauliflower and focus on using cauliflower florets.
- Add a teaspoon or two of oil from the sundried tomatoes bottle to your cauliflower salad.
- Use the broiler function on your oven during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- If you can stand the wait, let the salad sit for 2 hours let the flavors marry before serving.
- If you’re tolerant of legumes or want to make this vegetarian, add some crispy chickpeas or white beans to this recipe to make it a complete meal.
How to Store Cauliflower Salad
Any leftover cauliflower salad should be stored inside an airtight container inside the refrigerator. The good news is the longer this salad sits in the fridge, the better it gets for up to 4-5 days.
If you’re planning a summer picnic or barbecue, here are some other recipes that would it go nicely alongside:
Strawberry Barbecue Chicken Wings
Summerthyme Blueberry Lemonade
Other Healthy Cauliflower Recipes to Try
Golden Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Must Try Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces- hard parts removed
- 1/4 cup black olives drained and chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped and drained
- 1/2 jalapeno seeds and membranes removed
- 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup red pepper (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon thyme (fresh thyme remove from stems)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (dry)
- 1/4 cup scallions (chopped)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 3-5 basil leaves cut into strips
Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp garlic about 2-3 large cloves – minced
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Evenly spread cauliflower onto two large baking sheet.2 heads cauliflower
- Thoroughly toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil per batch.4 tbsp olive oil
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through. Feel free to rotate the pans and or switch pan positions to facilitate even cooking.
- Once baked, broil on high the last 5 minutes,
- Place roasted cauliflower in bowl and add olives, onions, tomatoes, peppers, thyme, nutritional yeast flakes, Italian seasoning, basil, jalapenos, basil and scallions.1/4 cup black olives, 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 jalapeno, 1/4 cup red onion, 1/2 cup red pepper, 2 tablespoon thyme, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 cup scallions, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes, 3-5 basil leaves
- In small food processor add ingredients to make the dressing (olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, celery seed and black pepper).1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp garlic, 2 tsp dry mustard, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp celery seed, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- Mix dressing into the salad until thoroughly distributed.
- Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Can be enjoyed chilled or room temperature.
Notes
- Cut off any brown spots on the cauliflower before cutting.
- Remove the tough more fibrous parts of the cauliflower and focus on using cauliflower florets.
- Add a teaspoon or two of oil from the sundried tomatoes bottle to your cauliflower salad.
- Use the broiler function on your oven during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- If you can stand the wait, let the salad sit for 2 hours let the flavors marry before serving.
- If you’re tolerant of legumes or want to make this vegetarian, add some crispy chickpeas or white beans to this recipe to make it a complete meal.
Nutrition
Original: June 24, 2021
Updated: for pictures and content June 26, 2026
