Roasted Cauliflower Salad
I love this roasted cauliflower salad because it is healthy and full of flavor. I make cauliflower the star by roasting it until tender and lightly crisp, then tossing it with a warm dressing, chickpeas for protein, spinach for fresh greens, and Kalamata olives for a tangy bite. It works well for lunch or a light dinner and is easy for me to prepare, with everything ready to serve in about 50 minutes from start to finish.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 321.5kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large head Cauliflower outer leaves removed, cut or broken into bite-size florets/pieces
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 15 oz chickpeas rinsed and drained (1 can)
- 6 oz Baby Spinach
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet or sheet pan with parchment or foil.
- Toss the cauliflower pieces with the 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the prepared sheet and roast in the oven for about 35 minutes or until golden brown, tossing the vegetables once midway through cooking time.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the vinegar and mustard seeds in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the Dijon mustard, parsley, crushed red pepper, and olive oil. Keep warm.
- Place the chickpeas, spinach and olives in a large bowl. Add the hot roasted cauliflower and warm dressing, tossing to wilt the spinach a bit and coat all ingredients lightly with dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to prep all the ingredients ahead of time. When it is time to serve I simply toss everything together, which saves time and makes getting the salad on the table much easier for my family.
- Homemade Dressing: I always make my dressing from scratch. While store-bought dressing can save a little time, homemade dressing is much more flavorful, and I can control all the seasonings to suit my taste.
- Roasting Tips: I like to roast the cauliflower and chickpeas in a single layer on the sheet pan. Giving them space helps them get crispy and golden instead of steaming, which makes the salad even more flavorful and satisfying.
- Cool slightly: I let the roasted cauliflower cool a bit before adding it to the salad. This helps the spinach stay fresh.
- Add olives last: I add the olives at the end so they keep their texture and tangy flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 321.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.3g | Protein: 9.6g | Fat: 18.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 1026mg | Fiber: 10.2g | Sugar: 4g