Cauliflower Salad

This cauliflower salad with roasted chickpeas, juicy tomatoes, and a light curry yogurt dressing makes such a great lunch! It’s super easy to make, vegan, so delicious, and incredibly healthy and it’s one of those recipe that will leave you craving more.

Jump to:

•  Why This Recipe Works 
• Ingredients & Substitutions 
• How To Make This Recipe 
• Tips & Tricks 
• Storing 
• Version with Frozen Cauliflower 
• Related Recipes 
• I Love To Hear From You!
• Cauliflower Salad

 Why This Recipe Works 

Are you looking for an easy salad that is packed with flavor? Then this is the right recipe for you! I’ve tried many cauliflower salads, but this one is my absolute favorite. 

So, why does this cauliflower salad work so well? Let’s start with the star ingredient: cauliflower. Roasted cauliflower has a lovely caramelized flavor and a tender yet slightly crispy texture. The roasted chickpeas bring a delightful crunch and a subtle nuttiness, while the juicy tomatoes add a burst of freshness and tanginess.

Roasting the cauliflower and the chickpeas in the oven brings this salad to the next level. It’s also such an easy way to prepare the cauliflower. 

All you have to do is cut it into florets and place them on a baking tray together with the chickpeas, the olive oil, and the spices. After just 30 minutes of hand-free baking time, you’ve got perfectly seasoned roasted cauliflower and crispy chickpeas. 

The tomatoes and the green onion add some nice freshness and crunch. The creamy yogurt-based dressing couldn’t be much easier. It comes together in just 2 minutes!

You can enjoy this salad warm straight out of the oven or cold. It’s delicious both ways! 

Ingredients & Substitutions 

• Chickpeas – I usually use canned chickpeas, but you could also cook dried chickpeas in your Instant Pot if you want. 
• Plant-Based Yogurt – it’s very important to use unsweetened yogurt. My favorite is unsweetened coconut yogurt. Soy yogurt also works well. 
• Cauliflower – I prefer fresh cauliflower over frozen. 
• Olive Oil – make sure to use a high-quality olive oil (extra virgin). It really makes a difference. 
• Spices – I used curry powder and sweet paprika. 
• Tomatoes – I used large tomatoes that I cut into cubes. You could also use cherry tomatoes instead. 
• Green Onions – their mild taste makes them perfect for salads. 

How To Make This Recipe 

1. Step: Preheat your oven to 400 °F. Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. 

2. Step: Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the cauliflower and the chickpeas on top. 

3. Step: Add the olive oil and 1 teaspoon paprika powder and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Stir until all of the cauliflower florets and the chickpeas are coated. 

4. Step: Bake for 20 minutes at 400 °F. Stir and bake for another 10 minutes. 

5. Step: In the meantime, make the dressing. Place the plant-based yogurt and the curry powder (2 teaspoons) in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper.

6. Step: Stir until well combined. 

7. Step: Dice the tomatoes and cut the green onions into rings. 

8. Step: Transfer the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas to a large bowl and add the tomatoes and the green onions. 

9. Step: Add the dressing. 

10. Step: Carefully stir with a wooden spoon. Add a bit of freshly chopped parsley and red pepper flakes on top if you want. Serve the salad immediately or store in the fridge for later. 

Tips & Tricks 

• Make sure to use unsweetened plant-based yogurt for the dressing. My favorite is coconut yogurt. It goes well with the curry flavor. 
• If you want your salad to be a bit spicy, feel free to add red pepper flakes. 
• I love this salad when the cauliflower and the chickpeas are still a bit warm, but it’s also great when it’s cold. 
• The chickpeas won’t be as crispy anymore when they’re cold, but they’re still super delicious and nicely spiced. 

Storing 

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this salad will last up to 4 days. 

Version with Frozen Cauliflower 

I prefer fresh cauliflower, but the recipe also works with frozen cauliflower florets. This saves you a bit of time if you’re very busy. 

However, you have to adjust the recipe a bit to make things work. It’s important to not defrost the cauliflower first, which makes things even easier for you at the same time. 

Besides, you should raise the oven temperature from 400 °F to 450 °F. This way the frozen cauliflower will actually be roasted and not steamed. Stir 2-3 times while baking. 

Related Recipes 

I Love To Hear From You!

I hope you like this cauliflower salad as much as we do around here.

If you give it try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!

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Sina