This cauliflower salad is a picnic-perfect side dish! It’s bright and delicious, featuring a creamy dressing, fresh herbs, and crunchy raw cauliflower.
I’ve shared a roasted cauliflower salad (ok, 5) on the blog before, but this RAW cauliflower salad is the first of its kind.
I’m already wondering what took me so long, and once you try it, I think you will be too!
This cauliflower salad recipe is bright and delicious. I like to think of it as a fun, fresh twist on classic potato salad. Like potato salad, it has a creamy, mustardy dressing, hard-boiled eggs, and savory herbs, but cauliflower replaces the potatoes. Pickled red onions and capers add an extra briny punch.
This cauliflower salad recipe packs up perfectly for lunches, potlucks, and picnics. It actually tastes better if you make it a day ahead! I’m bringing it to a late summer gathering this weekend. If you have one coming up, you should too! This cauliflower salad will be a hit.
Cauliflower Salad Ingredients
If you take a quick look through the cauliflower recipes on Love & Lemons, you’ll probably notice that very few of them call for raw cauliflower. This veggie is one I typically prefer roasted, when it’s caramelized and tender. When I do use cauliflower raw, it’s often in the form of cauliflower rice.
But in this salad, raw cauliflower florets totally work. Cut into small pieces, they soak up enough dressing to soften slightly, but they still retain a refreshing crunch.
Here’s what else you’ll need to make this cauliflower salad recipe:
- Hard-boiled eggs – They offer a creamy contrast to the crisp cauliflower florets.
- Celery – It adds savory flavor.
- Pickled red onions and capers – They give this salad a bright, briny pop!
- Fresh parsley and dill – The dill adds sour, pickle-y flavor. The parsley’s fresh flavor balances the salad’s briny, acidic elements.
- Olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey – They create the salad’s creamy, tangy dressing. I love using the yogurt instead of sour cream or mayo here. It gives the dressing an even creamier texture and tangier flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Cauliflower Salad
This cauliflower salad recipe is easy to make. Here’s how it goes:
Start by making the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
Next, add the other ingredients. Toss in the small cauliflower florets, hard-boiled eggs, celery, pickled onions, capers, and fresh herbs. Mix well to coat in the dressing.
Then, chill the salad for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Finally, serve. Stir well and season to taste before digging in!
Big Tip!
Don’t skip the chilling step. Budget at least an hour for the salad to chill after you mix it together and before you serve it.
This time gives the fresh cauliflower a chance to marinate in the dressing, softening and absorbing flavor. It takes this salad from good to delicious. Don’t cut it short!
What to Serve with Cauliflower Salad
This cauliflower salad is a great side dish for summer cookouts. Pair it with veggie burgers or black bean burgers and other BBQ side dishes like these:
It’s perfect for picnics and lunches too. I often enjoy it as a meal on its own—the protein from the hard-boiled eggs makes it pretty satisfying! It also goes nicely with a chickpea salad sandwich or Caprese sandwich.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
This cauliflower salad recipe is a great one to make ahead for potlucks and picnics. I recommend making it several hours or a day in advance to give the flavors plenty of time to develop. Stir the salad well and season to taste before serving. You may also want to sprinkle a few more herbs on top for a fresh look.
Leftover salad keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, though in our house, it rarely lasts that long. Enjoy!
More Favorite Salad Recipes
If you love this cauliflower salad, try one of these fresh salad recipes next:
