Name: Hearty Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup raisins; 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard - fine or grainy; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup red grapes; 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds; 2 green onions; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or coriander

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I remember the first time I roasted cauliflower, I was in awe. Unlike the raw version, the cauliflower took on a nutty yet sweet flavour. Cauliflower is known for its bland flavour and its ability to take on any taste.

This salad has quite a few ingredients, but that’s what makes it so delicious.

The Ingredients for Hearty Roasted Cauliflower Salad

This roasted cauliflower salad is crunchy, sweet, sour, slightly spicy, nutty, and creamy. The red wine vinegar, the maple syrup, the dijon mustard, the red grapes, and the raisins all complement the cauliflower. To this is added the creaminess of the cheddar and the nuttiness of the toasted almonds.

Cut the grapes into halves or quarters. Crumble the sharp cheddar cheese. Toast the almonds and chop them into pieces. Chop the green onions and the fresh parsley or coriander.

Roasting The Cauliflower

Roasting cauliflower is so simple. Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the bowl. Toss well and then put some salt on the cauliflower and toss again. This will ensure that all of the cauliflower gets evenly salted. Place the cauliflower on a pre-oiled baking tray or dish. Now you are ready to put the cauliflower into the 375 degrees F preheated oven to bake. Bake for 25 mins and you are ready to enjoy some roasted cauliflower salad. Let the cauliflower cool down completely before you make the salad.

Mixing the Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette can be used for various salads. I love the mix of sweet, and sour and the sharpness of the dijon mustard. It tastes absolutely delicious with roasted cauliflower. I use it on green salads, but just add one tablespoon of olive oil before drizzling it on the greens.

In a large mixing bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of red vine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard. You can use either the fine grind or coarse grind dijon mustard. Now throw in 1/4 cup of raisins – black or golden whichever you prefer. Mix well and let stand for about 5 mins. This allows the raisins to absorb the liquid and plump up and get delicious.

Making the Healthy Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Now that your roasted cauliflower has cooled and your raisins have plumped, you can bring your salad together. Add 2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil to the bowl with the raisins. To the bowl, add the chopped grapes, the crumbled cheddar, the green onions, the chopped fresh parsley or coriander, and the chopped toasted almond bits.

Grapes, cheddar, greens and almonds in bowl

Mix everything well and then add the roasted cauliflower to the bowl. Toss well, so that all of the cauliflower gets coated with the vinaigrette and all the rest of the ingredients get combined.

Now you are ready to enjoy your hearty roasted cauliflower salad. Serve with my grilled chicken thighs or any main of your choice.

Variations:

I love this salad, because it has so many variation possibilities:

Try using a different type of cheese. I have used feta, which gives it a really salty delicious flavour. I have tried it with Havarti, which made it really creamy.
Try using toasted chopped pecans or walnuts. If you are allergic to nuts, you can use roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Seeds are a very good way of adding nuttiness to a meal.
I have had this salad as a meal at lunch by adding some hard boiled eggs and even some grilled chicken breast. So many different ways of enjoying the same main ingredients.

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