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This salad was so deliciously crunchy and flavorful. I just made it and am already planning to make it again this week.
Anne
Okay, here’s the deal.
Cheese and pasta and Greek pork pitas are all so super delicious and – I do not say this lightly – they have been exactly what my body and soul have needed throughout the last three months. I see them, I acknowledge their place, and I thank them for helping me heal my broken heart.
But now it’s April, and my body and soul are asking for some new things.
Mostly: Vegetables. Fruits. Healthy proteins. And more vegetables and more fruits.
And if that could happen in a way that does not make me hate my life, that would be awesome k thanks.
How To Make Our Cauliflower Salad:
So it works out pretty nicely then that a few days ago, when I was deep in a Google rabbit hole, I came across THIS SALAD from the ultra-inspiring-plant-based-goals blog known as The First Mess.
It’s old. Like, 2014 old. Which is only fitting for Google rabbit holes, right? Where else can you expect to find such hidden gems? But it’s still as crunchy, tangy, nutritious, and buttery (s/o to the perfect avocados) as it must have been in 2014 when it was a newbie to the internet.
When this detoxy cauliflower salad materialized for lunch at the studio, we crunched in blissful silence and all agreed: it’s strange, maybe even unpredictable, but ridiculously delicious. Here’s what we’ve got in this unicorn of a cauliflower salad:
- RAW cauliflower rice. RAW, thank you very much.
- Apples.
- Mint and parsley.
- Shallots. Super thinly sliced, like paper.
- Roasted chickpeas.
- Big chunks of buttery avocado.
- A two-second honey-olive oil-mustard dressing.
- Lime juice and zest. because WHY NOT.
It feels kitchen-sinky in the best possible way.
Raise your hand if you need some spring detox in your life?
Right there with you, girlfriend. Cauliflower Salad to our delicious rescue.
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Spring Detox Cauliflower Salad
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
An herby, fresh vegan power salad featuring cauliflower, apples, shallots, roasted spiced chickpeas, and a quick grainy mustard dressing.
Ingredients
Cauli Salad:
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- chili powder, salt, and pepper
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 apple, sliced thin
- 1 shallot, sliced thin
- a handful of parsley and mint, chopped
- 2 firm avocados, cut into chunks
Jar Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- juice and zest of one lime
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Chickpeas: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Roast for 20-30 minutes until crispy and browned.
- Cauliflower Prep: Working in batches, run the cauliflower florets through a food processor until you get “rice” – it should take about 20-30 pulses.
- Dressing: Shake up all the ingredients in a jar, or whisk together. Taste and adjust.
- Assembly: Toss everything together. That’s it!
Notes
If going sugar free is important to you, make sure to look for a mustard without sugar.
I like to reserve a few chickpeas and herbs to top the salad, just to make it pretty.
This salad doesn’t last long once tossed together, so if you’re prepping in advance, keep everything separate.
Maple syrup or agave would be a perfect sub to make this recipe vegan.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cauliflower salad, spring salad, vegan salad
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our best healthy summer salads page. Check it out!
SO OBSESSED! i kept reading the ingredient list & every single line item had me thinking “oh how light!” & “oh how refreshing!”. can’t wait to try! xx
hahaha that’s awesome. Thanks Jess!
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try =)
Hope you like it Sara! 🙂
This recipe comes just in time for my spring detox week! Definitely trying it!
Thanks Mary, hope you like it!
I don’t know if I need a spring detox juuuuuuust yet.
But I’ll tell you what I will raise my hand for. 🙌
This Cauliflower Salad. It will be perfect for meals at work because I find myself constantly getting burritos from the taco truck that sits outside haha. This salad will be my willpower and distraction.
dang, I don’t want to mess with that burrito habit tho 😛 sounds pretty awesome!
I think it’s perfect salad to spring into spring and life! Mmmm!!!
agree! thanks Debra!
but those greek pork pitas were so good….must we?!
okay. just so there are avocados <3
If this salad can get my husband to eat a chickpea, wow, that’s one powerful salad!!
Sounds perfect for spring! 🙂
I had this for dinner tonight – so very delicious! I will say, however, as I was putting the salad together, “this is the weirdest salad ever,” kept going through my mind. 🙂 But your recipes never let me down, so I knew it was going to be great. Thanks, Lindsay!
Glad you enjoyed it, Amanda!
This sounds so delish and I can’t wait to try. Was thinking about those wonderful packages of minced cauliflower. About how many cups would I need? I’m trying to eliminate a step. 🙂
Hi Cindy! We haven’t measured so it’s hard to say, but I’d estimate about 2-3 cups.
Looks like the perfect Spring lunch to take to work. Thanks for the recipe Lindsay!
This looks incredible, cauliflower and chickpeas in one dish – I’m sold!
Lo
http://www.themixtures.com
Hey, I’m a college student with no access to an oven, do you have any tips for how I could cook the chickpeas in a skillet? Thank you xx
Yep! I’d just follow the directions with the olive oil and spiced, but then saute on the stove until crisped up. 🙂
I have just about overdone it with the Easter candy so this detox recipe is a welcomed change of pace indeed. It looks super delicious and not at all miserable!
I have everything to make this at home right now. This is happening tonight!
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I never knew I’d like the phrase “unicorn of a cauliflower salad” so much 😉
Looks very delicious!
I don’t know what is about chickpeas these days, but I can’t seem to get enough! Was SO excited to realize I have all of these ingredients in the fridge — and this is dinner! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Chickpeas, cauli, apples, and shallots together in one amazing bowl?? I am drooling over here. I know what we are eating for dinner next week!
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Thanks for always including the nutrional breakdown. Do you know how much fiber there is per serving? I would appreciate it!
I put 5 stars! Sorry first post came out only 4😀
There’s 14.8 grams!
this is, ahem, yummy! i didn’t want to pay $1.70 for a single avocado, but i didn’t miss it. the chickpeas didn’t quite crisp as much as i would’ve liked in 30 min., but they were still a nice addition. thanks for this easy, light, quick recipe!
I’m making this for our big family Easter lunch tomorrow – can’t wait to try it!
This looks so fantastic.
One question-do you think finely chopping the cauliflower would be enough, for those of us without food processors? I have to believe the consistency would be close enough…
Yes, I think that would be fine!
THIS SALAD! We’ve started a lunch club at work and today it was my turn to cook. Been wanting to try this recipe since you posted it, and so glad I did. Absolutely delicious, light & healthy. Will definitely be making it on a regular basis. Yum!
So glad to hear it, Nicky!
I am so excited to try this recipe! Love the flavor combinations!
Sooooo amazing! Just made this today… So many awesome flavors 🙂 thank you!
Glad to hear that, Kristina!