There’s something so fun and satisfying about a salad without any greens! They are super extra hearty, and it’s like a bowl full of JUST the toppings (which are the best part anyway, right?!).
This salad is definitely hearty, but it’s also full of flavors and textures that balance each other out:
- Roasted, tender cauliflower
- Crunchy fresh celery and fennel
- Nutty almonds
- A bright lemon vinaigrette
All of these wonderful things come together to form the most delicious and satisfying salad. See ya later, iceberg lettuce with sliced carrots and cucumbers + ranch (salad of my childhood….) This is a LARGE improvement!
This is also a great meal prep salad – since there are no greens and all the ingredients are nice and hearty, everything holds up well in the fridge! You’ll want to keep an extra batch of the vinaigrette around if you want to use this for leftovers or meal prep, because some of the dressing will absorb into the salad as it sits. You’ll want to drizzle some extra on there to freshen it up!
This is a GREAT side for a grilled or roasted piece of meat, but it’s also yummy on its own, especially as a light lunch!
Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables to roast, and this salad reminds me why!! Also, shameless Thanksgiving plug, this would be an AWESOME Thanksgiving side that you could prep in advance! It’s always good to have something fresh and healthy on your plate along with all the mashed potatoes and turkey 😍.
PrintChopped Cauliflower Salad
This Whole 30, keto, paleo salad is a delicious light lunch or a great side for dinner! Hearty and flavorful, it’s sure to satisfy!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, diced into florets
- 3 stalks of celery, stalks halved and thinly sliced
- 1 bulb of fennel, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, finely minced or grated
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
- Add your cauliflower to a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, toss, and roast for another 10
- Meanwhile, add your celery and fennel to a salad bowl
- Toast your almonds until they are starting to turn golden brown and taste toasty and nutty. Add them to the bowl with your celery and fennel
- To make your dressing, add your lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and dijon mustard to a jar (or bowl), season liberally with salt and pepper, and shake (or whisk) to fully combine
- When your cauliflower is done, remove from the oven and let cool until room temperature or just slightly warm. Chop it up and add to your salad bowl
- If you want to serve this room temp or warm, toss with all the dressing now and serve. If you want it to be cold, place the salad bowl in the fridge and toss with dressing when ready to eat!
Notes
*If you want your almonds to stay super crispy and crunchy, don’t add them if you’re going to let the salad sit in the fridge. Add when ready to serve
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 187 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and tag @thegarlicdiaries so I can see!
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