Roasted Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Creative Side Dishes are Hard to Find

This Roasted Cauliflower Salad recipe should be a new addition to your mental list of side dishes. Why you ask? Because it’s not your ordinary steamed veggie side dish. It’s not a plain salad. In fact, it’s a vegetable masquerading as a salad. And that’s a good thing.

Did I also mention that it is warm, tangy, a bit crispy and full of flavor because the cauliflower is roasted. All those yummy cauliflower juices stay right where they belong and they don’t get washed down the drain.

A few things to learn from this recipe, some of which you might already know but there is no harm in reinforcing helpful information, right?

• Roasting the cauliflower at a high heat slightly singes the edges to create even more flavor
• Roasting always concentrates the flavor of a vegetable
• The high heat makes this dish quick to cook
• The dressing has a secret trick that you are going to want to use for ALL OF YOUR SALAD DRESSINGS
• When you roast the cauliflower it becomes crisp tender instead of turning into a pile of mush
• Adding the dressing to the roasted cauliflower when it is warm is an important step. This allows the cauliflower to absorb most of the dressing
• It’s vegetarian and healthy. Yeah.

The Secret to the BEST SALAD DRESSING EVER

I figured out an amazing secret to creating a salad dressing that is full of flavor but without bitterness or a sharp bite. Think about your usual vinaigrette. How many times have you tasted it and it is sharp or too bitter. Is it the olive oil? Is the olive oil too old or was it near heat or light? Is your dijon mustard too pungent? Did you use too much vinegar? These are all questions that I have asked myself over the years.

And then, it finally came to me. It’s a science thing. Sometimes when something has too much acidity, it just comes on too strong. But vinegar is an essential part of a vinaigrette and you must have something to balance the oil. So here was my thought process…..if something is too acidic, you have to neutralize it in some way. And so…WAIT FOR IT.  If you add a pinch (and I mean a teeny tiny pinch) of BAKING SODA, the dressing miraculously smooths itself out, the flavors are enhanced but the sharpness and pungency disappear.

Maybe this is not science. But trust me, this works. And you can use this little trick in any salad dressing that has mustard and/or vinegar emulsified with oil. Because it works. And it is a bit of genius if you ask me.

The Lemon Caper Dressing is the big star of this dish but the Roasted Cauliflower plays an equal role in making this salad a real crowd pleaser. Undoubtedly, this will be a new family favorite.

You Can Make this Salad with Other Vegetables

Now that you have such a hit on your hands with the Lemon Caper Dressing, feel free to branch out and roast some broccoli, brussels sprouts or carrots until fork tender and toss them while warm in the dressing.

So there you have it. An incredibly versatile side dish that is healthy, tasty and just what you need if you have run out of ideas for side dishes that are quick, easy and just a bit different from the usual fare.