Vibrant Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Into making veggies delicious and exciting? This roasted cauliflower salad is a great way to do that! This roasted cauliflower salad is bursting with flavors and textures, including smoky and zesty spices, sweet red onions roasted in the oven, crunchy pistachios, and tart pomegranate syrup.

This is a stunning side dish inspired by Ottolenghi. This is a great side dish for holiday dinners, and it’s simple to make on a weeknight. Just thirty minutes are required. We’ll show you exactly how to do it!

This VIBRANT Cauliflower Salad begins by roasting the cauliflower with red onions for sweetness and extra virgin olive oil for richness. The addition of salt enhances the flavor, while cumin, cardamom, and ground cumin give it a Middle Eastern flair.

After roasting vegetables until tender and crispy edges, we season them with lemon zest, juice, and maple syrup to brightness.

The final garnishes are parsley to add freshness and pistachios to give it a crunch. A drizzle of pomegranate syrup is added for tartness. What a beauty!

Ingredients

• Cut one large head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets (5-6 cups, or 500-600g).
• One medium red onion, cut into quarter-inch wedges (one medium onion yields about 2 cups or 230g)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin ground
• Cardamom ground to 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 tsp of sea salt
• 2 tsp lemon zest (1 small lemon yields ~2 tsp zest)
• 2 Tbsp of lemon juice (one small lemon yields about 2 Tbsp)
• Maple syrup, 1-2 teaspoons

GARNISH

• Parsley, chopped to 1/4 cup.
• 1/2 cup roasted pistachios, chopped (we used salted)
• 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (we used Just Date brand)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (212 C).
• Toss the onion wedges and cauliflower florets on a large baking tray with the cumin, cardamom, and olive oil. Spread evenly. Roast the cauliflower for 20-25 mins, or until it starts to crisp up on the edges.
• Transfer the baked potatoes to a serving plate. Add the maple syrup, lemon zest, and lemon juice (starting with a smaller amount), and coat. Add more maple syrup to taste if you want it sweeter, or add salt if you prefer.
• Garnish the dish with chopped pistachios and fresh parsley. Drizzle pomegranate syrup over it.
• Fresh is best. In a refrigerator, leftover salad can be stored for up to 2-3 days in a container with a lid. This salad is not freezer-friendly.