Ready in about 30 minutes, this vibrant roasted cauliflower salad is a must-add to your list of easy, nutritious lunches.
The cauliflower is roasted in turmeric and cumin and served with chickpeas, pomegranate and toasted almonds. Packed with flavour and nutrients, it’s an ideal dish when you want something nutritious but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
The salad is coated in an amazing turmeric tahini dressing. It only takes a few minutes to mix together but makes the whole dish taste (and look) amazing!
It is number 10 in my series of Fifty Fantastic Salads. Some of the other salads in the series are linked at the bottom of the page.
How to make this Roasted cauliflower salad:
Firstly, chop the cauliflower and drain the chickpeas. Then, you simply coat the cauliflower and chickpeas in turmeric and cumin and roast until golden.
Once roasted, add to a bowl with the rocket and top with some toasted almonds and a few pomegranate seeds.
Once coated in a glorious turmeric tahini dressing, the whole dish will taste sublime.
What are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients:
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are a great plant-based store-cupboard staple. They are a good source of protein, dietary fibre and essential vitamins, all whilst being low in fat.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is equally impressive. It’s rich in vitamins C and K, can help support digestion, and has anti-inflammatory properties. I think because it has a bland colour, many people forget what a great source of many vitamins and minerals cauliflower can be!
Turmeric
The star of the dish, however, is the turmeric. It not only adds a beautiful golden colour to everything, but it has great anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a superfood in its own right.
The toppings
To complement these flavours, and add a great burst of colour, the salad is topped with toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds. The almonds bring a great crunch to the finished dish. They are packed with healthy fats, fibre, and vitamin E.
Pomegranate seeds add a burst of sweetness and are full of antioxidants (and can be great for your digestion too).
How to make an easy turmeric tahini dressing:
The finishing touch to this salad is a quick and easy turmeric & tahini dressing. It ties everything together with its creamy texture and gorgeous flavour. The colour is really amazing too.
It’s super easy to make – just add everything to jar and mix well.
You can either pour over straight away or keep on the side and serve a little as you go. Up to you.
The ingredients are:
- Tahini
- Ground turmeric
- Garlic powder or crushed fresh garlic clove
- Salt & pepper
- Lemon or lime juice
- Water
- Salt & pepper
I also like to add a tsp or two of maple syrup, but this is optional. I find it can really bring the flavours together. Try it, you might be surprised.
This salad is delicious whether served hot or cold, making it perfect for batch cooking. You can prepare it over the weekend and store it in the fridge for quick, healthy lunches during the week.
Give it a try, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do!
Let me know in the comments below.
Storage and Shelf Life
This Roasted Cauliflower Salad will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing.
Recipe Tips
- The dressing is great as a standalone option for many dishes. If you don’t use it all just keep it in a jar in the fridge and it will last for up to a week.
- This will also work with white beans instead of chickpeas.
- If you would like to up the protein content, add in some tofu when roasting the cauliflower.
- The almonds and pomegranate are added extras. If you would prefer to leave them out, the dish will still work.
If you enjoyed this recipe, why not try these other easy salads:
Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad
Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 large cauliflower
- 2 x 400g tinned chickpeas (2 x 14oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt & pepper
- Large handful of rocket leaves (arugula)
- Handful of pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup flaked almonds (50g)
Turmeric tahini sauce ingredients:
- ⅓ cup tahini (80g)
- ¼ cup water (60ml)
- 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp garlic powder or a crushed clove of garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Few grinds of black pepper
- 2 tsp maple syrup Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Chop the cauliflower into large florets and add to a large baking tray. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add those to the same tray. Drizzle over the olive oil, add the spices, salt and pepper and mix well. Bake for about 25 mins, giving a shake halfway through.
- Whilst the cauliflower is cooking, make the sauce by adding all the ingredients to a jar and mixing well.
- Add the rocket leaves to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked cauliflower and chickpeas. Pour over the sauce and mix well. Top with the pomegranate and some toasted, flaked almonds.
Notes
- The dressing is great as a standalone option for many dishes. If you don’t use it all just keep it in a jar in the fridge and it will last for up to a week.
- The salad will store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- I don’t recommend freezing.
Turmeric is such a treasure! Love incorporating it. This salad is stupendous!
Bursting with fresh flavours and looks stunning on the table. So delicious that I have to double the quantities as even ‘fussy eaters’ go back for a third helping!
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
I haven’t tried with frozen cauliflower. I’m not sure it would be quite as crispy but it’s worth a try! Let me know if you try it.
Made and ate it just now. Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it.