Curried Cauliflower Salad
Curried Cauliflower Salad features roasted cauliflower, crisp apple, raisins, shredded coconut tossed with quinoa, and delicious curry dressing for a tasty side dish or main meal!
Get ready for a delicious and unique flavor sensation with this Curried Roasted Cauliflower Salad. It’s a nice balance of sweet, a bit of tang and curry flavor that I just can’t get enough of!
Roasted cauliflower with fresh diced apples, quinoa, shredded coconut, and raisins all tossed with a tasty curry dressing, is full of textures and bursting with flavors!
If you love roasted cauliflower and curry, I have no doubt you will find this to be a great addition to your meal rotations.
It can easily be served as a side salad or a main meal and is great for to-go lunches as well. Serve at room temp or chilled.
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this recipe, roasted cauliflower is mixed with a variety of fresh and dried fruits and quinoa and tossed in a simple curry dressing for an easy salad that’s easy to make and worth repeating.
Here is everything you will need:
- Cauliflower – Use whole head or packaged pre-cut for ease.
- Apple – Use a crisp apple, sweet or tart will work here (I used a Fuji).
- Raisins – Regular or golden raisins are great.
- Coconut – Shredded coconut or coconut flakes (I used TJ’s shredded coconut).
- Quinoa – It can be optional, but bulks it up, adding protein and fiber.
- Olive oil – Use your favorite neutral-flavored oil.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon
- Pure maple syrup – You can substitute it with coconut nectar or agave.
- Water – This is used to cut some of the oil.
- Lemon or orange juice
- Curry powder
- Salt & cracked pepper
Looking to add a little more protein? Add a can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, for a heartier and well-balanced salad.
How To Make Curried Cauliflower Salad
- Roast Cauliflower: Cut the cauliflower into florets, lay on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with oil, toss and spread even, and roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes.
- Quinoa: While cauliflower is roasting, make the quinoa on the stovetop or use this quick & easy Instant Pot Quinoa recipe (you will have leftovers).
- Curry dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, curry powder, dijon mustard, water, and lemon juice. Set aside so the flavors can mix.
- Apple: Dice the apple just before assembling the salad.
- Assemble: Once the cauliflower is ready, add it to a mixing bowl along with the diced apple, quinoa, raisins, and coconut (shown above).
- Toss: Pour the curry dressing overtop and gently toss to coat.
Now you are ready to dine on this flavorful and filling salad!
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, in a covered container.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this roasted cauliflower salad. It’s best eaten within a few days.
Serving Suggestions
Served at room temperature or chilled, this curried cauliflower is great with homemade Vegan Naan.
More Easy Cauliflower Recipes!
- Blackened Cauliflower Steaks
- Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpea Salad
- Vegan Buddha Bowl
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Vegan Cauliflower Soup
If you try this curried cauliflower salad recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintROASTED CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SALAD + QUINOA
Sweetness, a bit of tang and curry flavors all come together with the roasted cauliflower and quinoa to make a great Curried Cauliflower Salad sensation!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4– 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Side
- Method: roast, toss
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 medium apple (I used Fuji), cored and diced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon or orange juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- mineral salt & cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Prep + roast cauliflower: Cut cauliflower into florets. Lay in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Add a drizzle of oil and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, mixing the cauliflower around half way through. Remove from oven, let cool.
Curry dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside to let the flavors develop. Taste for seasoning adding anything extra you might like.
Quinoa: See notes if making quinoa from scratch, or use this quick + easy Instant Pot Quinoa recipe.
Assemble: In a large mixing bowl, combine quinoa, cauliflower, apple, raisins, shredded coconut and dressing, toss well to coat.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Serves 4
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a covered container.
Notes
If you know and love the Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe’s, or elsewhere, this is a great place to use it! Use it in place of the apple cider vinegar.
Feel free to use regular raisins or currants. Cranberries may even be a nice change up.
Oil-free dressing: Sub in water for the tablespoon of oil.
For my quinoa, I buy one bag each of white and tri-color and mix them together creating a nice blend of color and texture.
How to make quinoa: Rinse 1/2 cup quinoa using a fine mesh sieve (honestly, I usually skip this part but have it here for good measure. Don’t feel you have to do it but you may find that you prefer it that way.) In a medium pot/pan, add quinoa and scant 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, turn heat off, uncover and let rest for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside. Recipe will make 1 1/2 cups.
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I made this for lunch along with the roasted sweet potatoes and aioli, both were delicious ! They pair very well and are easy to prepare together as they both roast at 425. Yummy!
Last night I made vegan peanut butter cookies, so rich and luscious. I added vegan dark chocolate chips.
Adding these ingredients to my grocery list and making this asap! Might even bring this as a Christmas dish. Yum!!!
Thank you for sharing. I used it to inspire my latest salad creation. :)
Thank you Janet! Cheers :)
Everything in this recipe looks delish….
i like the idea of raisins here, very different.
I love bursting flavors and I always know that cauliflower and quinoa make a good pair!
Wow this looks really good!! I love the fruit/veggie flavor mixture. Totally unrelated, but have you ever considered making rissoto?
Hi Shelley, I've made risotto but haven't shared it here yet! Soon I will:)
Quinoa, curry and cauliflower sounds like a delightfully zesty combo…I might add in some cashews too for a bit of crunch. Many thanks for the recipe! :)
Cashews sound wonderful! Great idea :)
That looks wonderful! Love the curry flavors in here :)
Thank you! It' delicious :)