This easy Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower Salad is the perfect keto side dish complementing any main entree or serving as a vegetarian Mediterranean dish full of low carb vegetables and gluten free too!
Keto Cauliflower Salads
Although I'm an full blooded Italian I crave, like nobodies business, Mediterranean flavors. Not surprisingly as they are pretty similar.
I never grew up eating black olives, it was always green with pimentos, Greek or Kalamata. We always had red onion, fresh tomatoes and of course fresh parsley in our house and in our meals at least a few times a week.
Everything, and I mean most everything, was topped with olive oil. My mom rarely made much with butter, except every lazy Sunday night like clock work she would make me and my three brothers the best grilled cheese sandwiches in all the land!
It's a great option for those on a keto diet with just 6 g net carbs.
Now that I'm on a low carb diet, I love using raw cauliflower in unique ways, hence the creation of this salad. While most cauliflower salad recipes are more of a mock potato salad style, this one has that European flare!
Mediterranean Salad Recipe
A squirt of lemon was always added to our typical fish dinners on Friday nights. As a child I could never quite understand why my dad was so in love with adding lemon.
But then I grew up and I realized how much lemon makes such a difference in any meal!
I never grew up eating feta cheese either, but the flavors when mixed with fresh roasted vegetables are undeniably delicious in this Mediterranean cauliflower salad. Obviously you can eliminate the feta cheese if your dairy free.
Keto Potluck and BBQs
No meat is needed in this lovely dish with so much flavor, it's perfect as it is. It's a fantastic healthy option side dish to bring to a potluck or serve at a summer BBQ party.
Make the lemon dressing ahead with fresh herbs and the flavors will be even better the next day! If you're not a fan of cauliflower you could even swap it with roasted broccoli or even green beans or Brussels.
It's very versatile and everyone, even the non low carb crowd will devour this lovely cauliflower salad. Other potluck salads you might like; Cauliflower Mock Potato Salad, Spring Roll Salad, Cucumber Dill Salad, and Summer Confetti Cauliflower Salad.
Roasted Cauliflower
If you're not a fan of red onion of course you can leave it out. If you prefer different olives or another veggie please adapt as you think your family would enjoy.
Roasting all veggies with some good quality extra virgin olive oil and seasonings is how this low carb recipe gets amazing flavors!
It's one of my families most favorite ways to enjoy all kinds of vegetables when I roast them. I know you might be tempted to skip the roasting step, but please trust me on this, you shouldn't skip it because cooked cauliflower that's been roasted is so much better than raw.
I will say it again, one more time, YOU MUST NOT LEAVE OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP for this salad. The large florets NEED to roast.
The flavor of roasted cauliflower is beyond amazing and so much tastier than adding it raw in this salad. While you're at it, you could make this a double batch and freeze in individual portions for an easy way to meal plan ahead!
More Low-Carb Recipes for Easy Salads
Mock Cauliflower Potato Salad recipe
Tomato Olive Salad with Balsamic Reduction
Antipasto Cauliflower Rice Salad
Easy Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- ¼ cup red onion sliced
- ¼ cup kalamata olives
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
Dressing
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 lemon zested
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Lay cauliflower florets on a baking sheet.
- Toss with 3 tablespoon oil and stir to coat well.
- Bake 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl add the cooled cauliflower, tomatoes, onion, olives, feta and basil.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in another bowl.
- Toss the dressing over the cauliflower salad and mix well.
- Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
TWynnB
This is delicious!
I wanted it hardier to have it as a low carb meal, so added: salami, yellow and zucchini squash and colored pepper. I really enjoyed it! There was still enough dressing with all the additions.
Robin
This was a winner at our house! We paired it with baked salmon filets. Thank you for the recipe!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen
Cauliflower is so, so versatile! It's fast becoming my favorite vegetable (and that's saying a lot). This salad with all it's big, bold flavors sounds wonderful! I can't wait to try this!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
You're totally right on this being the perfect dish for a summer BBQ (or picnic!) Plus I'm loving the roasted cauliflower!
Susan
This salad is just lovely! Full of so many flavors that I love and I honestly wouldn't have thought about adding the roasted cauliflower to it. I need to give it a try.
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos
You had my attention at the mere mention of roasted cauliflower and the other flavors - love them! This salad needs to be made asap, and served with pita bread 🙂
Cookin Canuck
Mediterranean flavors are always so bright and fresh, and this salad looks like it falls beautifully into that category. And really, you just can't beat roasted cauliflower!
Heather | girlichef
So much goodness in this dish. I want a couple of warm pitas to scoop everything up (and into my mouth)!
Angie
Lemon does make everything better, and so does olives. We always have a stockpile. Beautiful salad!
Lora @cakeduchess
Mediterranean (Italian)dishes are wonderful! There are so many healthy dishes to explore from around the Mediterranean Sea made with wonderful extra virgin olive oil. The lemon adds such brightness to a dish! Just love this salad, Brenda!
Isabelle @ Crumb
I'm totally Team Lemon.... it's amazing how much flavours perk up when you add a little acid! Love how you've used it here with the mellow roasted cauliflower and the briny olives... all this needs is a big chunk of crusty bread to make it a perfect take-to-work lunch.
Martha @ A Family Feast
Oh yum - this is totally my kind of dish! Sounds fantastic!
Lauren+Kelly+Nutrition
You are right, lemon is such an important addition! This looks wonderful, I bet roasting the cauliflower makes it tastes amazing!