Roasted cauliflower salad with Green Goddess dressing

A satisfying and delicious vegetable delight!

This is a meal that even my meat-loving husband adores. It is just packed with so much flavour and the contrasting textures make it extra appealing. The dressing – purportedly created in San Francisco in the 1920s in honour of a movie by the same name – adds so much to the overall appeal of the dish but you could also swap in your favourite creamy dressing – just be sure not to use too much of it. We enjoy eating this salad when the cauliflower and onion are still warm from roasting but it’s equally good at room temperature as well. If you enjoy this dish, you might also like my roasted cauliflower with pesto and parmesan or my roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 cups (400 g) small cauliflower florets (about 1 large)
• 1 cup (50 g) chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Few pinches smoked paprika
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• 1 cup (180 g) halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 3 cups (8 oz/227 g) chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup (33 g) roasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup (25 g) thinly sliced green onion tops

Dressing

• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 cup (75 g) fresh (or frozen then thawed) avocado (1 small)
• 5 – 6 tablespoons (75 – 90 mL) water
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegans)
• Few drops Tabasco or other hot sauce
• 1/2 cup (15 g) packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup (15 g) packed fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup (35 g) packed sliced green onion tops
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) coarse kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) maple syrup or honey
• 3- 4 tablespoons (45-60 mL) apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Method

• Preheat oven or air fryer to 400F. Toss cauliflower florets, chopped red onion and olive oil in a bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper plus a few pinches of smoked paprika; toss again. Spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray (if roasting in the oven) or transfer to the basket of an air fryer. Roast until cauliflower is tender and edges are just beginning to char; about 10-12 minutes in the air fryer or 20-25 minutes in the oven. Cooking time will vary depending upon size of cauliflower florets so start checking for doneness with the tip of a sharp knife after 8 minutes (air fryer) or 15 minutes (oven) .
• While cauliflower roasts, make dressing. To begin, put garlic, avocado, water, oil, avocado, herbs, onion, seasonings and sweetener in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
• Add lemon juice and apple cider vinegar (start with the smaller amounts given), blend again, then taste and add more to achieved desired level of tanginess.
• Makes about 1 cup (250 mL) of dressing and you’ll not need it all for this dish. Leftover dressing can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Also while cauliflower roasts, use a vegetable peeler (a Y peeler is especially good for this) to slice the already-peeled carrot into thin ribbons. If you prefer, you can also grate the carrot.
• When cauliflower and onions are cooked, transfer to a large serving bowl and drizzle with about one third of the prepared Green Goddess dressing. Toss to coat evenly. Add carrot ribbons, halved cherry tomatoes and chopped lettuce and add another few tablespoons of dressing; toss to coat again, adding more dressing if needed.
• Scatter sunflower seeds and sliced green onion over top and serve.

Serves 4 as a main course or more as a side dish.