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    Home » Salads » Simple Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

    Simple Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

    January 14, 2022 , Updated February 16, 2022 Maria 6 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe
    An overhead shot of the cauliflower salad with a few lemon slices and fennel fronds scattered about.

    Nothing works better for potlucks than a dish you can make ahead, and this cauliflower salad recipe sure fits the bill! Crunchy cauliflower, refreshing fennel, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette are the basis for this tasty and simple make-ahead salad.

    A colorful and unique salad recipe with cauliflower, fennel and cherry tomatoes.
    Jump to:
    • Introduction
    • Mise en place
    • Directions
    • Tips 
    • Recipe variations
    • FAQ
    • What makes this a great cauliflower salad recipe?
    • Italian fennel recipes
    • Recipe origins
    • Recipe

    Introduction

    For a cauliflower salad recipe with such basic ingredients, this one sure packs a lot of flavors.

    This unique salad recipe is the perfect combination of satisfying and refreshing. If you love marinated olives or Italian giardiniera, this will quickly become a new favorite for your next meal!

    If you are wondering what makes it so refreshing and delicious, the answer is the licorice-like flavor of fennel. It gives this dish an extra burst that takes it from good to fantastic!

    If you are not particularly fond of adding raw fennel to salads, you can always try adding grilled fennel. The taste transformation from licorice to sweet when grilling this vegetable is truly spectacular.

    Fennel also has a well-earned reputation for excellent flavors with citrus flavors. For example, there’s fennel orange salad, which combines it deliciously!

    The tangy flavor of this salad comes from combining olives, lemons and fennel. The lemon vinaigrette adds a surprising but pleasant burst of acidity that you’ll love in every bite!

    This salad is full of flavor, comes together quickly, and can easily be made in advance. The most time-consuming part might just be chopping all the vegetables, so let’s get started with that first!

    The ingredients to make a cauliflower salad are on a wooden cutting board.

    Mise en place

    Before we begin chopping, place a couple of liters of water in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. 

    Rinse your fruits and vegetables properly under running water and pat them dry.

    Next, separate 1 head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place in a nonreactive bowl. Glass or ceramic works well.

    Cauliflower and lemon slices in a bowl.

    Next, cut 1 organic lemon into skinny slices and place it in the same bowl as the cauliflower.

    Finally, cut the stalks from one fennel bulb. Trim a skinny slice from the bulb’s base and remove any tough outer layers if they appear to be blemished. You can use a peeler to remove any spots.

    Dice the fennel into bite-sized pieces and set it aside. Reserve the fronds for garnishing the salad. 

    Directions

    This salad comes together unconventionally but very quickly.

    Begin by pouring the boiling water into the bowl containing the sliced cauliflower and lemon. Be sure to use enough water to submerge them.

    Let stand for about 8 minutes. This process softens the cauliflowers without removing their crunch and gives them a lemony flavor. 

    The ingredients to make the tangy vinaigrette for the fennel salad.

    Meanwhile, let’s prepare the vinaigrette by simply shaking all ingredients together in a mason jar or whisking them together in a small bowl.

    The lemon vinaigrette ingredients are:

    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
    • juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
    • 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
    • 2 teaspoons of freshly chopped oregano
    • 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
    • 1 minced or grated garlic clove
    • salt and black pepper to taste

    Strain the water from the cauliflower and lemon.  Add the diced fennel, the vinaigrette, and 1 cup of pitless chopped olives. Toss everything together.

    Refrigerate for a couple of hours or up to two days in an airtight container.

    Toss in about 2 cups of cherry tomato halves when ready to serve.

    Taste and adjust seasonings.

    Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.

    Aren’t the bright colors of this fennel salad recipe just wonderful?

    A close up shot of the colorful fennel salad consisting of olives, cauliflower, fennel, cherry tomatoes, fresh oregano, fennel fronds and lemon zest.

    Tips 

    • There is an idle refrigeration time of two hours for the flavors to marinate, do not be tempted to skip this step.
    • Add the tomatoes just before serving the salad; this prevents them from becoming mealy.
    • Feel free to use your favorite herbs and spices.
    • The quality of a salad often depends on the freshness of the ingredients.
    • Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

    Recipe variations

    This salad is so versatile; you can enjoy it in various ways. Make it your own signature dish by simply substituting an ingredient or adding some garnishes. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    Replace the fennel with celery and you’ll get a nice crunch without that distinctive licorice flavor.

    Substitute the tomato in this salad with red bell pepper, and you have an equally appealing dish.

    Add a protein source to make this healthy salad into a complete meal, add tuna or cheese, or go meatless with legumes. 

    FAQ

    How do you choose a good cauliflower?

    The freshest cauliflower will provide the best taste, so it is a good idea to buy a good one! Look for white cauliflower that does not have blemishes or brown spots. The florets should be densely packed and a heavier cauliflower is generally preferable. 

    What goes well with this salad?

    Whether served chilled or at room temperature, it’s a great side salad served with this baked codfish or these healthy tuna patties. 

    What makes this a great cauliflower salad recipe?

    Salads are all about the perfect balance of flavor and texture. 

    There are five basic flavor profiles: sweet, salty, sour (aka acidic), bitter, and umami. This salad incorporates ingredients that provide each of these profiles.

    In this raw cauliflower salad, you’ll find that tomatoes, fennel, and cauliflower provide sweetness while the lemon provides acidity. The lemon rind, which is left intact, lends a slightly bitter note. The umami flavor comes chiefly from the tomatoes and the garlic. And the saltiness comes from… salt.

    The texture is also an essential part of making a good salad. This salad gets a lot of crunch from the cauliflower and fennel, but the tomato and olives add a second, softer texture. The two complement each other well.

    Italian fennel recipes

    Fennel is a staple in Italian cuisine, and for a good reason. This vegetable features anise-like flavors that frequently appear as an ingredient in many salads, and pairs well in chicken and potatoes dishes. Fennel is also great on its own, eaten raw, grilled or simply roasted. 

    A colorful cauliflower salad on a serving platter.

    Recipe origins

    Ever since I can remember and still to this day, I have been a big fan of Elizabeth Baird, one of the former food editors of Canadian Living Magazine.

    As a result, I have countless cookbooks that she authored. One such cookbook is “Vegetarian Dishes, Canadian Living’s best,” first published in 1997.

    I immediately fell in love with the simplicity, convenience, and adaptability of this recipe.

    I tweaked the vinaigrette ingredients to suit my families’ taste – feel free to do the same. The other change I made was the addition of green olives and fennel.

    This is one of my go-to fennel salad recipes for potlucks or buffet parties…, especially in the summer.

    Hopefully, you will enjoy it as much as I do.

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community, where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you have made this refreshing salad, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

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    Recipe

    Cauliflower fennel salad on a white serving platter.

    Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

    This make-ahead Lemon Fennel Salad recipe is perfect for potlucks or buffet parties. The tangy vinaigrette turns this simple salad into a taste sensation!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Canadian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 246kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 head cauliflower separated into bite-sized florets
    • 1 lemon organic, thinly sliced
    • boiling water
    • 1 head fennel diced, reserve fronds for garnish
    • 1 cup olives green and/or black, pitted and sliced
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved

    Lemon Vinaigrette:

    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
    • juice of 1 lemon approximately 3 tablespoons
    • 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, Italian flat-leaf
    • 2 teaspoons oregano minced, fresh or 1 teaspoon dry
    • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
    • 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • reserved fennel fronds for garnish

    Instructions

    • In a non-reactive bowl, pour boiling water over the cauliflower florets and lemon slices. Allow to stand together for about 8 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette together in a mason jar or whisk together in a bowl. Set aside.
    • Drain the water from cauliflower and lemons and place them in a non-reactive mixing bowl.
    • Add the diced fennel.
    • Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss everything together.
    • Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 2 days in an airtight container.
    • Just before serving, add sliced tomatoes and toss together.
    • Taste and adjust seasonings.
    • Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon’t miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Notes

    • There is an idle refrigeration time of two hours for the flavors to marinate, do not be tempted to skip this step.
    • Add the tomatoes just before serving the salad; this prevents them from becoming mealy.
    • Feel free to use your favorite herbs and spices.
    • The quality of a salad often depends on the freshness of the ingredients.
    • Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 
    *adapted from Canadian Living

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 606mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 73.7mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1.7mg
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    This post was originally published on March 25, 2017, and republished on January 14, 2022, with updated content and photos.  Thanks for sharing!

     
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    Filed Under: Salads, Vegetarian

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rosa

      March 26, 2017 at 4:39 am

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh, Maria! Yum!! This sounds like a faster and easier version of homemade giardaniera! I honestly am not a big fan of salads (my parents always made a iceberg salad dressed with vegetable oil, white vinegar, salt and oregano … now I wonder how I used to eat that), but this salad sounds so delicious!! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 26, 2017 at 10:17 am

        Rosa, you have described this salad perfectly! My mom would make the perfect giardiniera that I still have not been able to reproduce… in the meanwhile I make this recipe. Thanks for dropping by Rosa… Buona Domenica ♥

        Reply
    2. Jovina Coughlin

      March 25, 2017 at 10:17 am

      Delicious combination.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 25, 2017 at 10:19 am

        I absolutely agree! Thanks so much for dropping by Jovina ♥

        Reply
    3. Maria

      March 25, 2017 at 8:50 am

      Never thought of using cauliflower as a salad! Tks for sharing, have a great day!????

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 25, 2017 at 9:09 am

        I always have to refrain myself from munching on this salad when I have it “marinating” in the fridge. Hope you enjoy it Mar! Thanks for dropping by ♥♥♥

        Reply

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    Maria from She loves biscotti

    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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