Marinated Cauliflower Salad with Bell Peppers and Olives
By Victor Lang
Prep
20 min
Total
20 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
I buy fresh, firm, non-browned cauliflower for this cold salad. Cut the fresh cauliflower into small pieces and dry. Combine with other salad ingredients, such as parsley, and dress with white wine vinaigrette.
Floret size is important but not critical: Florets as big as a nickel or larger absorb too little dressing, and florets smaller than a nickel do not remain white. I recommend using a large bowl to toss the salad because it allows me to add the dressing to the bowl without damaging the vegetables. Soak sliced raw onion in ice water for 5 minutes and pat them dry before adding to the bowl to reduce onion flavor.
I blend the vinaigrette until it's clear and thick, then mix in dried oregano before serving with vegetables; dried oregano can be identified right away. Mustard is included in vinaigrettes so that salads won't have an oily film. Toss salad ingredients gently to coat them.
Serve cold as a side with other cooked meats or dishes, also served with garlic butter shrimp scampi as a cold side dish with dinner. Other ideas for use include meal preparation and parties, I generally serve this dish while the cooked cauliflower still looks bright white for appearance.
Reasons to make this
- Raw cauliflower remains crisp in marinades. Thawed frozen cauliflower is soft.
- A medium cauliflower provides 6 cups of chopped cauliflower for a side dish or other prepped lunches.
- Red and yellow bell peppers provide sweetness and other flavors without competing with other ingredients, such as vinegar and oregano.
- Black olives are salty. You don't need a lot of dressing on the salad.
- Dried oregano soaks in the vinaigrette before it reaches the vegetables. Parsley adds green color.
- Salads are eaten cold at more formal events.
Ingredients
- •1 medium head white cauliflower (about 600g, cut into bite-sized florets)
- •1 large red bell pepper (diced small)
- •1 large yellow bell pepper (diced small)
- •½ medium red onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
- •½ cup sliced black olives (75g)
- •½ cup extra virgin olive oil (120ml)
- •¼ cup white wine vinegar (60ml)
- •1 tsp Dijon mustard (5g)
- •½ tsp sea salt (3g)
- •¼ tsp cracked black pepper (1g)
- •1 tsp dried oregano (1g)
- •¼ cup fresh parsley (15g, finely chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Remove the green leaves and central core from the cauliflower.
- 2
Break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets no larger than a nickel, about 2cm.
- 3
Rinse the florets in cold water and pat them completely dry.
- 4
Dice the red and yellow bell peppers into small, even cubes.
- 5
Slice the red onion into thin half-moons.
- 6
Whisk the 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until translucent and cohesive.
- 7
Stir 1 teaspoon dried oregano into the dressing.
- 8
Put the cauliflower, bell peppers, red onion, and 1/2 cup sliced black olives in a large glass mixing bowl.
- 9
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently until coated.
- 10
Sprinkle the 1/4 cup chopped parsley over the salad.
- 11
Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
185
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
