Roasted Cauliflower and Arugula Salad
Published Feb. 14, 2024
- Total Time
- 55 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 1large cauliflower (2½ to 3 pounds), cut into 1-inch florets
- 6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1½teaspoons fine sea or table salt, plus more to taste
- 1teaspoon garam masala
- ¼teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1large red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
- 3tablespoons drained capers
- 2teaspoons cumin seeds
- ⅓cup golden raisins (or substitute another dried fruit, such as cranberries, diced apricots or dates)
- Boiling water, as needed
- 3tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 1quart (4 ounces) arugula
- 1cup Italian parsley leaves
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, garam masala and cayenne. Spread out the florets and roast for 15 minutes.
- Step 2
Put about two-thirds of the sliced red onion, the capers, cumin seeds and a pinch of salt into a small bowl; drizzle with a little olive oil. Add mixture to the cauliflower and toss well. Roast for another 25 to 28 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are browned and tender. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Taste a cauliflower floret and add more salt if needed.
- Step 3
While the cauliflower is roasting, place the raisins in a small heatproof bowl (you can use the same bowl you used for the onions) and top with enough boiling water to cover. Let soak until they are soft (up to 15 minutes if your raisins were rock hard to start with). Drain well and return to the bowl.
- Step 4
Add remaining onion to the raisins. Toss with 1 tablespoon lime juice and a large pinch of salt.
- Step 5
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and as much black pepper as you like. Whisk until emulsified, then taste and add more salt if needed.
- Step 6
When ready to serve, in a large salad bowl, toss together the arugula, parsley leaves, slightly cooled cauliflower mixture, pickled raisin and red onion mixture, and half of the lime dressing. Toss well, adding more dressing to taste.
Private Notes
Comments
Home Run, MC! Not only was this salad delicious, it was visually beautiful. Used cranberries (cuz I had them) and threw in a fistful of fresh mint, cuz who doesn’t love mint with their arugula? Absolutely divine salad….will def make again and again.
Made this recipe exactly as written and it is delicious. It’s full of flavor and is really unique— something you could bring to a potluck and people would be super surprised how good it is and ask for the recipe. Home run!
Emphasis on chopping the cauliflower up small! Can be done either prior to roasting of after, but it is necessary to get all the flavors together. Really good! Dont like raisins, so used dried apricots. Didnt have capers, and used a lemon vinegrette instead of lime.
I made this as written. I will make again, but will halve the red onion. It was way too much even for my husband, who cannot eat a salad without red onion! The cooked onion was the winner for both of us.
A surprising combination of flavors that's unexpectedly tasty and satisfying. I also roasted the cauliflower for much less time than indicated. Would give this 5 stars if not for the number of steps (and bowls) required. I roasted cauli in the morning and finished the salad at dinnertime. Served with rotisserie chicken, but it would make a fine summer meal on its own.
Overall, it had a little too much parsley for us, but we may try it again. We used dates, because that is our favorite dried fruit.