Low Carb Roasted Cauliflower “Potato” Salad

If you’re looking for a low carb side dish this summer, I think you’re going to love this Low Carb Roasted Cauliflower “Potato” Salad! It’s so simple to make using roasted cauliflower, celery, red onion, and a creamy herb dressing, is super flavorful, vegan, and a great low carb option to traditional potato salad.

It has been a very hot summer so far here in Ohio 🥵. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some potatoes! But sometimes with the heat I’m not in the mood for carb-heavy dishes. But if we’re being honest, summer is potato salad season! And who doesn’t love a good potato salad?! So, I wanted to come up with a low carb “potato” salad that is light and fresh, but tastes like potato salad minus all the heavy carbs.

My kids immediately said, “this tastes like potato salad!” so I guess that means mission accomplished, because my kids don’t lie when it comes to whether or not they like my recipes 🤣. And spoiler alert! They ate it all! So you know it’s a good recipe when they’ll eat cauliflower, celery, and red onions.

Why I Love Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the most versatile vegetables in a vegan diet. You can use cauliflower to make pasta, soup, macaroni and cheese, “steaks”, and casseroles to name a few!

The flavor of cauliflower easily adapts to the dish you’re using it in, and in this particular recipe- making potato-less salad taste like potato salad, minus the starchy texture. I think you’re going to love the flavor of this diabetic-friendly recipe!

Cauliflower is also low in carbohydrates and has a low glycemic index (GI) value, meaning that the carbohydrates in cauliflower are digested and released into the bloodstream gradually, which can help control blood sugar. This means that cauliflower is a great option for people with diabetes. Cauliflower is also a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which can help regulate blood glucose levels and improve diabetic health.

How To Make This Mock Potato Salad

Wash and cut the cauliflower, removing the leaves and stem, so that only medium-sized florets remain.

Arrange the cauliflower florets onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with dried oregano, basil, and salt.

Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, tossing occasionally to ensure all sides of the cauliflower florets get nice and golden brown. 

The Dressing

Next, make the dressing by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

The dressing is adapted from the dressing used in this Simple Vegan Roasted Potato Salad made in collaboration with Orchids and Sweet Tea and is so so good!

While the cauliflower is roasting, slice the celery and dice the red onion. Set aside. You may also buy pre-sliced and diced celery and red onion to cut back on meal prep time if desired!

When the cauliflower is done roasting, place it into a large bowl and allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add the celery, onion and dressing. Toss to combine, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve! 

How To Enjoy This Faux Potato Salad

This salad is best enjoyed the same day at room temperature or chilled. You can enjoy it as a side dish in place of potato or pasta salad alongside your plant-based burgers, hotdogs, brats, or chicken. You can enjoy this Low Carb Roasted Cauliflower “Potato” Salad as a meal all on its own, or for some added protein you can add crispy tofu!

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I Use Fresh Herbs Instead of Dried Herbs?

I used dried herbs or partially dried herbs in this cauliflower salad, but you can use fresh basil, oregano, and dill if you’d like!

Note: Because dried herbs have a stronger, deeper flavor than fresh herbs, you will need to use more fresh herbs than the recipe calls for.

Optional Add-ins

I kept this potato salad very simple and of course vegan and gluten-free, but if you consume eggs, you could add hard boiled eggs to this “potato” salad.

You could also add some plant-based bacon, maybe even tofu bacon, coconut bacon, or carrot bacon.

Let me know what you think about this easy mock potato salad recipe down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a five rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this Low Carb Roasted Cauliflower “Potato” Salad recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make it!

If You’re Craving Real Potato Salad…

More Cauliflower Recipes To Try

Print