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This Roasted Cauliflower Salad features cauliflower tossed with curry powder and extra turmeric, roasted until tender and golden, and then tossed with protein-packed lentils and sweet, juicy grapes. The flavor and texture is perfect!
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Not only do I love love love cauliflower, but two of the most popular recipes on this blog are cauliflower recipes – my Crispy Baked Cauliflower Tacos and my Buffalo Cauliflower Bites! Clearly, you guys love cauliflower, too.
Roasting vegetables brings out their flavors and their sweetness. Veggies that you don’t like raw, you might find you like roasted. The slightly charred edges and tender insides – so good!
For more roasted veggie perfection, try my Roasted Veggie Rice Bowls, Roasted Vegetable Pasta, and Roasted Red Potato Salad.
I hope you love this Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad as much as I do! It has some of my favorite flavors and textures and it’s perfect as a side or a light main dish.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Cauliflower ~ Cauliflower happens to be one of my favorite vegetables. It’s very hearty and filling, yet super low in calories. It is also high in vitamin C, vitamin K, B vitamins, fiber, folate, healthy omega-3 fats, potassium, and protein [source].
Roasting the cauliflower brings out its natural sweetness and nuttiness and creates a perfectly tender texture. A drizzle of oil helps the cauliflower to brown. For an oil-free option, try a squeeze of lemon juice instead.
Bottom line – this crunchy veggie should be on your plate and this Roasted Cauliflower Salad is a great way to start. - Onion ~ Red onion is my preferred choice here. I’m not much for raw onions, but I can’t get enough of roasted red onions (and pickled red onions, but we’re not using those here). They’re so good!
- Lentils ~ Lentils provide healthy plant protein. You’ll want to choose brown or green lentils which hold up well after cooking. For convenience, I usually grab a can of lentils. You could certainly cook your own from dried lentils. They only take about 20 minutes to cook and they don’t need to be soaked first. If you use canned lentils, make sure to drain and rinse them well before adding them to the recipe.
Do not use red lentils as they cook up more like a mash and don’t hold their shape. As a substitution, chickpeas would be delicious. - Grapes ~The grapes lend a great fresh burst of sweetness that nicely balances out the earthy flavors of the spices used here. I use this same trick with apples in my Curried Tofu Salad.
I also use fresh grapes in my savory Raw Veggie Chopped Salad and my Vegan Chickpea Salad – two more reader favorites – and they work just as well in this Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad. - Roasting spices ~ Curry and cauliflower are a match made in heaven. Curry powder is a quick and easy way to impart a lot of flavor. Turmeric is the main spice in curry powder, but I like to add extra turmeric to really drive home that flavor…and because it’s so good for you! [source]. Salt and pepper round out the combo.
- Dressing ~ For the curry dressing, I use more of the same spices – curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper – combined with a base of creamy almond butter and fresh lemon juice and lightly sweetened with a drizzle of pure maple syrup. If your almond butter is really thick, whisk in a tablespoon or two of water to the dressing to thin it out.
For a nut-free option, use tahini instead of almond butter. - Extras ~ I like to add some fresh chopped cilantro to the salad. You could use parsley if you prefer or just leave out the herbs. Sprinkle some chopped nuts or seeds over the top if you like a crunch.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Chop the cauliflower into bite-size florets and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Add the thinly sliced red onion.
- Step 3: Drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Sprinkle on the spices and toss again to evenly distribute.
- Step 4: Spread the vegetable mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet in one even layer (as much as possible).
- Step 5: Roast until tender and caramelized, stirring halfway through.
- Step 6: Add the curry roasted cauliflower and onions back to the large bowl with the lentils, sliced grapes, and cilantro (if using).
- Step 7: Whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth. Add water to thin, if necessary.
- Step 8: Drizzle a bit of the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine.
Serving suggestions
This salad is delicious served warm, room temperature, or cold straight from the fridge.
Dress it up: Use as little or as much of the curry dressing as you like. The roasted cauliflower salad has so much flavor, that just a little dressing goes a long way. I like to drizzle just a bit on top and then serve the rest on the side for anyone who might want more.
Add more garnishes: For a crunch: sprinkle some chopped nuts or seeds over the top, like almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds. For some chew: Toss in some golden raisins or chopped dried apricots or dates. For an oniony bite: sliced green onions would add a lovely added touch.
As a main dish: This salad is hearty enough to be eaten as a full meal on its own as I often do for lunch.
As a side dish: Stretch it further by serving it alongside vegan chicken cutlets or baked tofu.
With a soup: Serve a soup and salad combo by pairing it with a bowl of Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup or Easy Black Bean Soup.
With leafy greens: Serve the warm cauliflower salad over a bed of chopped kale, arugula, or fresh spinach. Or serve it alongside a leafy green salad like my Butter Lettuce Salad or Massaged Kale Quinoa Salad.
Add some grains: Add some cooked rice or quinoa to the salad or serve it with a scoop of grains on the side.
Storage
Meal prep: All of the components of this curry roasted cauliflower salad can be made in advance and stored in separate containers in the fridge until ready to assemble. Or combine the entire salad and keep it in the fridge for easy grab-n-go mid-week lunches.
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this salad.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Chop the cauliflower into fairly equal size florets so they all cook at the same rate.
~ If your cauliflower is small, use just 1 tablespoon of oil. If you have a large cauliflower, you may need 1.5-2 tablespoons of oil. You want just enough oil to lightly coat the florets and help the spices to stick. There should NOT be extra oil in the bottom of the bowl. If in doubt, start with 1 tablespoon, toss well, and only add more if the cauliflower seems dry.
~ Don’t overcrowd the pan when roasting the vegetables! Use two pans if necessary. This is to ensure the edges of the veggies get nice and caramelized and the texture is tender, yet firm, not mushy.
~ Use brown or green lentils which hold their shape well after cooking. Do not use red lentils.
~ If using canned lentils, drain and rinse them first. If cooking dried lentils, cook them until just tender, but not mushy.
~ Prepared as written this curry roasted cauliflower salad is gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan.
~ For an oil-free option, toss the cauliflower with lemon juice or vegetable broth, instead of olive oil before sprinkling on the spices.
~ For a nut-free option, use tahini instead of almond butter in the dressing.
~ Double up the dressing and use the extra to drizzle on salads, roasted vegetables, or grain bowls all week.
~ This salad could easily be doubled to feed a crowd.
FAQs
If the curry roasted cauliflower is mushy, you probably used too much oil, too low of an oven temperature, or (most likely) you overcrowded the pan. To ensure perfect roasted cauliflower every time: Use just enough oil to very lightly coat the cauliflower and help the spices to stick. The oven temp should be 400°F. And spread the cauliflower out in one even layer, using two pans if necessary. Do not overcrowd the pan!
Of course! If you’re not a fan of curry spices, try using any combo of chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic, and cumin. Dried herbs like oregano, thyme, sage, and coriander can also be used.
For a different dressing, try my Tahini Goddess Dressing, Creamy Sesame Salad Dressing, or Southwest Vegan Ranch Dressing.
More vegan recipes with cauliflower
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- 1-2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 can (15 oz) brown or green lentils rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked lentils)
- 1 cup halved red seedless grapes
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped, optional
For the dressing (makes about ½ cup)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons raw creamy almond butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon yellow curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons water to thin, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets and sliced red onion with olive oil, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, salt, and pepper. Spread into an even layer own the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables around and spread back out into one even layer. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and the red onions are caramelized.
- Toss the cauliflower and onion mixture with the lentils, sliced red grapes, and cilantro, if using.
- Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, adding just enough water until you reach your desired consistency. How much water you need will depend on how thickness of your almond butter. Sometimes I don't need to add any water at all.
- Drizzle some of the dressing lightly over the salad and serve with extra dressing on the side. This salad tastes great warm, at room temperature or even cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Diana
Hello Jenn,
Just prepared the cauliflower recipe with lentils, grapes, red onions and delish sauce. The flavors blended beautifully and what a vegan culinary delight which is prepared in such a short amount of cooking time. Thank you kindly for sharing this fabulous recipe.
All the best, Diana
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m so happy you love it, Diana! Thank you so much for your comment and feedback.
The Vegan 8
This is such a beautiful salad and it sounds incredibly delicious! I actually hated cauliflower until this year and now I absolutely LOVE it! It’s so crazy how much I enjoy it now. I love it roasted and I love it totally pureed into a soup, omg, so good. I’m in love with the sound of that dressing too. I love almond butter dressing, it’s so rich and delicious!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Brandi. I’m glad you came around on the cauliflower! It’s one of my favorite veggies. So delicious and so versatile!
Brian Jones
What an intriguing set of flavours, love them all separately but never tried them together, very inventive.
Jenn S.
Thanks, Brian! It definitely brings a lot of flavor. So good!
Anya
I love cauliflower! Especially when it’s roasted and tossed with all those amazing flavors. Never considered to add grapes to them – but looks like it’s definitely a winner!
Jenn S.
I love the fresh burst of flavor from the grapes! So good. Thanks, Anya!
Jasmin | The Happiness Kitchen
A millions yesses. This cauliflower salad looks amazing!! All the ingredients are put together and used so beautifully. YUM!
Jenn S.
Aw, thank you so much, Jasmin! It’s delicious!