Cauliflower Antipasto Salad

This refreshing Cauliflower Antipasto Salad is a twist on the classic Italian appetizer, featuring cauliflower “rice” instead of traditional grains.

Bursting with flavor from cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and a tangy dressing, this salad is perfect for a light and satisfying side dish or lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup of pitted and sliced black olives
• 1 cup of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 cup of pepperoncini, sliced
• 1 cup of sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Instructions

Rinse the cauliflower and remove the leaves and stem.

Cut it into small florets and pulse in a food processor until it resembles rice.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower “rice,” cherry tomatoes, black olives, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, and red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.

Pour the dressing over the cauliflower mixture and toss to combine.

Stir in the chopped parsley and basil.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

If using feta cheese, crumble it over the top of the salad and serve.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Serve chilled, garnished with additional parsley if desired.

Notes

To get the best out of your cauliflower, use a fresh head and make sure to pulse it in the food processor until it resembles rice. Don’t overprocess, or it’ll turn into mush.

If using feta cheese, sprinkle it on top of the salad just before serving to avoid it getting soggy.

Feel free to customize the salad to your taste by adding or substituting other antipasto favorites, such as salami or roasted red peppers. Letting the salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes will allow the flavors to meld together beautifully.

The longer it sits, the better it gets! This salad makes a great side dish for a party or potluck, and it’s also perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner.

Just be aware that the cauliflower “rice” will absorb some of the dressing, so you may want to adjust the amount of dressing depending on your personal preference. If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can substitute it with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, but keep in mind the flavor will be slightly different.

This recipe makes 6 servings, but it’s easy to scale up or down depending on your needs.

Just remember to adjust the amount of dressing accordingly.

Nutrional Value

• Calories: 240
• Total Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 2.5g
• Cholesterol: 10mg
• Sodium: 350mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 24g
• Dietary Fiber: 6g
• Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 10g