This is the BEST cauliflower salad - utterly addictive! It's zesty and crunchy, with little pops of sweet dates and nutty pistachios. A warm, gentle spiciness from the ras el hanout spice mix adds an exotic flavour. Make it for a crowd and enjoy the leftovers (if there are any) for several days after. A great winter salad or an easy take-along for potlucks and picnics.
The garden is still deep asleep under its winter blanket of snow.
Crystal-clear days of awakening winter sunlight sparkling like diamonds on drifts of marshmallow snow are interspersed with blurry days of blowing, swirling whiteness.
Our boots crunch when we walk and our breath creates clouds of mist when we venture outside. We've had weeks of temperatures in the -20 to -40°C range. Many days the cold hurts our faces, but we northerners don't let that stop us from living our lives.
We cocoon snugly indoors on some of our early-darkening days but love to get outside and play in the snow, too. Bundled up like bulky snowmen, we go about our business and make sure we get in lots of visits with friends. We start buying seeds and planning our gardens, for the spring will surely come. Hearty winter meals are still satisfying, and a bright and crunchy winter side dish like this warming, flavourful cauliflower salad is always welcome.
It's tangy and crunchy, zesty and fresh. Little pops of sweet caramel notes from the dates are an irresistible counterpoint to the exotic warming spices of the Moroccan ras el hanout spice mix. Pistachios add a nutty complement to the bright herbs. This salad is a hit wherever you serve it. I've brought it to potlucks and gatherings - the bowl is always emptied. I love having it in the fridge during the week.
What You'll Need (or Substitutions) for Cauliflower Salad
- cauliflower - choose a large (about 2 pound/900 g), firm, unblemished head of cauliflower. You'll need about 8 cups of cauliflower pieces.
- dates - use regular whole dates (Medjool dates don't work as well here as they're too soft and jammy and can dissolve as the salad gets stirred)
- pistachios - the pop of green is lovely, but try coarsely chopped almonds or hazelnuts for a delicious substitution
- wine vinegar - white or red wine vinegar work well, but apple cider vinegar is tasty, too
- ras el hanout - is a rich Morrocan spice blend including up to 30 spices, which varies according to the spice blender's secret recipe. It means 'top of the shop' (best of the shop). It can be found in specialty spice shops or online, but if you can't get it, you could use garam masala or a mild curry powder for a curried version of this cauliflower salad
- honey - for a vegan version, substitute the honey with maple syrup or agave nectar
- cilantro or mint - either provides a bright freshness, or use a combination of both. You could use parsley, too.
Chop, Toss, & Taste
Chop the onions and nuts and dice the dates. Then cut the cauliflower florets into popcorn-sized pieces and finely dice the stems.
Shake or stir the dressing ingredients in a jar, and you're ready to assemble your salad. You can do it a few hours before serving so the flavours can meld and soften.
The vinaigrette will taste quite tangy when you first toss the salad, but don't panic - after an hour or two to absorb and get mellow, it will be just perfect.
How Does Cauliflower Salad Keep?
Make up the cauliflower salad a couple of hours before serving so the flavours have time to soak into the vegetables. The beauty of this salad is that it stays fresh and crunchy for up to five days in the fridge. I love sneaking small bowls to eat as a satisfying snack any time of day. The dressing soaks into the cauliflower and tastes milder, so I find that a small drizzle of wine vinegar (just a teaspoon or two) can help brighten up the salad again after the first day and make it taste freshly made.
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Guten Appetit!
Cauliflower Salad with Dates and Pistachios
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 lbs/900 g) (~8 cups prepared)
- ½ cup (80 g) pitted dates
- ½ cup (60 g) shelled pistachio nuts (or almonds)
- ¼ cup finely minced shallot or onion (¼ of a medium onion)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 4 teaspoons ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or mint
Instructions
- Trim the cauliflower of any green leaves and the hard stem end. Divide the head into florets, then separate the florets into small popcorn-sized sections. Dice any stems and core pieces into small cubes (about ¼-inch/.6cm). You should have about 8 cups of prepared cauliflower in total.
- Pit the dates and dice them - cut each date lengthwise into quarters, then cut the quarters into 3 or 4 pieces.Roughly chop the pistachios (or almonds).
- Finely mince the onion, then add it to a small jar along with the vinegar, oil, ras el hanout, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine the ingredients for the salad dressing. The dressing can be prepared up to a few days ahead and refrigerated until needed.
- Add the prepared cauliflower, dates, nuts, and chopped herbs (if using them) to a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss well to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Leave the cauliflower to marinate in the dressing for about 2 hours before serving it.
- Makes 8 cups (2 litres) of salad. Leftovers keep well for up to 5 days, refrigerated.
Margaret
We love this salad! It's been an absolute hit with anyone we've served it to. I hope you try it, and let me know in the comments how you like it. 🙂
Viv
What a great and unusual way to prepare and eat cauliflower! I'm going to seek out the ras el hanout online. Thanks for this middle-of-winter inspiration!
Margaret
You are so welcome! ❤️ I hope it brinks a bit of warmth and spice to your menu!