Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Arugula, Walnuts and Gruyère

A healthy and full-flavored roasted cauliflower salad, with peppery arugula, crunchy walnuts, creamy Gruyère cheese, and a red wine vinaigrette. Crunchy, creamy, crisp, and tender, this easy vegetarian salad is high in fiber, protein, and many nutrients.
Light enough to serve as a side salad and hearty enough to serve as a main course, and prep time is just 15 minutes.

Roasted cauliflower is one of those life-savers when you need a quick, healthy, and hearty meal. It's delicious turned into roasted tandoori cauliflower or creamy roasted cauliflower soup, but can also be added to a variety of salads and grain bowls.

This roasted cauliflower salad is creamy, crunchy, tangy, and so incredibly satisfying when you need to get dinner on the table fast. It's a fantastic option for meal-prep, but can also be a beautiful addition to your holiday table.

⭐️ Why This Recipe is the Best

• Taste: Peppery arugula, toasted walnuts, nutty Gruyère, and a tangy and bright red wine vinaigrette make it a harmonious dish.
• Texture: Crunchy, creamy, crisp, and tender
• Healthy: This (naturally gluten-free) vegetarian salad is packed with cauliflower, arugula, and walnuts, making it high in both fiber, protein, and many nutrients.
• Easy: Prep time is just 15 minutes
• Great for weekly meal-prep
• Beautiful addition to your holiday table

🧀 Ingredient Notes

• Cauliflower - Rinse or soak your cauliflower florets and pat dry before roasting.
• Red wine vinegar - Adds deep flavor and zippiness to our salad.
• Arugula - Peppery greens that balance our the richness of nuts and cheese.
• Gruyère cheese - A drier, nutty cheese similar to Parmesan.

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Cheese. Substitute another nutty cheese, like Manchego or Parmesan.
• Make vegan: Use your favorite plant-based cheese or omit it completely.
• Vinegar. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used for a similarly tangy flavor.
• Make it heartier. Add crispy sauteed sweet potatoes or crispy bbq chickpeas for a more substantial meal.
• Greens. Fresh spinach or kale can replace the arugula.
• Nuts. Use your favorite nut in place of walnuts.

🔪 How To Make It

Heat the oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast until golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar with the remaining salt and pepper, and then whisk in the remaining oil.

In a salad bowl, toss the arugula, cheese, nuts and warm cauliflower. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until well combined.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Storage: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Make ahead: The cauliflower can be roasted one day ahead of time. Just slip the roasted florets back into a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes right before serving. Assemble and dress the salad.
• How to serve: This salad is best served warm but it can also be served chilled.
• Garnish with quick pickled red onions for extra crunch and tanginess.
• For a holiday table: Pair it with any holiday side dish, like vegetarian mushroom stuffing or red skin mashed potatoes. And for a show-stopping holiday dessert, try my caramel nut tart!

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🍽 Related Recipes

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Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Arugula, Walnuts and Gruyère

Author: MaryAnne

A healthy and full-flavored roasted cauliflower salad, with peppery arugula, crunchy walnuts, creamy Gruyère cheese, and a red wine vinaigrette. Crunchy, creamy, crisp, and tender, this easy vegetarian salad is light enough to serve as a side salad and hearty enough to serve as a main course, and prep time is just 15 minutes.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 265 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• ▢ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1-½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ▢ 5 ounces arugula
• ▢ 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
• ▢ ½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast until golden, 30 to 40 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar with the remaining salt and pepper, and then whisk in the remaining oil.
• In a salad bowl, toss the arugula, cheese, nuts and warm cauliflower.  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until well combined.

Notes

• Storage: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Make ahead: The cauliflower can be roasted one day ahead of time. Just slip the roasted florets back into a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes right before serving. Assemble and dress the salad.
• How to serve: This salad is best served warm but it can also be served chilled.
• Garnish with quick pickled red onions for extra crunch and tanginess.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 11gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 387mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 772IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 292mgIron: 1mg

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