Name: Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Arugula, Walnuts and Gruyère
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower (cut into bite-size florets); 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1-1/2 teaspoons salt; 3/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 5 oz. arugula; 1 cup Gruyère (grated); 1/2 cup toasted walnuts (roughly chopped)

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A healthy and tasty salad with peppery arugula, roasted cauliflower, crunchy walnuts, and creamy Gruyère!

I love the smell of roasted cauliflower. I am writing this while sitting on the futon in our guest bedroom with the sun streaming in, and I can smell the cauliflower roasting in the kitchen. I feel like a cat sitting on a windowsill. Why don’t I have a cat? Oh, right: I’m allergic.

This roasted cauliflower salad recipe is hearty enough to eat as a main course, thanks to the addition of crunchy walnuts and creamy Gruyère. But it’s light enough to have as a side salad as well (it really depends on portion size). The red wine vinaigrette is light and tangy, and beautifully complements the rich cheese and bitter arugula.

Recipe Ingredients

Cauliflower
Extra-virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Arugula
Gruyère cheese
Toasted walnuts

Why This Recipe Works

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that I don’t really care for raw but I absolutely love roasted. In fact, I think I love any vegetable that has been roasted. It completely transforms the flavor of food, especially raw veggies. I made this recipe, adapted from The New York Times, while my mom and stepdad were visiting last week and we all agreed that it was a keeper. Everyone had two servings and bypassed the pork tenderloin completely. Now that’s a good salad!

The arugula adds a nice bitter, peppery flavor while the toasted walnuts and Gruyère add nuttiness and creaminess to the dish. You could easily substitute any other nut if you’re not a fan of walnuts. If you have another nutty cheese on hand, like Manchego, that would work just fine too. It’s also a very pretty salad that would go nicely on your Thanksgiving table if you want to forego that green bean casserole this year. Sacrilege! Ok, make it in addition to the casserole.

cauliflower salad with walnuts on a white plate with fork and walnuts scattered around

This salad is best served warm. The cauliflower can be roasted one day ahead. Just slip the roasted florets back into the oven for 15 minutes or so right before serving. Assemble the salad, dress it, and let your guests swoon over it.

More Recipes with Roasted Vegetables!

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.