Cauliflower Salad with Dates & Pistachios

Whether you’re ready for fall or hanging onto the last days of summer, we’ve got just the salad for the season! This lemony chopped cauliflower salad has the bright, crunchy, refreshing elements of summer coating a comforting fall veggie. The best part? It’s studded with pops of sweet dates!

Made in 1 bowl in just 10 minutes, it’s a quick & easy side perfect for late-summer picnics or pairing with your favorite protein for a simple lunch or dinner. Let us show you how!

We’re no strangers to cauliflower salads (exhibits A and B), but this is the first raw cauliflower salad to join the Minimalist Baker family (what took us so long?!). Not only is this salad super EASY to make, but it also tastes really fresh, making it perfect for warmer weather or whenever you want a quick side!

How to Cut Cauliflower

While we often cut cauliflower into florets (for tacos, gratins, and roasting), or make cauliflower rice, this raw cauliflower salad benefits from something a little different! For this recipe, we cut the cauliflower into thin slices (with a sharp knife or mandolin), including some of the core. This helps keep the pieces together, allows the dressing to coat more of the cauliflower, and makes the salad a really pleasant texture to eat (no chomping into huge florets).

Cauliflower Salad Ingredients

The full recipe is below, but here are some details about what is in this salad and ideas for modifying:

• Dates – the dates totally make this salad! If you’ve tried medjool dates in our celery salad or shaved Brussels sprout salad, you likely already know the sweet, tender magic they add. We wouldn’t recommend subbing anything else, but if you must, dried apricots would be our top recommendation!
• Pistachios – chopped pistachios add crunch and a rich, nutty flavor to this salad. Pine nuts also work well because they add a similar richness. Toasted slivered almonds might work in a pinch (though we haven’t tested it!), or if you’re nut-free, you could try toasted chopped pepitas.
• Parsley – parsley isn’t a major player here, but it does add a lovely herby note, pop of color, and extra freshness. Cilantro also works, but parsley works especially well with the other Middle Eastern-inspired ingredients (dates and pistachios).
• Lemon-Dijon dressing – the dressing is a simple mixture of lemon zest + juice, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and salt. We can’t guarantee success with other ingredients, but you could experiment with another liquid sweetener (such as honey), a neutral oil in place of olive oil, or spicy mustard instead of Dijon.

How to Make This Cauliflower Salad

This salad is seriously simple to make! You’ll need just 1 large bowl (minimal dishes is our jam!). First, you’ll whisk together all the dressing ingredients in the bowl. Then you’ll add the chopped cauliflower, dates, pistachios, and parsley to that same large bowl. Give it a stir and it’s salad time!

If you’re wanting to make the salad in advance, you can shake the dressing ingredients in a small jar. When ready to serve, let the dressing come to room temperature (especially important if the olive oil has solidified) and combine with the remaining ingredients. Chopped cauliflower can start to smell a little sulfuric as it sits in the refrigerator, so this salad is best when fresh, but leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

We can’t wait for you to try this salad! It’s:

Crunchy
Vibrant
Lemony
Sweet
Nutty
Fresh
& SO quick + easy!

What to Serve with This Cauliflower Salad

For a simple meal, we love serving this salad with a protein, such as falafel, crispy chickpeas, salmon, or chicken kebabs. It pairs especially well with Middle Eastern-inspired and Mediterranean-inspired recipes, including our Simple Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus, Italian Herb Tofu Wraps, Moroccan Lentil-Stuffed Eggplant, and Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs (Mediterranean-Inspired).

More Simple Veggie Side Dishes