Cauliflower couscous salad with dates, parsley and almonds is a fresh take on riced cauliflower that is flavorful and easy to make! It serves as the perfect gluten and dairy free side dish with a crunchy sweetness thanks to dates and almonds.
In this day and age where cauliflower has turned into so many things from gnocchi to pizza crust, you may be a bit skeptical when it comes to giving it a shot in yet another way.
But trust me, you’ve never had cauliflower like this before — crunchy, fresh and full of flavor in this salad with dates, almonds and parsley!
The cauliflower in this salad is processed to about the same size and texture as couscous and mixed with chopped almonds, chewy dates, fresh parsley and tangy red wine vinegar. It’s crunchy, sweet and savory all at the same time.
This veggie-forward salad is gluten and dairy free and a great source of fiber and other vitamins and minerals.
It’s hearty and flavorful and makes for a great side dish to serve alongside fish or chicken. I would say it’s not super filling on it’s own but pairs well with a wide variety of other main and side dishes.
If you’re trying to eat more vegetables this cauliflower salad is a great, non-boring way to do so. Sometimes what makes eating vegetables more fun and exciting is simply pairing them with a new flavor or spice or even just cutting them a different way.
This keeps things fun and fresh and may even change your mind about a vegetable you thought you previously didn’t like.
Incorporating more plant foods like cauliflower into the diet is not only great because of the nutrition it provides, but also because plant diversity in the diet contributes to gut healthy by way of greater gut bacteria diversity.
To make this salad more of a meal on its own you could add in quinoa, tabouleh or couscous to this salad.
And if you like the looks of this cauliflower recipe, be sure to check out this recipe for Mexican cauliflower rice. It’s made with mostly pantry and freezer staples and SO good!
Cauliflower Nutrition
No doubt cauliflower has been extremely popular because of how versatile it is, but did you know cauliflower contains really good nutrition too?!
Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin C (100% of the recommended daily value) and contains vitamin K, B6 and folate. One cup contains about 3 grams of fiber, which is great since a lot of us don’t get enough fiber in general.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Couscous Salad
here’s everything you will need to make this recipe!
- cauliflower – this recipes uses a whole head of cauliflower. You could also purchase riced cauliflower to use, however I don’t recommend using frozen riced cauliflower.
- dates, dried apricots or dried cherries – any of these will work and be delicious in this salad!
- fresh parsley
- raw almonds
- red wine vinegar
- sumac
- red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
equipment / utensils:
- food processor
- mixing bowls
Check out how I made this recipe here. And if you’re not already, I’d love for you to join the Once Upon a Pumpkin community on Instagram!
Cauliflower Couscous Salad with Dates, Parsley & Almonds
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 1/2 cup chopped dates dried cherries or dried apricot
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. sumac
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 cup parsley roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup almonds roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the dates or dried fruit to a bowl along with the red wine vinegar. Let sit for 10-20 minutes until plump.
- In the meantime, add cauliflower to a food processor and process until riced and crumbly. Be careful not to process too much so that the cauliflower is too wet. You still want the cauliflower to uphold some of it’s texture.
- Add the riced cauliflower to a bowl, add the fruit and vinegar and toss together.
- Season with sumac, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped parsley, and olive oil toss and lastly, add in the chopped almonds. Toss everything together and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Store in the fridge for 2-3 days for maximum freshness and best taste!
Notes
More Veggie Forward Recipes You’re Sure to Love:
- Whipped Feta Greek Salad Toast
- Roasted Chickpea and Tomato salad {GF}
- Mediterranean chickpea salad {GF}
- Parmesan crusted delicata squash rings {GF}
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