A really healthy salad is this potato salad made with the traditional grandmother’s recipe, but even better: the potato is turned into cauliflower. Yes, it is a “cauliflower potato” salad that you are sure to love because it is low carb and because it is a crowd pleaser at summer cookouts, and why not, any time of year. Made with a creamy cashew dressing instead of mayo, the recipe is low carb, dairy-free, gluten-free, and palate-friendly!
Low Carb Cauliflower Potato Salad
When we think of summer and cookouts, our famous potato salads often come to mind. Who hasn’t had them at family gatherings, picnics, barbecues, cookouts, all during the summer!
The “cauliflower potato”
This Cauliflower Potato Salad is a healthy, paleo version of the traditional potato salad. Although this version is delicious, it is perhaps not the healthiest. Thus, our next recipe will have this variation that will make it almost the same as the traditional one, worse healthier so that the faults there are not manifested.
Potatoes are swapped for cauliflower to make it low carb and mayonnaise and dairy products are omitted to make this dish apart from delicious, healthy.
The protein
Although this recipe does not contain dairy or gluten, it does contain an ingredient that is sometimes in the triad “dairy-free, gluten-free and egg-free” and it is effectively the egg. This is to give you an extra protein boost. With the eggs added, each serving has 12 grams of protein. You can easily make this a vegan dish by leaving out the eggs, too.
The dressing
The dressing is what can make or break a salad. Even if you have a ton of great ingredients in the salad, if the dressing doesn’t complement the other components, the salad can go downhill and lacking in flavor.
The creamy cashew dressing in this salad is what makes it truly amazing, but if you prefer to make a mayonnaise-based dressing, simply substitute ½ cup mayonnaise (I like avocado oil mayonnaise) in place of the cashews and do not add water.
Let’s put this salad to the test with a traditional potato salad. Nutrition statistics go from head to head.
Traditional potato salad
1 serving (about 1 cup).
286 calories.
22g carbohydrates.
16g fat.
5g protein.
Cauliflower potato salad
1 serving (about 1 cup).
214 calories.
12 g carbohydrates.
14 g fat.
12 g protein.
It’s not dramatically different, but the differences definitely have an impact if you’re a potato salad lover. In addition, as it does not contain dairy, it makes it less inflammatory.
Ingredients
- 5 cups cauliflower florets.
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped.
- ½ cup of chopped celery.
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped.
- ¼ cup diced red onion or shallot.
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced.
Creamy Cashew Dressing
- 1 cup soaked raw cashews.
- 2 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
- 1 tablespoon mustard.
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill.
- 1 tablespoon shallot.
- 1 clove garlic.
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper.
- ⅓ cup of water.
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a bowl. Cover with water and soak for about 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Boil water in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and cook until tender but firm, about 10 minutes. Drain, pour cold water over the cauliflower to cool it. Drain completely.
- Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil; cover, remove from heat and let the eggs rest in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the eggs from the hot water, cool, peel and chop.
- Meanwhile, in a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the cauliflower, eggs, celery, green onion, shallot, and dill.
- Add the dressing, mix well and refrigerate until chilled. Serve and enjoy within 1-2 days.