Cauliflower Potato Salad

Name: Cauliflower Potato Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound cauliflower (cut into bite-size pieces); 1 cup celery (chopped); 1 red onion (small, diced); 1/2 cup dill pickles (diced); 1 cup mayonnaise; 1 tablepsoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon fresh garlic (minced ); 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 4 hard-boiled eggs (cut into chunks)

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This cauliflower potato salad is ready in about 20 minutes, including prepping the ingredients. It tastes so much like the real thing, and you can hardly taste the cauliflower. It amazes me every single time I make it!

Cauliflower potato salad is served in a white bowl.

Cauliflower makes a wonderful substitute for starchy side dishes. Mashed cauliflower, cauliflower rice, and cauliflower tots are great examples. You might think that a mock potato salad made with cauliflower sounds suspicious, but give this recipe a try, and you'll be amazed. The flavor and texture are so similar to the real thing. It's true comfort food and just as satisfying as the original.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

Fresh cauliflower: I don't recommend using frozen cauliflower in this recipe.
Celery: Adds wonderful crunch and also some color to the salad.
Red onions: Make sure to dice them - no one wants to bite into big chunks of raw onions.
Dill pickles: Sour pickles are an acceptable alternative.
Mustard: I use Dijon mustard, which is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
Hard-boiled eggs: I prefer them fully cooked, so when using this guide for cooking hard-boiled eggs, I leave them in the hot water for 14 minutes.

Variations

Use equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise in the dressing.
Scallions or chives are a good alternative to red onions.
Add ¼ cup of bacon bits.
Make it spicy by adding ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
Add a smoky flavor and additional color with ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Top the finished salad with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this salad:

Your first step is to cook the cauliflower pieces in the microwave until tender-crisp and drain them. Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a large serving bowl. Stir in the celery, pickles, and onions.

Mixing cauliflower, celery, onions, and pickles.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the creamy dressing to the cauliflower and mix to combine.

Gently stir in the eggs. Serve immediately, or chill before serving.

Expert Tip

This salad tastes great right after you've mixed it, so it's fine to serve it immediately. But it tastes even better after the flavors have had a chance to meld. So, if you can, cover it and refrigerate it for an hour or so. Make sure to give it another stir before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this salad without mayo?

Yes. You can replace the mayonnaise with sour cream. Make sure to use full-fat sour cream and pour out any liquids from the top of the container before adding the sour cream to the dressing.

Can I use Greek yogurt in the dressing?

I don't recommend that. I tried, and it's a bit too tangy. I also missed the fat from the mayonnaise and/or sour cream, even when I used full-fat yogurt.

Can you taste the cauliflower?

Hardly. It's truly amazing - much like potatoes, the cauliflower is relatively bland. So, with the other strong flavors going on in this dish (mayo, onions, pickles), what you end up tasting is VERY close to regular potato salad.

Serving Suggestions

Cauliflower potato salad can be served with any dish that would go well with regular potato salad. A few of my favorites are:

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give them a gentle stir before serving them. I don't recommend freezing this salad.