Cauliflower potato salad is ready in about 20 minutes, and this includes 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 is such an amazing vegetable. It makes a wonderful substitute for starchy side dishes.
Mashed cauliflower, cauliflower rice, and cauliflower tots are all great examples. It can even replace meat in this recipe for cauliflower steak.
You might think that a potato salad made with cauliflower sounds suspicious. I thought so too until I actually tried it! 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.
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make this tasty side dish. Scroll down to the recipe card for the exact measurements.
- 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.
- Mayonnaise: I prefer avocado oil-based mayo, but any mayonnaise will work.
- Dijon mustard: This traditional French mustard is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
- Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work, although freshly minced tastes better.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the salad could end up too salty.
- 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 12-14 minutes.
Instructions
Making cauliflower potato salad is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Your first step is to cook the cauliflower pieces in the microwave until tender-crisp and drain them.
- Next, transfer the cooked cauliflower to a large serving bowl. Stir in the celery, pickles, and onions.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
I actually 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.
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.
Hardly. It's truly amazing - much like potatoes, the cauliflower is relatively bland. So with the other pronounced flavors going on in this dish (mayo, onions, pickles), what you end up tasting is VERY close to regular potato salad.
Variations
Here are a few ideas for you for varying the basic recipe:
- 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 some additional color with ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
- Top the finished salad with chopped parsley or cilantro.
Serving suggestions
I serve this tasty salad 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 the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Give them a gentle stir before serving them. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
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Recipe Card
Cauliflower Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. cauliflower florets cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 small red onion diced
- ½ cup dill pickles diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablepsoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 hard-boiled eggs cut into chunks
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower pieces in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a microwave-safe plate, and microwave on high until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Stir in the celery, onions, and pickles.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add to the cauliflower mixture and mix gently with a rubber spatula to combine.
- Gently stir in the eggs.
- Serve immediately, or cover and chill for an hour or so to allow the flavors to meld.
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Notes
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Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
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