Quinoa and roasted cauliflower salad
- Preparation 35 min
- Cooking 35 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
Ads
🌾 The protein-packed healthy salad that absolutely rocks
This recipe from my Tome 2 is my personal creation of a complete spiced Mediterranean healthy salad. And honestly, it’s really really good salad. Spice-roasted quinoa, oven-caramelized roasted cauliflower, green edamame, cubed feta, chopped almonds, sweet raisins, fresh mint and parsley, French shallots.. it’s a festival of textures and flavors in every bite. A salad like this makes an absolutely legendary lunch with a small baguette on the side, or a luxurious accompaniment for any grilled summer meat.
🌶️ Triple spices in the quinoa, my signature trick
My bold approach is cooking the quinoa with **cumin + mild yellow curry + herbes de Provence**. Before adding the broth, I sauté the quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil and the 3 spices for 2 to 3 minutes. Which releases the aromas and gives a toasted flavor that plain quinoa NEVER has. Combined with cauliflower roasted at very high temperature (500°F), protein-packed edamame, block feta cut into dice and crunchy almonds, you get a healthy salad that outclasses any flat cafeteria salad. It’s the kind of dish that lets you eat healthy without feeling like you’re depriving yourself.
🥗 Legendary lunch or BBQ side dish for Saturday night with friends
It’s exactly the kind of versatile salad you want in your recipe book. Legendary boxed lunch (filling enough, add a grilled protein and you’re set for 5 hours), luxurious side dish for entertaining friends on a Saturday night on the terrace, or light dinner on sweltering evenings. Serve warm or cold, both work, with lemon wedges to squeeze to taste and a drizzle of olive oil when serving. Honestly, it’s insanely good, and all while staying healthy.
Ads
Ads
🌡️ 500°F oven for cauliflower, maximum caramelization
It’s the high temperature that makes all the magic. At 500°F (250°C), cauliflower caramelizes quickly (only 15-20 minutes) with a brilliant golden crust without having time to become soft. At 425°F like most recipes, you wait 30 minutes for a less golden and often too tender result. Invest 5 more minutes of preheating, it’s worth it.
🌶️ Sauté quinoa with spices BEFORE the broth
It’s my signature trick for this recipe. Before adding the broth, sauté the rinsed quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil and your 3 spices (cumin + curry + herbes de Provence) for 2-3 minutes while stirring. It releases the essential oils from the spices and gives the quinoa a toasted flavor that the broth-only version never has.
🍛 Classic mild yellow curry, not another one
For this recipe, go with classic mild yellow curry that you find everywhere (Selection, Compliments, Selection IGA). Not Madras which would be too strong, not garam masala which would change the profile. Mild yellow curry gives just enough heat and color without dominating.
🌾 DO NOT rinse quinoa after cooking
This is important. You rinse quinoa BEFORE cooking to remove natural bitterness (saponin), but AFTER cooking, you NEVER rinse it. Otherwise, you rinse away all the spice flavors you worked 2-3 minutes to release in the saucepan. Simply drain and let cool 10 minutes.
🧀 BLOCK feta cut into dice, never store-bought crumbled
Always buy your feta in a block and cut it into dice yourself. It’s better, more visual, and holds up better in the salad. And always take regular feta (not low-fat), because low-fat feta crumbles weirdly and loses all its creamy structure.
🌱 Frozen shelled edamame
Shelled edamame can be found in the freezer section of most large supermarkets. Thaw them by rinsing with warm water for 1 minute before adding to the salad. No need to cook them.
❌ Mistake #1: overcooked quinoa that becomes mushy
Watch quinoa cooking after 10 minutes. Al dente, never more. Overcooked, quinoa becomes a paste that falls apart. You want each grain to remain distinct and slightly crunchy. Taste and stop as soon as the grain is tender but maintains its structure.
🥦 Cauliflower cooked but still crispy
The other mistake is cooking cauliflower until it becomes soft and bland. At 500°F, 15-20 minutes is the perfect balance: caramelized edges, center still slightly firm. Poke with a fork to check. It should penetrate but there should still be slight resistance.
🥄 Dressing by eye, Mediterranean approach
No prepared vinaigrette in advance. Just a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil + a drizzle of white balsamic + lemon juice to taste directly on the salad when serving. Free and fresh approach that lets everyone adjust with lemon wedges.
🔄 Possible substitutions
Dried oregano → Italian herbs or additional herbes de Provence (but oregano remains ideal). Edamame → grilled chickpeas or green peas. Feta → fresh goat cheese or grilled halloumi. Cauliflower → broccoli or Brussels sprouts, but it won’t be the same recipe.
❄️ Leftovers and advance preparation
This salad keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Perfect for lunch meal prep. You can prepare each component separately (roasted cauliflower, cooked quinoa, chopped herbs) up to 2 days in advance and assemble when serving with the dressing by eye.
✅ What to serve with my quinoa and roasted cauliflower salad?
This salad shines as a legendary protein lunch (add a grilled protein for a complete bowl) or summer BBQ side dish. Serve it with my brochettes de poulet à la sauce bang bang sur le BBQ for a spicy Saturday night with friends, with my Dark beer marinated beef flank steak for a classic BBQ combo, with my Grilled citrus salmon on the BBQ to push the healthy side, or with my Grilled lamb chops with Blanche de Chambly beer and fresh herbs for a complete Mediterranean meal.
Ads
Ingredients
- ½ cauliflower, cut into small florets
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
- 1½ cups (375 ml) white quinoa (or tricolor)
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cumin
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) mild yellow curry
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) herbes de Provence
- 3 cups (750 ml) hot vegetable broth
- 1 cup (250 ml) shelled edamame beans
- 7 oz (200 g) block feta cheese, cut into dice
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) finely chopped almonds
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) raisins
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh mint, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 French shallots, halved then thinly sliced
- White balsamic vinegar
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ads
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 500°F (250°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place cauliflower florets in a large bowl and drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Add dried oregano, salt and pepper, then toss to coat well.
- Transfer to baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until cauliflower is golden and caramelized but still slightly crispy. Not too soft. Let cool 10 minutes and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water to remove natural bitterness. Drain well.
- In a saucepan heated over medium heat, add quinoa and drizzle with olive oil. Add cumin, mild yellow curry and herbes de Provence. Salt and pepper, then stir. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, to release spice aromas and give quinoa a toasted flavor.
- Add hot vegetable broth, stir and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low heat and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until quinoa is al dente. Don’t overcook. That’s the mistake to avoid.
- Drain cooked quinoa in a strainer (don’t rinse to preserve spice flavors) and let cool 10 minutes. Transfer to a large salad bowl.
- Add edamame, feta dice, almonds, raisins, mint, parsley and French shallots to the bowl. Salt and pepper, then gently toss. Add roasted cauliflower and toss once more.
- Drizzle with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar to taste. Gently toss. Adjust seasoning.
- Serve warm or cold with lemon wedges to squeeze to taste.
Before cooking, rinsing removes saponin, a natural bitter coating on the grains. After cooking, rinsing would remove all the spice flavors you worked 2-3 minutes to release in the quinoa with cumin, curry and herbes de Provence. Simply drain after cooking and let cool 10 minutes.
At 500°F (250°C), cauliflower caramelizes quickly (15-20 minutes) with a beautiful golden crust without having time to become soft. At 425°F, you have to wait 30 minutes for a less golden and often too tender result. High temperature is the secret to having crispy-edged cauliflower that’s still slightly firm in the center.
Not really. Madras would be too strong, garam masala would completely change the profile. Classic mild yellow curry (Selection, Compliments) gives just enough heat and color without dominating. It’s a signature ingredient in this recipe. Go get the classic version.
3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Perfect for lunch meal prep. For even better leftovers, keep the dressing (oil + balsamic + lemon) separate and dress when serving. You can also prepare each component 2 days in advance and assemble when ready.
This salad shines as a legendary protein lunch or summer BBQ side dish for entertaining friends. Serve it with my brochettes de poulet à la sauce bang bang sur le BBQ for a spicy Saturday night, with my dark beer marinated beef flank steak for a classic BBQ combo, with my grilled citrus salmon on the bbq to push the healthy side, or with my grilled lamb chops with blanche de chambly beer and fresh herbs for a complete Mediterranean meal.
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads