Fresh, light, and full of Mediterranean flavor, this cauliflower rice salad is made with fluffy riced cauliflower, sautéed vegetables, herbs, and a bright lemon dressing.
Mediterranean Riced Cauliflower Salad✨
This fresh and flavorful cauliflower rice salad is made with fluffy cauliflower rice (also known as a riced cauliflower) and loaded with sautéed vegetables, herbs, and a bright lemon dressing.
Riced cauliflower makes the perfect foundation for this Mediterranean cauliflower salad, absorbing the lemon vinaigrette while staying light, fluffy, and full of flavor. It’s an easy grain-free salad that comes together quickly and works beautifully as a healthy lunch, side dish, or make-ahead meal.
Packed with vegetables, olives, fresh herbs, and a simple citrus dressing, this Mediterranean salad is a fresh way to enjoy cauliflower rice in salad form.
🥗 Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
- Light, fresh, and full of Mediterranean flavor
- A satisfying grain-free alternative to rice or couscous salads
- Packed with sautéed vegetables, herbs, and a bright lemon dressing
- Easy to make and perfect for meal prep or make-ahead lunches
🥬 Ingredients for Cauliflower Rice Salad
- Cauliflower - Pre-riced or florets, serves as the base of the salad, providing a light and crunchy texture.
- Flat-leaf parsley - Finely chopped, adds freshness and color.
- Scallions - Thinly sliced, offering a mild onion flavor.
- Chives (optional) - Finely chopped, contributing a subtle onion-like taste.
- Sun-dried tomatoes - Thinly sliced.
- Kalamata olives - Thinly sliced, adding a briny contrast.
- Extra-virgin olive oil - Used in both the vinaigrette and to sauté.
- Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest - For the vinaigrette, adding brightness and acidity.
- Garlic - Used to sauté the vegetables.
- Zucchini - Thinly sliced.
- Asparagus - Ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces.
👩🍳 How to Make Cauliflower Rice Salad (Step-by-Step)
1. Prepare the Vinaigrette
In a large serving bowl, whisk together:
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- lemon zest
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Set aside.
2. Sauté the Vegetables
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add:
- garlic
- zucchini
- asparagus
- salt
Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Assemble the Salad
To the bowl with the vinaigrette, add:
- cauliflower rice
- chopped parsley
- scallions
- chopped chives (if using)
- sun-dried tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
Toss gently to combine. Top with the sautéed zucchini and asparagus. Serve at room temperature.
💡 Tips for the Best Riced Cauliflower Salad
- Sauté vegetables just until tender for the best texture contrast
- Let vegetables cool slightly before mixing to keep herbs fresh
- Adjust lemon dressing to taste for brightness and balance
🌿 Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice Salad Variations
- Add chickpeas or white beans for extra protein and heartiness
- Swap zucchini or asparagus for roasted red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or cucumbers
- Add feta or goat cheese for a creamy, salty finish (if not dairy-free)
- Include toasted nuts or seeds for extra crunch
- Try fresh mint, basil or dill for a different herb profile
🥡 Make Ahead & Storage
This riced cauliflower salad is perfect for meal prep. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For best texture, store the dressing separately and toss just before serving.
❓ FAQs About Cauliflower Rice Salad
What is cauliflower rice salad made of?
Cauliflower rice salad is made from finely chopped cauliflower combined with vegetables, herbs, and dressing, creating a grain-free alternative to traditional grain or rice salads.
Can you eat cauliflower rice salad cold?
Yes, it’s delicious served cold or at room temperature, making it perfect for meal prep and picnics.
Is riced cauliflower salad healthy?
Yes, it’s naturally lower in carbs than grain-based salads and packed with vegetables, making it a light and healthy option.
Can you make cauliflower rice salad ahead of time?
Yes, it stores well for several days.
🌿 Final Thoughts
With its cauliflower rice base and a medley of Mediterranean flavors, this cauliflower rice salad is a perfect addition to your warm-weather meals.
Whether you’re looking for a grain-free alternative to traditional rice salads or just a fresh way to enjoy cauliflower rice, this salad is one you’ll come back to again and again.
More Cauliflower Rice Recipes:
Cauliflower Couscous Salad
Sautéed zucchini and asparagus are piled on top of cauliflower couscous filled with Mediterranean favorites like fresh herbs, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives.
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons/ 22ml fresh lemon juice
- The zest of half a lemon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
For the Sautéed Zucchini and Asparagus:
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
- ½ a bunch asparagus, ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Cauliflower Couscous Salad:
- 10oz/ 283g cauliflower, pre-riced or florets
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons, chives finely chopped
- 8 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup/45g Kalamata olives, thinly sliced
Instructions
Make the Vinaigrette:
- Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a large serving bowl and set aside.
Make the Sautéed Zucchini and Asparagus:
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant but not browned (about 30 seconds). Remove garlic with tongs and discard.
- Add the zucchini and asparagus to pan and toss until coated with oil. Season with salt, toss again and let cook undisturbed about 2 minutes. Toss again and cook until zucchini and asparagus are just tender (about 2 minutes more). Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
Make the Couscous Salad:
- Briefly pulse cauliflower in a food processor until couscous-like in texture. Transfer to large serving bowl and toss with parsley, scallions, chives, sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Top with sautéed zucchini and asparagus and serve at room temperature.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 494mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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