This delicious vegan spiced cauliflower and quinoa salad is every healthy eater’s dream.
Why? Because it’s full of vitamins, minerals and protein, yet it doesn’t taste like a boring healthy salad. This salad is a toss together of delicious, earthy black quinoa, fragrant toasted hazelnuts, crunchy bell peppers, fresh arugula and spicy, roasted cauliflower bits. The cauliflower florets are coated with cocoa and chili, which is probably the best thing that can happen to cauliflower.
The combination of cauliflower, cocoa and chili may sound a bit odd first, but believe me, it doesn’t taste like chocolate cauliflower. Oh no! The cocoa gives the cauliflower a rich, deep flavour, and the chili gives it that extra, spicy kick. You know that I’m not the best at describing food, so you just have to trust me, it’s amazing. You will never look at cauliflower the same way again.
If you try this recipe, let me know! I would highly appreciate if you could leave a comment and rate it. Also don’t forget to take a picture and tag it on Instagram (use the hashtag #greenevi) or post it on Facebook! I love seeing what you come up with! ♥︎
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Spiced Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 2-4 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of black quinoa
- 1 small head of cauliflower
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 red onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
- 2 cups of arugula
- salt
For the dressing:
- 1 tbsp cashew butter (or use almond butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini)
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard
- salt, pepper
Instructions
- Break cauliflower into florets and add to a bowl with vinegar, chili powder, cocoa and salt and toss to coat. Spread cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 200°C/400ºF for 35-45 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook quinoa in slightly salted water. Let cool a bit.
- For the dressing combine cashew butter, lemon juice, vinegar and mustard. Add a few tablespoons of water if too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Slice red onion, dice bell pepper and chop hazelnuts roughly. Add them to a big bowl with warm cauliflower florets, quinoa and arugula. Pour dressing over the salad and mix well. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Salad, Main
- Cuisine: Vegan
Had something quite similar yesterday…I used simply roasted cauli and walnuts though.
Cauliflower is always amazing 😉
O the cocoa! That sounds brilliant!
Thanks 🙂
That’s right! Salads aren’t just that sad green lettuce on a plate like a lot of people normally have:) And you’ve beautifully proved it, Evi. I like the combo of quinoa, hazelnuts, and veggies. And of course I vote for the tahini dressing (Well, I need to use it already in my dressings). Very well done!
Thank you so much, Ben 🙂
Whoa!!! Cauliflower and cocoa? Tell me more! Never would put these two together, but I do trust you with my food 😉 Gorgeous! X
Thanks, sweetie 😉
Girl, you had me at cocoa. Can’t wait to try this recipe at home! I love all the flavors you used!
Thanks, Laurel! Let me know if you try the recipe 😉
It looks great and it must be delicious too. I like adding cocoa to savoury dishes, I tried chilli and it was so good, not chocolatey at all.
Thanks, Anca!
I really love cocoa in chilli too, in fact it’s an absolute must 😉
Love your way to cook Green Evy. You are just a great chef
LG GastronomicSpain
Thank you so much, Antonio 🙂
I love the sound of this quinoa salad, Evi. And cocoa in a salad? Wow! What a genius idea. I am sure I am gonna love this salad. Yummy.
Thanks, Anu 🙂
This looks delicious!!
Thank you 🙂
This looks absolutely divine! never would have thought to have put cocoa, chili and cauliflower together! i love the combination of chocolate and chili but cauliflower is so unusual! beautiful pics!
Thanks, Georgie 🙂
That looks healthy and amazing. I’ve gotta try.
Loved the addition of cocoa powder in it Evi. 🙂
Thank you, Puja 🙂
Wow! I have never seen this combination before: caulilfower and cocoa, I definitely have to try it!
I think you’d like it 😉
Congratulation! I saw the great picture of the salad today and needed to prepare it asap. What a fantastic taste. The cacao together with the chili, for the dressing i used Tahini with lemon, balsamic, mustard – the onions i steamed a bit in vinegar and agave syrup – i added some chickpeas in the oven- never enjoyed such an tasty cauliflower salad – well done Evi
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, I’m so happy you enjoyed the salad!
The chickpeas and the vinegary onions sound such a great addition, I’ll try them next time for sure 😉
I actually made this several times already and it’s just one of those dishes that make you feel amazing. Full but not stuffed and just …better.
Hi Johanna,
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
Quinoa is such a great salad base, exactly as you said, it makes you full and satiated but not stuffed 😉