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Justine Doiron

just real good food

Beans + Grains + Bowls, Gluten Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Special Diets, Vegetables, Vegetarian · March 11, 2023

Baked Cauliflower Salad with Feta & Dates

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baked cauliflower salad served in a bowl

This baked cauliflower salad has a lot going on (I mean, it has a whole cauliflower head, so what do we really expect), but the flavors are worth it. The roasted cauliflower is drizzled with a herby tahini dressing and then paired with crispy, lemony, bright vegetables. Add in some salty Athenos feta and it’s my perfect salad. Plus if you are looking for a protein, my crispy tofu makes a great pairing.

It might be a lot of components, but it comes together with ease and is ideal for meal prep! Whether you are looking for a week of lunches or a wholesome weeknight dinner, this baked cauliflower and feta salad is it.

baked cauliflower with herby tahini dressing

Table of contents

  • First, what is feta?
  • Ingredients for the baked cauliflower head
  • How to roast an entire cauliflower head
  • Ingredients for the feta and date salad
  • Mixing together the raw feta salad
  • What’s the best way to serve this baked cauliflower salad?
  • Looking for similar recipes?
feta and date salad

First, what is feta?

Brought to us from Greece, presumably with love, feta is a brined white cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk, or a combination of sheep and goat’s milk. Its texture is simultaneously creamy and crumbly, and it has a salty, tangy, rich flavor that lends itself well to a whole host of dishes.

You may be familiar with it from popular Greek pastries like spanakopita or tyropita, but you’ll also often find it in salads—as you’ve found it here—because it both compliments and balances the acidic ingredients you usually find in vinaigrettes and dressings. I love to use it in salads, on soups, in wraps or sandwiches, or in anything that could use a little punch of salt. It’s one of my favorite cheeses and has a myriad of uses!

Whole baked cauliflower head

Ingredients for the baked cauliflower head

In order to achieve the desired flavor and texture for this dish, our cauliflower is coated in olive oil and salt, baked until tender and golden, then drizzled in a creamy, herby dressing. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this baked cauliflower:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, about the juice of 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Kosher salt
ingredients for the herby tahini dressing in a bowl

How to roast an entire cauliflower head

If you’ve never done it before, the task of roasting a whole cauliflower head in one piece may seem like a big ask. But don’t worry, it’s easier than you think! And since cauliflower is such an adaptable, inexpensive, and nutrient-dense ingredient, now that you know it’s possible, you’ll want to put it in your routine meal prep rotation.

First, put the cauliflower top-down on a cutting board. Remove all the rough green bottom stems and cut out the stem and some of the core—but not so much as to challenge the cauliflower’s overall structural integrity. Once removed, flip it over and place it on a baking sheet.

Drizzle the cauliflower with a liberal amount of olive oil and rub to coat it. Sprinkle with salt. Cover the cauliflower with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Uncover and roast another 35-45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is a deep golden brown on top.

While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the tahini drizzle. Add the tahini, parsley, red pepper, garlic, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and water to a small blender. Blend until smooth, but still with a few flecks of green throughout. Add more water as needed to get to a “drizzly” texture. Season with more salt if needed, then set aside until you’re ready to serve your baked cauliflower salad!

herby tahini dressing in a bowl

Ingredients for the feta and date salad

The second component of this recipe brings in fresh, crisp, bright vegetables to round out our baked cauliflower salad experience. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the feta and date portion of the show:

  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade cut
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chiffonade cut
  • 2/3 cup pitted medjool dates, roughly chopped
  • 2/3 cup Athenos feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, about 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1/2 tsp sumac optional, but really delicious
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
ingredients for the raw salad in a bowl

Mixing together the raw feta salad

First things first: grab a large bowl. To it, add in the sliced peas, radishes, basil, mint, dates, and feta. Toss these ingredients to combine and then add a squeeze of lemon juice, the sumac, and a large pinch of salt. Once our raw ingredients are mingling, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and taste. Add lemon juice and salt to your taste, then set this salad aside until you’re ready to eat.

ingredients for the raw salad in a bowl

What’s the best way to serve this baked cauliflower salad?

When all the components of your baked cauliflower salad are done and you’re ready to serve, pour the tahini drizzle right on top of the cauliflower and slice it into 4 large pieces. Place each piece in its own bowl—or meal prep container—and then pile a healthy serving of the feta & date salad alongside it.

For enhanced dipping and scooping capabilities, pair this dish with warm flatbread. For a boost in protein, add crispy tofu or chickpea crumbles!

Then, obviously, dig in as soon as possible.

baked cauliflower with herby tahini dressing

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Charred Spring Peas & Ricotta Bowl
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baked cauliflower salad served in a bowl

And that’s everything for this baked cauliflower salad!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Baked Cauliflower Salad with Feta and Dates

5 from 6 votes
This cauliflower salad is a combination of warm and roasty, as well as crisp and fresh. It's the perfect marriage of salty, sweet, herbaceous and just plain good. It uses a whole cauliflower head to start, then adds on fresh peas, radishes, dates, basil and mint, as well as some salty feta. The combination is truly out-of-this world and absolutely worth the effort. It just might be your new favorite salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:20 minutes mins
Cook Time:1 hour hr
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: baked, cauliflower, dates, radishes, salad, spring peas, tahini
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Baking sheet
  • 1 chef's knife
  • 1 small blender optional

Ingredients

For the roasted cauliflower head

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice about the juice of 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Kosher salt

For the date and feta salad

  • 1 cup sugar snap peas thinly sliced
  • 1 cup radishes thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil chiffonade cut
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint chiffonade cut
  • 2/3 cup pitted medjool dates roughly chopped
  • 2/3 cup Athenos feta cheese crumbled
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice about 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1/2 tsp sumac optional, but really delicious
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Put the cauliflower top-down on a cutting board. Remove all the rough green bottom stems and cut out the rough bottom stem core. Flip it over and place on a baking sheet.
  • Drizzle the cauliflower with a liberal amount of olive oil and rub to coat it. Sprinkle with salt. Cover the cauliflower with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Uncover and roast another 35-45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is a deep golden brown on top.
  • While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the tahini drizzle. Add the tahini, parsley, red pepper, garlic, lemon juice and water to a blender. Add a pinch of salt and blend until smooth, but still with a few flecks of green throughout. Add more water as needed to get to a "drizzly" texture. Season with salt as needed.
  • To make the feta and date salad, grab a large bowl. Toss in the sliced peas, radishes, basil, mint, dates and feta. Toss to combine and add a squeeze of lemon juice, the sumac and a large pinch of salt. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and taste. Add lemon juice and salt as you prefer. Set aside.
  • When the cauliflower is out of the oven, pour the tahini drizzle right on top. Slice it into 4 large pieces and add each to their own bowl. Pile a large serving of the feta & date salad next to each. Enjoy as soon as you can!

Notes

I like to serving this with flatbreads for scooping and dipping. You can also pair this with crispy tofu or chickpea crumbles for protein! Both recipes can be found on this blog.

Posted In: Beans + Grains + Bowls, Gluten Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Special Diets, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Comments

  1. summer says

    March 11, 2023 at 3:41 pm

    justine this looks divine!! i know it’s the main component… but is there any (non dairy) subs for feta? that’s not just vegan feta – i refuse to eat cheese that tastes like coconut / plastic, and oddly enough that’s very difficult to find in europe!

    • Justine says

      March 14, 2023 at 1:28 am

      Oh no – I was just about to say Trader Joe’s vegan feta is divine, but I assume you don’t have it in Europe. Any salted roasted nut will be a good sub for the salty feta aspect though!

      • summer says

        March 24, 2023 at 4:36 pm

        thank you! i tried with roasted salted cashews!
        this was fabulous, the tahini sauce and the cauliflower together with the salty / sweet salad combo. wow. i bet tofu feta would be good here toob

  2. Ambre says

    March 13, 2023 at 12:16 am

    This was absolutely fabulous! I want to spread the Tahnini sauce on everything!

    • Justine says

      March 14, 2023 at 1:26 am

      I’m so thrilled you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!

  3. Morgan says

    March 14, 2023 at 2:49 am

    I love your recipes! I just made this one tonight and I feel like such a chef. Thanks!!!!

    • Justine says

      March 14, 2023 at 11:33 am

      This comment makes me so happy!! So thrilled you liked it!

  4. sara says

    March 14, 2023 at 2:59 am

    5 stars
    soooo flavourful!! perfect winter to spring transition meal – heartier than a cold salad but still super bright, crunchy and vibrant! loved all the fresh herbs, and everything came together in a snap while the cauli was baking. looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow 🙂

  5. Courtney says

    March 15, 2023 at 3:15 am

    This recipe is perfect and brilliant. Justine, you are # 1 girl! The raw salad reminds me of the handheld salads (check them out if you haven’t), but I loved the addition of the snap peas in this recipe! Divine!

    • Sammy says

      March 16, 2023 at 4:54 am

      So satisfying and refreshing! Love feeling fancy in a pinch with your fun and accessible recipes <3

  6. Beth says

    March 16, 2023 at 5:40 pm

    This recipe has been brightening up my lunchtime all week! SO tasty – the flavor combinations are amazing. Will definitely make this one again!

  7. Tess Beasley says

    March 20, 2023 at 1:42 am

    Literally still eating and had to pop in and say how great this is!

    • Justine says

      March 20, 2023 at 1:48 am

      Aw thank you!! It means more than you know!

  8. Leah says

    March 22, 2023 at 2:01 am

    5 stars
    This is my first recipe of yours and I LOVED it. I only wish I had made double. Such a filling, fresh, and flavorful meal.

  9. Stacey says

    March 22, 2023 at 5:28 pm

    I have a question about the spring peas. These are still in the of correct? Can’t imagine you slicing actual peas🤦‍♀️🤣? So can I use sugar snap peas or mangetout?

  10. Lette says

    March 26, 2023 at 7:50 pm

    5 stars
    This was so good! My partner and I absolutely demolished it.

    • Justine says

      March 30, 2023 at 3:08 pm

      I’m so thrilled you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review!

  11. Abbie C says

    March 30, 2023 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    Holy mOly! So delicious (Like every recipe you make, I’ve literally never had one go wrong!). I’ve sent this to every person I know who can chop a vegetable. So simple to come together, but packs a huge flavor punch.

    • Justine says

      March 30, 2023 at 3:06 pm

      I’m so thrilled you like it!!

  12. Cgw says

    April 1, 2023 at 1:53 am

    5 stars
    So delicious like always! Your salads are my fav – I added chickpeas for protein and meal prepped for the week. Love these spring flavors 🌸 and congrats on your engagement!

    • Justine says

      April 4, 2023 at 12:54 am

      Aw thank you! So glad you enjoyed this one!

  13. Maren MH says

    April 5, 2023 at 1:07 am

    5 stars
    I would eat just the salad part by the fistful — your recipes are absolutely smashing! Justine salads and beans until I die.

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