Cauliflower Rice Salad (Not So You’d Notice!)
Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to get back into fresh, light meals after the holiday indulgences. This Cauliflower Rice Salad is a brilliant low-carb alternative to grain-based salads — bright, crunchy and very satisfying.
I picked up a pot of cauliflower rice (sometimes called cauliflower couscous) and decided to use it as the base for a filling salad instead of traditional starchy carbs. It’s not actually rice or couscous, of course, but it works beautifully in the same way.
Super Low Carb Cauli Rice
Cauliflower rice is a great option when you want to cut down on starchy carbs. It’s light, versatile and so easy to prepare. I served mine with hot Heck Chicken Italia sausages — the contrast of warm sausage and cool salad was delicious — but you could use leftover roasted chicken, grilled chicken breast, or keep it vegetarian.
When & Where — Versatile Cauliflower Salad
This salad works brilliantly as a BBQ side, a light lunch, or a quick meal prep option. I had it for lunch and packed the leftovers in a Mason jar for tomorrow’s work lunch — it kept well and still tasted fresh.
Give this Cauliflower Rice Salad a try and experiment with your favourite additions. I’d love to hear what variations you come up with.
If you’re following a slimming or lower-carb eating plan, this salad is an ideal choice: I added avocado and a drizzle of olive oil for healthy fats, but you can omit or reduce the oil and leave out the avocado if you prefer. It remains tasty and very low in calories.
Vegetarian or Vegan Cauliflower Rice
Simply leave out the sausages (or any animal protein) and add more vegetables, beans, or a plant-based protein. The salad is just as satisfying without meat.
Cauliflower Rice Uses
Cauliflower rice works well with hot dishes too — I often serve it with curries or a ragu when I want to keep things lighter. It pairs particularly nicely with vegetable curry.
It’s flavorful enough to almost fool you into thinking it’s rice, and if you enjoy cauliflower, it’s an easy swap that doesn’t feel like deprivation.
Other Cauliflower Ideas
Cauliflower is one of my favourite vegetables. If you haven’t tried roasting a whole cauliflower, it’s worth giving it a go — simple, impressive and delicious. It makes a great BBQ centrepiece and stretches to feed a crowd.
Enjoy — thanks! Cx
#LovelyLemons
Cauliflower Rice Salad
10 minutes
10 minutes
4
110kcal
Ingredients
- 330 g pot of cauliflower rice / couscous (or grate a whole cauliflower)
- 1/2 yellow pepper deseeded and cubed
- handful sweet cherry tomatoes quartered
- handful chopped coriander and 3 spring onions chopped into ~1cm pieces
- 1 avocado, cubed
- salt and black pepper, to season
- drizzle of olive oil and 1 lime, juiced
- optional: a touch of chilli, sweetcorn or other additions to taste
- optional: 4 Heck Chicken Italia sausages, dry-fried, sliced and added hot omit for vegan/vegetarian
Instructions
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Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, lime juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss gently to combine.
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If using sausages or another warm protein, add them sliced and still warm for a lovely hot-and-cold contrast.
Notes
*** Nutritional info excludes sausages.