Twelve ingredients and an hour and a half, most of it marinating.
The cauliflower gets a short, hot roast — just enough for faint golden spots — and then cools fully before anything else is added.
Why This Recipe Works
- Small florets roast quickly and evenly at 425°F.
- Stopping at crisp-tender keeps the florets from going soft in the marinade.
- Cooling them completely keeps the salad cold once the tomatoes go in.
- An hour in the dressing lets the cauliflower take on the vinegar and garlic.
- Parsley added at the end stays bright rather than wilting.
Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower, in small florets
- One large head, lightly roasted. Small florets give the faint golden spots in a short roast without going soft.
- Kalamata olives
- Three quarters of a cup, left whole. The dark olives through the salad are these.
- Finely diced white onion
- A third of a cup. These are the small white cubes — onion, not feta.
- Cherry tomatoes and mini pepper rings
- A cup and a half halved and a cup sliced. The tomatoes are why the salad stays cold.
How to Make It
Oven to 425°F, florets roasted twelve to fifteen minutes, cooled
Heat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 1 tbsp oil and roast 12 to 15 minutes, just until crisp-tender with faint golden spots; cool completely.
Remaining oil whisked with vinegar, lemon, garlic and seasoning
Whisk remaining olive oil with vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, olives and onion combined
Combine cooled cauliflower, tomatoes, pepper rings, olives and diced white onion.
Tossed with the dressing, refrigerated at least an hour
Toss with dressing and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Parsley folded in before serving
Fold in chopped parsley before serving.
Hot for Fifteen Minutes, Cold From Then On
The cauliflower in this salad carries faint golden spots: it is LIGHTLY ROASTED, THEN COOLED AND MARINATED. That sets the order of the whole salad: one short hot step, then everything cold.
Stage 1 of 4
The LIGHT roast - spotted, not browned
Steps 1–1 of 5
1 large head of CAULIFLOWER IN SMALL FLORETS tossed with 1 tbsp OLIVE OIL and ROASTED at 425°F 12 TO 15 MINUTES, JUST UNTIL CRISP-TENDER WITH FAINT GOLDEN SPOTS, then COOLED COMPLETELY. Faint is the word that matters - this is not a roasted-cauliflower side, and deeply browned florets would dominate a marinated salad. For safety, COOL ROASTED CAULIFLOWER BEFORE COMBINING WITH CUT TOMATOES.
- Oven to 425°F, florets roasted twelve to fifteen minutes, cooledHeat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 1 tbsp oil and roast 12 to 15 minutes, just until crisp-tender with faint golden spots; cool completely.
Stage 2 of 4
The DRESSING
Steps 2–2 of 5
The REMAINING 1/4 cup OLIVE OIL whisked with 2 tbsp RED WINE VINEGAR, 1 tbsp LEMON JUICE, 1 MINCED GARLIC CLOVE, 1/2 tsp FINE SALT and 1/4 tsp BLACK PEPPER.
- Remaining oil whisked with vinegar, lemon, garlic and seasoningWhisk remaining olive oil with vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
Stage 3 of 4
The SALAD - and the white cubes are ONION
Steps 3–3 of 5
The cooled cauliflower COMBINED with 1 1/2 cups HALVED CHERRY TOMATOES, 1 cup SLICED RED AND YELLOW MINI PEPPERS, 3/4 cup KALAMATA OLIVES and 1/3 cup FINELY DICED WHITE ONION. The small white cubes are DICED WHITE ONION, NOT FETA - there is no cheese here.
- Cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, olives and onion combinedCombine cooled cauliflower, tomatoes, pepper rings, olives and diced white onion.
Stage 4 of 4
The MARINADE - at least an hour, cold
Steps 4–5 of 5
TOSSED WITH DRESSING AND REFRIGERATED AT LEAST 1 HOUR, then 1/2 cup CHOPPED PARSLEY FOLDED IN BEFORE SERVING. Marinated and held at 40°F OR BELOW. 'Mediterranean' in the name is a style descriptor only.
- Tossed with the dressing, refrigerated at least an hourToss with dressing and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Parsley folded in before servingFold in chopped parsley before serving.
Success Tips
- Pull the cauliflower while it's still crisp-tender; it softens a little in the dressing.
- Let it cool all the way before mixing with the tomatoes.
- Marinate a full hour — the cauliflower needs the time to take the dressing.
Serving Ideas
Six side servings of lightly roasted cauliflower florets with halved cherry tomatoes, red and yellow mini pepper rings, whole Kalamata olives, diced white onion and plenty of chopped parsley, served cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there feta in it?
No. The small white cubes are finely diced white onion. There is no cheese in this salad.
Is the cauliflower raw?
No, it is lightly roasted — 12 to 15 minutes at 425°F, just until crisp-tender with faint golden spots — then cooled before it's dressed.
Why must the cauliflower cool first?
The salad includes cut tomatoes and is held cold at 40°F or below. Warm cauliflower would bring the whole bowl up in temperature.
