Here’s a pretty roasted cauliflower pomegranate salad, served over baby arugula and embellished with crunchy almonds and fresh basil. Warm roasted cauliflower atop cool greens is a tempting way to enjoy salad in the cooler months.
Fresh basil, a herb most associated with summer that’s now available year round adds its characteristic scent to the salad.
Sweet or smoked paprika? If you want a milder flavor, go with the sweet paprika; smoked paprika will add a bolder flavor and aroma to the cauliflower.
Greens substitutions: You can use baby spinach or massaged kale in place of the arugula.
Cauliflower love: Cauliflower is related to broccoli, kale, collards greens, Brussels sprouts, and the other cruciferous (brassica) vegetables, and may be even more versatile in the kitchen. It can be transformed into a vegetable “rice,” creamy soups and sauces, a crispy bite, savory stews, and lots more. But the best way to showcase its mild, delightful flavor might be by roasting, as demonstrated right here in this recipe.
Arugula Basics
It may not look like it, but arugula, like cauliflower is a relative of the cruciferous (aka brassica) family of vegetables, which also includes cauliflower (maybe that’s why the go well together?), broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and others.
Baby arugula leaves are less pungent than larger leaves that are allowed to grow larger before harvesting, though neither are bitter greens. Its flavor is often described as peppery or mustardy. Arugula can be used raw (in which form it retains more of its bite) or very lightly cooked.
Though its flavor is more assertive, arugula is similar to spinach in the ways it can be used, and can be interchanged with it in many dishes, or it can be used to replace part of the amount of spinach called for.
See lots more about this versatile leafy vegetable, including lots of tasty recipes, in our Guide to Arugula.
Explore more …
- 75+ Vegan Cauliflower Recipes
- Sautéed Cauliflower with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil
- Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Salad
- Golden, Sweet, and Purple Potato Salad with Arugula
- Spinach Avocado Salad with Pineapple & Pomegranate
- Kale & Pomegranate Salad with Avocado
- Simple Pomegranate Rice Pilaf
- Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini, Lime & Cilantro
- 5-Ingredient Cauliflower Cashew Bake
Roasted Cauliflower Pomegranate Salad with Arugula & Almonds
Warm roasted cauliflower served over cool greens is a tempting way to enjoy salad in the cooler months.
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika, or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into large bite-sized florets
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
The rest
- 3 ounces or so baby arugula
- Seeds from half of a pomegranate
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more, to taste
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
- Basil leaves, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the paprika and cumin. Add the oil and whisk together. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat evenly. Season gently with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a parchment-lined roasting pan or sheet pan. Make sure to drizzle any spice-infused olive oil in the bowl over the cauliflower. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is nicely golden brown. Stir every 10 minutes or so.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven and transfer to a covered container to keep warm until ready to serve.
- Combine the arugula, pomegranate seeds, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice in the same mixing bowl used for the cauliflower earlier. Toss together and transfer to a serving platter.
- Just before serving, arrange the warm roasted cauliflower over the arugula mixture, then scatter the almonds and basil leaves atop the salad. Serve at once.
Enjoy lots more plant-forward salads & sides.
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