We adore this roasted cauliflower kale salad! It’s the perfect cozy winter weeknight meal, filled with nourishing ingredients and lots of crunch toppings. The spiced shallot dressing is out of this world!
Easy weeknight meals are a must right now.
In this busy season, nothing tastes better than a simple nourishing dish that didn’t take a million years to make. This roasted cauliflower kale salad is just the ticket! It’s filled with pomegranate, goat cheese, walnuts and dates and is drizzled with the most delicious dressing.
This is totally my kind of meal. In my house, I think it’s a signature for me. A big bowl loaded with seasonal ingredients with no shortage of major crunch.
The crunch factor is what gets me everything.
I also love a great salad that works as a side salad, a party salad or a base salad. Nothing better!!
This has so many of my favorite cozy winter ingredients.
First, tuscan kale. I love it so much more than curly green kale. It’s always my first choice, it’s just not always available to me. Curly green works too!
Next, roasted cauliflower. For over 15 years I’ve told you how roasted cauliflower practically tastes like popcorn to me. It’s so toasty and golden and roasty.
Chopped dates come next! I love how sweet and chewy they are. They add the perfect bite!
Creamy goat cheese is sprinkled on the salad too. I love how the goat cheese turns creamy and disperses throughout the salad. It’s so tangy and creamy and fabulous.
Pops of pomegranate arils are another favorite. They burst when you bite into them and have the perfect flavor of tart fruit.
Toasted walnuts also make an appearance. Yes! Can you say texture? This salad is all about crunch, crispness, toasted cozy flavors and contrasts.
The whole thing is drizzled with a spiced shallot dressing. It’s DELISH. Again, super tangy. Vinegary and briney, with a hint of spice.
I like to dice the shallot and let it sit in the dressing for a few minutes. It basically becomes marinated and adds another excellent flavor punch to this bowl.
This is now in the rotation for winter weeknight dinners. It tastes amazing and is very satisfying to eat. It’s also super filling.
I love that it can be a main dish for me or a side dish for Eddie. He likes to add grilled chicken to this and it’s also incredible with steak. The versatility and ease of use when it comes to recipes is what’s most important in my life right now. Small kids, lots of crazy activity schedules and things must come together seamlessly.
Love it when I find such a good one that works!
Roasted Cauliflower Winter Kale Salad
Roasted Cauliflower Winter Kale Salad
We adore this roasted cauliflower kale salad! It’s the perfect cozy winter weeknight meal, filled with nourishing ingredients and lots of crunch toppings. The spiced shallot dressing is out of this world!
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 cups torn tuscan kale
- ⅔ cup walnuts
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ⅓ cup chopped dates
- 2 to 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
spiced shallot vinaigrette
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
-
Spread the cauliflower out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil. Season all over with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the garlic powder and toss.
-
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once during cook time, until golden brown and toasty.
-
While the cauliflower roasts, chop the kale. Place it in a large bowl. Drizzle it with 1 tablespoon of the spiced shallot dressing. Massage the kale for a few minutes – this helps release the bitterness and chew. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
-
Place the walnuts in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toss and shake the pan, stirring until the walnuts are nutty and fragrant and toasted. This will take about 5 to 6 minutes. Don’t take your eyes off of them! Once cool, chop the walnuts.
-
To assemble the salad, top the massaged kale with the cauliflower. Add on the walnuts, dates, pomegranate and goat cheese. Top with the shallot dressing and toss well.
-
Serve!
spiced shallot vinaigrette
-
Whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, shallot, garlic, allspice, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. This keeps great in the fridge for a few days!
Makes you feel good too!