Why not a potato salad made with cauliflower instead of potatoes? It takes absolutely no more time than potatoes, is low carb, and just as tasty as the starchy version. A traditional potato salad recipe made healthier, this is the best Cauliflower Potato Salad no-wait- the best potato salad... period. Your family and friends won't even notice the swap out, I promise you!
I am in love with how easy it is to swap out cauliflower for potatoes in so many recipes. I do it often in macaroni and cheese and ABSOLUTELY use cauliflower for mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes.
Potato salad is such a classic summer side dish that we all love. However, so many of us are trying to reduce the simple carbs from our diets. Swapping cauliflower for potatoes in the traditional recipe is a simple and super-effective swap that keeps all the flavor and texture of the potato with none of the simple carbs. The best part is that it is actually EASIER than the potatoes because you can skip all that darn peeling.
Key Ingredients:
- Cauliflower. I prefer to use a head of cauliflower and cut it into florets, myself. But use already prepared florets to keep it easier, if you prefer. I would recommend that you stay with fresh cauliflower and not frozen so you can be sure that it is steamed just until done and doesn't get too watery or soft.
- Hard-boiled eggs. Just like the traditional potato salad, cauliflower potato salad benefits from the hard boiled eggs. Make them yourself or pick up a package of already made hard-boiled eggs in your egg section.
- Celery. The texture (and nutrition) of celery adds so much to this recipe. Chop up your celery as finely as you prefer.
- Onion. A good pile of chopped onion gives this salad a nice flavor and texture. If your family doesn't like onion, skip it. Or try using freshly chopped green onion.
- Peas. Frozen peas work fabulously in this salad. I recommend you thaw them first to be sure they don't produce any additional water in your finished salad. But don't cook them. They will have a fabulous bit of "pop" in the mouth.
- Bacon. Totally optional. Well, not really. Bacon is always necessary :). Buy already cooked bacon to make it easier on yourself, if you like.
- Mayo. Or sub Greek Yogurt for a healthier option. I like to use half mayo and half yogurt without my family have one. single. clue.
- Mustard. Traditional yellow mustard works great! Amp up the flavor with some horseradish mustard or another specialty variety.
How to Make:
Cauliflower Potato Salad whips up exactly the same way you would your traditional version except that you swap out the cauliflower for the potato salad. Exactly the same.
- Boil the cauliflower until fork tender (about 10 min)--do NOT cook longer than fork tender. (you could also steam the cauliflower for great results!)
- Cook your bacon, if you are using some.
- Mix ingredients together.
- Put in fridge for at least 3 hours.
Tips:
- Use a bag of cauliflower florets instead of a stalk of cauliflower for an even faster option!
- A food processor is a great way to get veggies chopped up quick and easy! Use it to chop the celery and onions for this recipe.
- Important! Cook your cauliflower just enough to be fork tender and then pull them out of the heat...pronto! This is the key to this salad tasting just like traditional potato salad.
- Use the oven to bake up your bacon while your cauliflower is steaming. Saves your stovetop from the greasy mess!
How do you fix salty potato salad?
Sometimes we get to the end of making our potato salad and find that it is too salty...how do we fix that? The key is adding something acidic to cut that salt. A bit of vinegar or lemon juice should help alot! Also adding a bit of minced garlic can help with the saltiness.
My family asks for this cauliflower potato salad recipe all the time in the picnic season and I am always happy to oblige! I'll admit that each time I make it I change up the recipe a bit, omitting the bacon, adding peppers or scapes, trading out yellow mustard for dijon, etc. These sort of recipes are perfect for playing and adjusting to what you have on hand.
I know that a good many of you have children that refuse to touch a veggie and may not like this salad simply on principle. Have them try it...you might be surprised!
Just for fun, I thought you might enjoy this very very old picture of Katie enjoying a plate of cauliflower potato salad. She is now (at the time of this update) 23 years old and blonde. But still loves this recipe!
What can cauliflower replace?
If you are looking for all the ways to use cauliflower instead of potatoes I suggest you first master mashed cauliflower. And I have the trick to getting it perfect every time WITHOUT being runny and watery, a common complaint. You can then use mashed cauliflower in any place you might use potatoes. Try my Shepherd's Pie with it, so good!
After mastering mashed cauliflower try swapping out pasta for cauliflower. A bit more tricky when you have children (the texture isn't quite the same) I recommend going for a half swap out like in my One Pot 30 Minute Cauliflower Mac & Cheese. Swapping out only half of the pasta for cauliflower and cooking the cauliflower in the pasta keeps it easy and adds a punch of nutrition without sacrificing beloved flavor and comfort.
Best Cauliflower Potato Salad
Ingredients
- a head of cauliflower
- 6 hard-boiled eggs-chopped
- 3 stalks of celery-chopped
- 1 small onion-chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas-thawed
- 6 oz pkg bacon--cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup mayo (I use ½ cup greek yogurt ½ cup mayo)
- 1 tab mustard
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the cauliflower until fork tender (about 10 min)--do NOT cook longer than fork tender. (you could also steam the cauliflower for great results!)
- Mix ingredients together.
- Put in fridge for at least 3 hours.
- This tastes much better after sitting in the fridge for a day or more! NO SERIOUSLY, IT DOES!
So glad I discovered this recipe! I don’t even make normal potato salad anymore. I do make a few adjustments to suit our preferences; like no peas & adding diced dill pickles. I think it’s better the 2nd day, so I try to make it in advance.
Just made this recipe for the first time. It is out of this world!!!!! You would never know that there is no potato’s. I actually like this better than regular potato salad.
Right!?! Agree. Although my family still can't know it's the cauliflower version. Their brains mess with them too much :).
Definitely my new go to summer salad. Absolutely delicious!!!
Yay!! So glad to hear it. I agree, it's a fave of mine too!
Do you chop or cut into bits the cauliflower first before steaming?
I chop it fairly large before steaming so that it doesn't get too mush from over-cooking.