If you’re looking for a keto friendly potato salad substitute, this Cauliflower Salad recipe fits the bill! This salad is loaded with garlic and herb flavor, but contains no mayonnaise or sour cream. It’s perfect for summer picnics and holidays. This salad is low carb, gluten free and dairy free.
The recipe for Keto Cauliflower Salad
This recipe for Keto Friendly Cauliflower salads made with steamed cauliflower, sautéed garlic slices, green onions, parsley, and basil. The dressing has an avocado oil base with white wine vinegar, mustard, and a touch of red pepper flakes.
I based this recipe off of a recipe for Garlic-Herb Potato Salad the I found in the July 2021 issue of Real Simple magazine. I loved the idea of using crispy thin slices of garlic and loads of herbs in a potato salad. The problem for those of us who choose to eat low carb was, of course, the potatoes!
Can you have potatoes on a keto diet?
While I love potatoes, unfortunately, they are loaded with carbohydrates. This can make it impossible to include them in ketogenic or even a low carb diet in a meaningful way.
I don’t really like to think of foods as “keto” or “not keto” because the amount eaten can make a huge difference. For example, a quarter cup of diced carrots might kick most people out of ketosis, but if that quarter cup is in a soup recipe with six servings, the carb count per serving won’t be high enough to have the same effect.
When we look a the nutritional value of potatoes, a medium (2.25-3.25 inches in diameter) potato has 37 grams of carbohydrate (32 grams net carbs). That means that just one potato has more than the entire carb allowance for many who maintain a keto lifestyle. Because of this high carb content, potatoes do not work well on a low-carb or keto diet.
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Can I make cauliflower salad ahead of time?
Not only can you make this salad ahead of time, but you should! There is something about a night in the fridge that makes this salad even better. As my mother used to say, the flavors get to know one another.
If you don’t have time to make it ahead of time, try to give it at least an hour or two in the fridge before serving. This gives the steamed cauliflower time to chill completely and the flavors may not have time to become best friends, but they might at least become acquaintances.
What do I serve with cauliflower salad?
I like to serve this cauliflower salad with the same foods I would pair with potato salad. It works wonderfully with grilled meats like steak, or our Easy Grilled Dijon Mustard Pork Tenderloin. I also like it with our Grilled Marinated London Broil, Grilled Rosemary Lemon Chicken, or even these Low-Carb Easy Grilled Jalapeño Burgers.
This salad serves nicely as a veggie as well as a carb substitute. While you don’t really need another vegetable, you might enjoy it with a simple vegetable like steamed green beans, a simple salad, or this low carb coleslaw from Dr. Davinah’s Eats.
Final words
I hope this salad makes your summer get-togethers more memorable and special. You might find you like it even more than potato salad! Enjoy!
Annissa
Missing potato salad? Our keto friendly version is loaded with garlic-herb goodness, but is made with cauliflower instead of potatoes.
Cauliflower Salad (Keto "Potato" Salad)
This Cauliflower Salad recipe makes a keto friendly potato salad substitute. This salad is loaded with garlic and herb flavor, and perfect for summer picnics and holidays. This salad is low carb, gluten free and dairy free.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into small florets, stem diced
- 4 green onions white parts diced, green parts sliced
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- ¼ cup basil leaves stacked and sliced
- 1¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Steam the cauliflower until it reaches the desired tenderness. To do this, pour a few inches of water into the bottom part of a steamer pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower into the steamer basket. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (about ⅛ teaspoon). Cover the basket and place over the simmering water. Cover the pot and turn heat to low. Steam 5-7 minutes, or until the cauliflower reaches the desired tenderness. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
While cauliflower steams, heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add avocado oil. When hot, add garlic slices saute, stirring frequently, intil light brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Season lightly with ⅛ teasooon sea salt. Set aside.
Add the chopped white and light green parts of the onions and the red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened--about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and tranfer the onion, pepper flake and oil mixture to a large bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
Whisk vinegar into the oil mixture until it becomes slightly creamy. Whisk in the mustard, 1 teaspoon sea salt, black pepper and chopped parsley.
Add the cauliflower, green scallion slices, and basil leaves. Fold to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Top with garlic slices right before serving.
Wow! This was incredibly flavorful! Love how easy it was to make too!
I’ve dabbled with some keto-friendly recipes lately, and this is such a good one. It’s super tasty, and I’ll definitely make it again. It really is a great potato salad alternative.
The cauliflower dish looks so refreshing! Just added it to my meal prep list.
WARNING: Do not watch this late at night when you’re hungry! This salad looks too good to resist!
I love potato salad, but don’t love all of the carbs. This is the perfect solution and I can’t wait to try it!
This was such a unique and unexpected dish! Made this with dinner last night and it was a hit all around the table!