This Moroccan-style cauliflower salad is made with warm spices, sweet raisins, citrus dressing and a hint of orange zest. It’s paleo, gluten-free, and a perfect side dish.
This week, I had half a head of cauliflower leftover from making some cauliflower rice and I wanted to make something new with it. I love roasting cauliflower but as we don’t have an oven in the van, I thought that perhaps I can pan-fry it until crispy and golden brown and then throw in a few bits and pieces to make a salad.
I decided to go with a Moroccan theme here and thought that the earthiness of warm spices like cumin and cinnamon would go well with nutty cauliflower. I then wanted to give it some sweetness – that’s where raisins come in – and balance it out with a little citrus zing. I had an orange, so I added a little zest and juice, and this salad took on a slightly autumnal, and almost Christmasy, feel.
Cook’s notes
You have a choice of pan-frying or roasting the cauliflower. The recipe below provides instructions for cooking it in a frying pan, but if you use the oven, heat it to 200 C / 400 F and mix the cauliflower pieces with the spices and olive oil before spreading it on a flat baking sheet and cooking it for about 20-25 minutes.
Raisins could be replaced with diced dried apricot or sultanas.
I’ve added some shaved almond flakes but these are optional if you want to make a nut-free version.
The recipe below is for this salad as a side dish between 2-4 people but you can also make a larger batch of this. This goes well most proteins but especially with chicken or lamb.
Try it as a side dish to crispy skin baked chicken with herby sauce or my slow-cooked Moroccan lamb stew. And, if you love cauliflower and want more recipes with it, check out my shrimp and cauliflower fried ‘rice’, these low-carb cauliflower hash browns, or this popular crack cauliflower with spicy sauce.
- Heat coconut oil or olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower florets to the pan (I put them flat side down first) and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Use tongs or a fork to turn each piece over and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
- Evenly, sprinkle the spices and salt over the cauliflower pieces and add the almonds. Stir through over heat for a minute, allowing the spices to release their aromas. Turn the heat off and set aside.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, make the salad dressing. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside to infuse.
- Transfer the warm cauliflower to the salad bowl and mix through, making sure everything is well coated. Serve with some fresh herbs on top or as is.
SAVE THIS CAULIFLOWER RECIPE TO PINTEREST
Very Incredible Basil Sauce Recipe
Punchy, salty, bright green sauce packed with fresh basil, chives, garlic, and a bit of oregano. This sauce can be poured out just about anything!
This creamy basil sauce is going on EV-ER-Y-THING in my life: sandwiches, eggs, grilled chicken and veggies, dipped with chips?! It’s so good, packed with green goodness, it’s beautifully summery, and I’m doing the most with it.
In This Post:
The main thing:
Other stuff:
How To Make This Basil Sauce
Step 1: Get All Your Ingredients Ready
You can use a blender, food processor, or a mini-chopper-type gadget. I love this mini-chopper (affiliate link). It’s not meant for sauces necessarily, but I use it all the time because it’s super compact.
Step 2: Blend Your Basil Sauce
That’s it! Just blend, taste, and adjust!
This sauce can be a bit chunky / textured, so keep it going until it has the consistency you want. I prefer something right before completely pureed – where it has just barely noticeable flecks of herbs, but it’s mostly smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Put It On All Your Yummy Things
Like so. (Here’s that recipe.)
Lindsay’s Notes
Ooh baby. Basil, chives, garlic, and a tiny hit of oregano all in a creamy, salty, bright green sauce – I love this so much.
The first time I made this, my toddler (who mostly just eats crackers) found a spatula and just sat at the counter licking the remnants of the sauce out of the blender with me. And I hear that from a lot of people – many kids seem to be very into this for unknown reasons. Sometimes it just hits right, ya know? A+ for that experience.
My favorite thing about this sauce, besides that it tastes like heaven, is that makes healthy-ish eating something I really, actually look forward to.
Baked salmon goes up about 100 notches in my book when smothered in this creamy green sauce. Same goes for shrimp, chicken, and a big fresh salad or lots of roasted veggies.
This will not be the last we see of this sauce, which is why I decided to give it its own post on POY. Welcome home, little basil sauce.
Things You Could Put It On
The possibilities! They are endless.
Description
Punchy, salty, bright green sauce packed with fresh basil, chives, garlic, and a bit of oregano. This sauce can be poured out just about anything!
- Place all your sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. (I use this mini chopper for the vast majority of my sauces because it’s nice and compact!)
- Blend until you get your desired consistency – I usually go for an almost-completely-smooth texture that is flecked with small bits of herbs.
Notes
Taste and adjust! More lemon juice will wake it up, Parmesan adds more umami and saltiness, and if it gets too salty for you, add a bit more mayo to dilute the pungency a bit!
Keywords: basil sauce, basil dressing
Recipe Card powered byFrequently Asked Questions For Basil Sauce
What can I use instead of mayo?I’ve seen some people on Instagram say they used Greek yogurt and liked it. I haven’t made it this way and I know I wouldn’t like it with Greek yogurt because it’s so tangy and has a different flavor. BUT, if you’re okay with it being a bit different than the original, I think Greek yogurt could work!
I have an egg allergy – what can I use?Vegan mayo has no eggs and tastes great! That’s what I’d use!
How long does the basil sauce last?I usually keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Can you make this vegetarian / vegan?Yes! Use vegan mayo and vegan Parmesan! If you can’t find vegan Parmesan, just throw in a bit of extra salt to compensate for the change in flavor. And if you don’t want to use vegan mayo, try using an avocado like we did in this avocado mojo sauce.
Can you freeze this basil sauce?I would not recommend freezing this.
More Of My Favorite Sauce Recipes
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
Hi, I'm Alex!
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