Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous
Cauliflower’s unique characteristics make it a versatile vegetable. From pizza crust, to “steaks”, to “couscous”, cauliflower has been creatively utilized in so many new ways in just the past few years. Here cauliflower is shaved into a snowy “couscous” then tossed with colorful Mediterranean veggies, marinated feta, and a simple red wine vinaigrette. With the flavors of your favorite Greek salad, this dish brings lots of texture to the table with a new kind of couscous. Try this cauli couscous salad and discover a novel way to enjoy your veggies!
Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous
Makes ~6-8 servings
Marinated feta
1 cup feta, crumbled
2 tbs. minced herbs (mostly parsley with some basil & mint used here)
1 piece lemon rind
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. lemon juice
few grinds black pepper
pinch chili flakes if desired
Salad
1 large head cauliflower
1 cup cucumber, diced
½ cup tomatoes, cut
½ cup olives, sliced
½ cup red pepper, diced
½ cup artichoke hearts, sliced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
few grinds black pepper
pinch coarse/kosher salt
herbs for serving
Start with the marinated feta. Mix all the ingredients together well and let sit while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Using a peeler, shave the florets off of the cauliflower into a bowl. You can also shave a bit of the stem, but the florets are what make the snow/couscous shape. If you don’t have a peeler, you can shave the cauliflower with a sharp knife, but the peeler definitely works best. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, red pepper, artichoke hearts, and marinated feta to the cauliflower couscous.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, and salt & pepper until homogenous. Mustard is a natural emulsifier and will help the dressing stay together.
When ready to serve, dress the couscous salad with the vinaigrette. Garnish with fresh herbs. I think this would be great served with some chickpeas or pita and some grilled fish or chicken, but enjoy however you like/!
Undressed salad will last a few days in the fridge, but I think it tastes best fresh.