This potato cauliflower salad combines creamy potatoes, tender cauliflower, Mediterranean flavors, and a bright olive oil dressing into a healthy, satisfying dish that’s easy enough for everyday meals and delicious enough to share.
For more healthy potato salads, try our Greek potato salad, no-mayo potato salad, or Greek yogurt potato salad.
Why you’ll love this potato cauliflower salad!
I’ll be honest, Louise and I expected this potato cauliflower salad to be good. We did not expect it to be the kind of salad we’d happily eat for both lunch and dinner on the same day 😄.
The combination is surprisingly satisfying. You get the comfort and creaminess of potatoes, the lightness of cauliflower, and all those bold Mediterranean flavors from olives, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, fresh parsley, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil. Every bite tastes bright, savory, and just a little bit irresistible. 🫒
What I love most is that this salad doesn’t feel like a compromise. It’s a healthy potato salad without mayo, but it never feels like it’s missing anything. The cauliflower adds extra vegetables and texture, while the olive oil dressing ties everything together beautifully.
If you enjoy simple recipes made with wholesome ingredients, this Mediterranean-inspired salad delivers. It’s colorful, naturally rich in fiber, easy to make ahead, and fits beautifully into a balanced Mediterranean-style eating pattern. ❤️
P.S. Love Mediterranean salads? Try our chickpea cucumber salad, chimichurri chickpea salad, or Greek bean salad.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Cauliflower: fresh cauliflower gives this vegetable potato salad lightness and bite. Substitute broccoli florets or Romanesco.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold or waxy potatoes stay creamy and hold their shape. Substitute red potatoes or baby potatoes.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: oil-packed tomatoes add deep, savory flavor. Substitute roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, or cherry tomatoes.
- Olives: Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives make it bold and Mediterranean. Substitute capers, chopped pickles, or pepperoncini.
- Walnuts: toasted walnuts add crunch and richness. Substitute almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews, or sunflower seeds.
- Green onions: they add freshness without being too sharp. Substitute chives, shallots, or finely diced celery.
- Parsley: fresh parsley keeps this healthy side dish bright. Substitute basil, dill, mint, or cilantro.
- Extra virgin olive oil: use a good-tasting oil for the dressing. Avocado oil also works.
- Vinegar and lemon: they make the salad fresh and tangy. Use all lemon juice or all vinegar if needed.
- Garlic: grated garlic adds bite. For garlic-sensitive people, use garlic-infused oil, chives, or a small pinch of lemon zest instead.
- Dijon mustard: helps the dressing come together. Substitute whole-grain mustard or a little honey mustard.
- Salt and pepper: simple seasoning brings this make ahead salad to life. Adjust before serving.
How to Make Cauliflower Potato Salad
Step 1. Cook the potatoes
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water.
Bring to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on their size.
Drain and let cool for a few minutes, then cut into bite-size chunks. You can peel them or leave the skins on.
Step 2. Cook the cauliflower
While the potatoes cook, cut the cauliflower into small bite-size florets.
Add them to a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of water. Cover and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender but still slightly firm.
Drain well and let cool slightly. Keeping a little bite in the cauliflower gives this potato salad with cauliflower a better texture.
Step 4. Make the dressing
In a large serving bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, mustard, salt, and black pepper.
The dressing should taste bright, tangy, and savory.
Step 5. Assemble and serve
Add the potatoes, cauliflower, toasted walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, green onions, and parsley to the bowl with the dressing.
Toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors can mingle.
This Mediterranean potato salad is delicious served slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Tips
- Don’t overcook the cauliflower: Keep it tender with a little bite. Overcooked cauliflower can become soft and watery, while the microwave helps it cook quickly and evenly.
- Start potatoes in cold water: This helps them cook evenly all the way through without falling apart.
- Dress the potatoes while slightly warm: Warm potatoes absorb the lemony olive oil dressing better, making the salad more flavorful.
- Toast the walnuts: Just a few minutes in a dry skillet brings out their nutty flavor and adds extra crunch.
- Use good olives: Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives add a lot of flavor, so choose the best ones you can find.
- Let the salad rest before serving: Ten minutes is enough for the flavors to mingle and the dressing to soak into the potatoes.
- Taste before serving: Potatoes absorb seasoning, so you may want an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
- Make it ahead: This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making it great for meal prep and potlucks.
- Serve at room temperature: The Mediterranean flavors shine more when the salad isn’t ice cold.
- If you are cooking for mixed diets: Serve grilled chicken, salmon, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, or chickpeas on the side so everyone can build a plate they enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. In fact, the salad often tastes even better after a few hours in the refrigerator because the potatoes have more time to absorb the dressing. It’s a great option when you need a reliable make ahead salad for gatherings, meal prep, or busy weekdays.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give the salad a quick toss before serving, and add a squeeze of lemon juice if you’d like to freshen up the flavors.
Yes. Thaw it first and pat it dry to remove excess moisture. Fresh cauliflower will give you the best texture, but frozen cauliflower works in a pinch.
Absolutely. Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pine nuts, cashews, or even sunflower seeds all work well in this recipe.
Both. I usually prefer it at room temperature because the Mediterranean flavors come through best, but chilled leftovers are delicious too.
Yes. This Mediterranean diet salad travels well, holds up nicely at room temperature, and doesn’t rely on mayonnaise, making it a great choice for picnics, barbecues, and potlucks.
More Healthy Summer Salads
- Easy Greek Cucumber Salad
- Mexican bean salad bowl
- Mediterranean lentil salad
- Healthy apple coleslaw
- Kidney bean salad
- Summer pasta salad
- Lemon Pasta salad with Marinated feta
- Black bean corn salad
For even more ideas, browse our Best Summer Salads round-up post.
If you try this Potato Cauliflower Salad Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Potato Cauliflower Salad (Mediterranean Diet Delicious)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 small cauliflower head about 1 lb (450 g) – cut into bite-size florets
- 1 pound potatoes Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed – drained from the oil and chopped
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- ½ cup olives Kalamata or Castelvetrano – pitted
- 1 – 2 green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Place 1 pound potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water.Bring to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt, then simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, or until fork-tender.Drain, let cool for a few minutes, then cut into bite-size chunks. Leave the skins on or peel them if you prefer.
- Cook the cauliflower: Cut 1 small cauliflower head into small florets.Place in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of water. Cover and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm.Drain well and let cool slightly.
- Make the dressing: In a large serving bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 clove garlic, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Assemble the salad: Add the potatoes, cauliflower, ½ cup walnuts, ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped), ½ cup olives, 1 – 2 green onions (thinly sliced), and ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped) to the bowl with the dressing.Toss gently to coat. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving.Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Cauliflower → Broccoli florets or Romanesco.
- Potatoes → Red potatoes or baby potatoes.
- Sun-dried tomatoes → Roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, or cherry tomatoes.
- Olives → Capers, chopped pickles, or pepperoncini.
- Walnuts → Almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews, or sunflower seeds.
- Green onions → Chives, shallots, or finely diced celery.
- Parsley → Basil, dill, mint, or cilantro.
- Extra virgin olive oil → Avocado oil.
- Vinegar and lemon → Use all lemon juice or all vinegar.
- Garlic → Garlic-infused oil, chives, or a little extra lemon zest.
- Dijon mustard → Whole-grain mustard or honey mustard.
- Salt and pepper → Adjust to taste before serving.
- Keep the cauliflower firm: Tender with a little bite is best.
- Start potatoes in cold water: They cook more evenly.
- Dress warm potatoes: They soak up more flavor.
- Toast the walnuts: A few minutes adds crunch and nuttiness.
- Use good olives: They make a big difference here.
- Let it rest: Give the salad 10 minutes before serving.
- Taste before serving: Add more salt or lemon if needed.
- Serve at room temperature: The Mediterranean flavors shine.
- For mixed diets: Serve with grilled chicken, salmon, tuna, eggs, or chickpeas on the side.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
I want this Recipe, It’s like a real good recipe.
How did you calculate this recipe having 27 grams of fat per serving?? That sounds like a lot!!
Hi Angela,
Yes, that’s correct 😊 The nutrition information is an estimate calculated automatically based on the ingredients and serving size in the recipe.
If you’d like to reduce the fat content, you can use fewer olives, less olive oil, fewer walnuts, or fewer sun-dried tomatoes. These ingredients contribute most of the fat in the salad.
That said, most of the fat in this recipe comes from foods that are typically associated with the Mediterranean diet and are sources of predominantly unsaturated fats.
I hope that helps!
Best, Louise