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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Pesto Cauliflower & Potato Salad

    Published: Jun 16, 2014 · Updated: Mar 4, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This classic combination of pesto and potatoes is lightened up with irresistible grilled cauliflower. For a more substantial pesto entrée, replace half or all of the cauliflower with pasta, preferably those tight little twists called gemelli. From Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-to-Make Salads You Don’t Have to Be Vegan to Love* by Terry Hope Romero. Reprinted courtesy of Da Capo Lifelong Books, ©2014. Photos by Vanessa K. Rees.

    Pesto Cauliflower Salad by Terry Hope Romero from Salad Samurai

    Pesto Cauliflower and Potato Salad

    This classic combination of pesto and potatoes is lightened up with irresistible grilled cauliflower.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: Potato salad
    Cuisine: Vegan / Healthy
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: pesto and potato salad, potato salad recipe
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 3 to 4
    Calories: 231kcal
    Author: Veg Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 1 ⁄2 pound cauliflower about ½ small or ¼ medium cauliflower
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 ⁄2 pound waxy yellow or white potatoes unpeeled
    • 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
    • 1 ⁄4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or toasted pine nuts

    Basil Pesto Dressing

    • 11 ⁄2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
    • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 4 teaspoons olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic peeled
    • 1 ⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
    • 1 ⁄2 teaspoon salt
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Remove the thick inner stem from the cauliflower, slice into thick 1-inch slabs.
    • Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat.
    • Rub the cauliflower with olive oil and arrange the pieces in a single layer in the preheated pan.
    • Grill the cauliflower until charred on the outside and crisp-tender inside, about 4 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
    • Transfer the cauliflower to a cutting board, chop into bite-size pieces, and place in a large mixing bowl.
    • Peel and dice the potato into 1⁄2-inch pieces, transfer to a large saucepan, cover with 4 inches of cold water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 6 to 8 minutes, or until almost tender.
    • Stir in the peas and cook another minute. Reserve 1⁄4 cup of cooking water, then drain the potatoes and peas and rinse with cold water. Add these vegetables to the cauliflower.
    • In a food processor, pulse together the pesto ingredients plus 2 tablespoons of the potato cooking water until smooth. Spoon onto the vegetables, add the nuts, and combine thoroughly.
    • Cover and chill for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Serve the salad slightly chilled or at room temperature. Garnish each serving with a few nuts.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 959mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 129mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg
    Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

     -

    Pesto Cauliflower Salad by Terry Hope Romero from Salad Samurai

    • See more of VegKitchen’s recipes for potato salads.
    • Here are more recipes for cauliflower and broccoli.

    *This post contains affiliate links. If the product is purchased by linking through this review, VegKitchen receives a modest commission, which helps maintain our site and helps it to continue growing!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sadhna Grover says

      June 16, 2014 at 11:53 am

      Very nice salad and excellent photo. I think, I can add tofu on top, any suggestion.

    2. Nava says

      June 16, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      Sure, why not, Sadhna — that sounds like it would be a good addition to this lovely salad.

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