Vegan Cauliflower Potato Salad
on Jul 22, 2022, Updated Aug 15, 2024
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This easy vegan cauliflower potato salad is a delicious low-carb alternative to classic potato salad and easy to make in 30 minutes.
You’ll be surprised at how similar this mock potato salad is to the real thing. It has a similar colour, texture and dressing thanks to the combination of steamed cauliflower and tangy mayo.
The salad is made with steamed cauliflower florets and a rich, creamy vegan dressing. With fewer carbs and calories, this dish is a healthy way to enjoy an irresistible summertime staple.
You’ll love this recipe for every occasion. It makes a lovely addition to a holiday meal like Easter, is great for picnics and BBQs and it’s super easy to whip up any night of the week for a veggie-packed side dish.
For more ways to enjoy cauliflower in salads, this Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad and Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad are both delicious as well.
Recipe Highlights
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Incredibly creamy and full of flavor.
- Keto, low carb, gluten-free and vegan (dairy-free & egg-free), but everyone will enjoy it!
- Option to make your own tofu mayo to use in the salad dressing.
- Great for potlucks, barbecues, and get-togethers.
- Can easily be prepped ahead of time – actually, it’s better if you do!
Ingredients
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- Cauliflower: You’ll need 1 large head of cauliflower or about 8 cups for this recipe. Cauliflower is a great healthy, low-carb alternative to potatoes and makes for a fantastic mock potato salad.
- Celery: Finely diced fresh celery adds a nice crunch.
- Chives or Green onions: Use chives or green onions (scallion) for extra flavor and texture in this salad.
- Red onion: Red onion or shallot works.
- Dill Pickle & Juice: The diced dill pickle and pickle juice provide just the right amount of crunch and tang to this cauliflower “potato” salad. Feel free to add more pickle juice for extra tang!
- Dill: If you don’t have any fresh dill on hand, you can easily swap it out for 1 tsp dried dill but fresh dill is best in this recipe.
- Vegan Mayonnaise: Vegan mayonnaise is the base of the creamy dressing. You can use any store-bought mayo. An oil-free tofu-based dressing is included below as an alternative.
- Dijon Mustard: This adds flavour, colour, and a hint of spice to the salad. You can use any variety of dijon mustard (grainy, hot, etc).
- Seasonings: You’ll need garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular paprika will work as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place a steamer basket in a large pot, then add enough water to cover the bottom, not rising above the basket. Add the chopped cauliflower to the basket. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
Cover the cauliflower and steam for 5-7 min, until just fork-tender. Carefully remove the cauliflower. Set it aside to cool.
Don’t have a steaming basket? You can boil the cauliflower. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add cauliflower. Cook for 5 mins, until you can pierce florets with a knife. Drain.
Step 2: To make the dressing, add the vegan mayo, dijon, dill pickle juice, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine until smooth then season with a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.
Quick Tip: I mixed up the dressing in the bowl I planned to make the salad in so if you do the same, make sure you use a large enough bowl!
Step 3: When the cauliflower is cool to the touch, add it to the bowl with the dressing and mix well to coat then add the celery, chives, red onion, pickle, and dill.
Mix everything up until everything is well-coated in the dressing. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
At this point, you can enjoy the salad right away but it’s even better after it chills in the fridge for an hour!
Garnish cauliflower “potato” salad with extra chives or scallions and a sprinkle of smoked paprika, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Cut cauliflower into equal-sized florets. This will help them cook in the same amount of time rather than having some undercooked pieces and some mushy pieces.
- Chill before serving. This isn’t required but the flavour and texture really develop after an hour or so in the fridge.
Oil-Free Tofu Dressing
For an oil-free salad dressing, try this oil-free tofu mayo recipe to use in the dressing:
- 250 g medium-firm tofu
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 Tbsp water (add enough water to blend easily and achieve a creamy consistency)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Process it for 1 min, until smooth and creamy. Season it with additional salt to taste. For the best flavor, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using in the recipe.
If you’re making the oil-free tofu mayo, it’s best to make it at least 30 minutes ahead of time or the day before. Once prepared, use 1/2 cup of it to replace the vegan mayo in the dressing – so you’re still mixing it with the rest of the dressing ingredients.
FAQs
Yes! This potato salad with cauliflower is a fantastic low-carb and keto-friendly dish.
This dish is most commonly served cold or at room temperature to keep all the vegetables crisp and fresh.
Yes. Allow the cauliflower to thaw in the refrigerator then drain off any excess water before proceeding with the recipe. I would, however, recommend fresh cauliflower for this recipe.
You can absolutely make this potato cauliflower salad without mayo. Plain vegan greek yogurt or the tofu-based mayo recipe can be used as a substitute.
Making Ahead & Storing
- Mock potato salad can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
- If you choose to make your own tofu mayo, you can prepare it in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- There are no raw eggs in this recipe so it travels well making it a great option for potlucks and picnics.
More Vegan Salads
- Tangy Dill Potato Salad (No Mayo): The real thing but with a vinegar-based dressing. You could use this dressing in this salad instead of the mayo dressing.
- Vegan Broccoli Salad: Classic broccoli salad with cranberries, sunflower seeds and red onion.
- Vegan Chicken Salad: “Chicken” salad made with tempeh!
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.
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Vegan Cauliflower Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower Salad
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces. (about 8 cups worth)
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced (1 cup, 112 g)
- ¼ cup chopped chives or green onions, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup diced red onion, 35 g
- ¼ cup diced dill pickle, 37 g
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill
For the Dressing
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise, 115 g
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp dill pickle juice, ie: liquid from the jar, or more for more tang
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Steam Cauliflower: Place a steamer basket in a large pot, then add enough water to cover the bottom, not rising above the basket. Add the chopped cauliflower to the basket. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and steam for 5-7 min, until just fork-tender. Carefully remove the cauliflower. Set aside to cool.
- Make the Dressing: To a large bowl, add the vegan mayo (see notes for oil-free tofu mayo option), Dijon, dill pickle juice, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk to combine.
- Toss Salad: When the cauliflower is cool to the touch, add to the bowl with the dressing. Season cauliflower with salt and pepper. Add the celery, chives, red onion, pickle and dill. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least an hour or until ready to serve.
- Serve: Garnish the “potato” salad with extra chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika, if desired.
Notes
- If making your own tofu or other homemade mayo, do that before cooking the cauliflower, or make it a day ahead so the flavours have time to develop.
- Oil-Free Tofu Mayo: 250g medium-firm tofu, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1-2 Tbsp water (add enough water to blend easily and achieve a creamy consistency), 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt. Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Process for 1 min, until smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the best flavour before using 1/2 cup of it in the recipe to replace the vegan mayo.
- Don’t have a steaming basket? You can boil the cauliflower. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add cauliflower. Cook for 5 mins, until you can pierce florets with a knife. Drain.
- Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
My husband is trying to cut back on carbs, and he loved this!
We really enjoyed this recipe! It keeps well in the fridge too!
Thanks as always for these innovative recipes! I made this using the oil-free tofu mayo and it turned out perfectly. It satisfies a potato salad craving quite well imo. That mayo is a revelation tbh, a virtually undetectable way to add some protein where there would otherwise be none.
Fyi if you’re watching your sodium intake, the recipe doesn’t suffer if you don’t add salt to the salad and use half the amount called for in the mayo. The pickles and brine add enough saltiness to get the job done, at least for me. And regular paprika works great if you don’t care for smoked or don’t have it in your pantry.
I was wondering, would silken tofu work instead of firm if that’s all you have on hand? Would you just add less water? I’m still learning about tofu, so any insight is appreciated 😅
So glad you enjoyed it! I think you could use silken tofu and yes, just start with less water and adjust as needed to reach the right consistency. Let me know if you try it!