Raw cauliflower salad with kale, carrots, parsley, walnuts, roasted chickpeas, and bacon topped with the best lemon dressing!!
Current eating trend: frito-crusted chicken tenders with winter cauliflower rice salad. It’s called winning!!
Kids willingly eat supper and I get my salad fix for the day. Best.of.both.worlds.
This salad is seriously amazing but the roasted chickpeas on top make it next level! Chickpeas do wonders on salads and tbh I don’t typically add them to my salads but they will be added to them on a regular basis from now on.
I’ve said it before and I will probably say it a hundred more times, if you are going to take the time to make a salad be sure to add lots of crunch, plenty of texture, and make it colorful. This salad is not dreary, sad, or lacking anything. It’s evvvrything!!
I just can’t get over how much I love this salad.
Tips for Making this Salad:
- Don’t leave out the roasted chickpeas and although I’m not a huge bacon lover, it adds a lot to this salad. I am one to sometimes be impatient and eyeball things but be sure to wait long enough for the chickpeas to get crispy on the stove. It creates that next level salad you are wanting!
- When making the cauliflower “rice” in the food processor, do it in batches or you will end up with mashed cauliflower. (Yep, I did that) Again the impatient thing I’m working on. So instead I had to send my husband out on a cauliflower run.
- The best way to prepare the ingredients is to chop them well, speaking specifically about the kale, carrots, and parsley. This ensures you get more flavor per bite.
The dressing for this winter cauliflower rice salad is fabulous and I won’t be judgy if you feel like you need to keep adding more to your salad. I for sure couldn’t get enough. I made it to go with our supper but it’s a great addition to next day’s lunch as well. Soup + salad this time of year for lunch is a favorite of mine!
Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
Cauliflower Rice Salad
- 2 strips bacon
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed, drained
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup kale chopped
- 1 medium-large carrot chopped into small pieces
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
Lemon Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Cauliflower Rice Salad
- Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until fat has rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lines plate and set aside.
- Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels and add to clean skillet. Add pinch of salt and black pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over chickpeas. Cook over medium heat until crispy, about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, working in batches add cauliflower to food processor and pulse about 15 times until you get rice consistency. (Don't add too much cauliflower at once or you will end up with mostly mashed cauliflower.)
- In a large bowl, combine kale, carrots, parsley, and walnuts. Chop bacon and add to salad. Top with crispy chickpeas. Add lemon dressing just prior to serving and mix.
Lemon Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until well blended. Store in fridge until ready to use.
More Delicious Salad Ideas
Fall Kale & Walnut Salad
Best Blueberry Spinach Salad with Candied Almonds
