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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Cauliflower Potato Salad

    Published: Jan 23, 2023

    Note: This site is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the site to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.

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    Grandma made the BEST potato salad - though it wasn’t a super traditional potato salad, it was full of flavour, colour, and texture. This cauliflower potato salad recipe is a very accurate keto version of her original!

    A bowl of low carb cauliflower potato salad.

    Growing up, I had no idea that my Gramma’s Potato Salad deviated from “classic potato salad” at all.

    It had potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and a creamy dressing ... and that was about all it had in common with other potato salads.

    Rather than any of the traditional ingredients - like Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard), pickle juice, fresh dill, or celery salt - hers got the bulk of its flavor from copious use of Italian dressing, which the potatoes were actually marinated in.

    The seasonings from the dressing made kind of a spicy mayo - SO good!

    There was no red onion or chopped dill pickles, but there were plenty of radishes, green onions, and celery. (It uses green onion rather than the fresh parsley or fresh chives in many potato salad recipes.

    It was served at all of our family gatherings that would have a potato salad, it was our default, and I LOVED it.

    As I got a bit older, it was my favorite potato salad to bring to any summer BBQ. Just a really great recipe, once I “translated” it from her instructions!

    When I went keto, I knew I’d have to come up with a low carb potato salad - a healthier version of hers.

    It took a few tries, but I finally landed on a keto potato salad that tastes shockingly like the real thing!

    A bowl of low carb mock potato salad, garnished with radishes, green onions, and hard boiled egg slices.

    The Nutritional Info

    Whether you’re on the Atkins diet, a general keto diet, low carbing, or not even aiming for weight loss at all, this cauliflower salad is a fantastically healthy potato salad alternative for all kinds of meal plans!

    This decadent keto cauliflower potato salad comes out to only 178 calories, 5 grams of total carbs, 2 grams of fiber, and less than 3 grams of net carbs per serving. FAR fewer carbs than any regular potato salad, it won’t raise your blood sugar levels!

    For reference, the source material for this faux potato salad - the real potato salad it was designed around - clocked in at 409 calories, 33 grams of carbs / 28 grams of net carbs per serving.

    Between it being a great option for diabetics and those following a low carb lifestyle, a tater salad that is generally non offensive to picky eaters, the small amount of prep time involved, and the fact that it’s a great make ahead option?

    This is an excellent recipe to whip up as a side dish for your summer cookouts!

    Enjoy!

    A bowl of keto cauliflower potato salad.

    Ingredients

    This recipe uses only simple ingredients that are readily available in any grocery store. I tend to look at them in 3 parts: The cauliflower, the dressing, and the salad ingredients.

    Fresh Cauliflower

    I use a large head of cauliflower - fresh.

    While I love the convenience of frozen cauliflower - especially when making mashed cauliflower - it just doesn’t work as well for this.

    To really mimic the texture of potatoes in a regular potato salad, you want the cauliflower to have a bit of bite to it. Once defrosted and cooked, previously-frozen ends up to slightly mushy cauliflower.

    The texture of the cauliflower is also the reason for the cooking process I use in this recipe - dry steamed cauliflower*, rather than boiling it in a large pot of water.

    While I’m usually all for riffing on a recipe, I wouldn’t recommend deviating from the cooking instructions when making this low carb mock potato salad.

    * It steams in its own moisture that releases as it cooks, without the addition of any additional water.

    Dressing

    Because of the high carb count of regular Italian dressing - and the fact that cauliflower behaves differently from potatoes - I make a quick, homemade dressing.

    This involves:

    Olive oil
    White vinegar
    Sugar substitute (I use Erythritol / Monkfruit Blend Sweetener)
    Italian Seasoning
    Garlic Powder
    Ground Black Pepper
    Onion Powder
    Smoked Paprika
    Salt

    As far as substitutions go, you can swap the olive oil out for avocado oil if desired.

    Also, the white vinegar can be swapped out in favor of another acid, like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.

    Remaining Ingredients

    To finish out the recipe, you will need:

    Full fat mayo*
    Radishes
    Celery ribs
    Green Onions
    Hard boiled eggs

    * You can substitute avocado mayo, Greek yogurt, and/or sour cream for all or part of the mayo, if you’d like.

    A bowl of low carb cauliflower potato salad.

    How to Make Low Carb Cauliflower Potato Salad

    The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is a pictorial walk through.

    In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients, set aside.

    Cut cauliflower into small florets - bite-sized florets - place cauliflower florets in a large microwave-safe bowl.

    Cover loosely with plastic wrap, microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. Stir cauliflower pieces well, microwave for another 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, drain well.

    Note: If you have a steamer, you can cook the cauliflower in a steamer basket, if you prefer. You want the cauliflower slightly softened, with a bit of firmness to it - like potatoes in potato salad!

    Place cauliflower in a large mixing bowl..

    A 5 part image showing the cauliflower being cut into small florets and cooked in a microwave safe bowl.

    Whisk the dressing again, pour over the cooked cauliflower and toss well to coat. Transfer to a large bowl, allow to cool to room temperature.

    Note: If possible, chill your steamed cauliflower before proceeding.

    A 5 part image showing the dressing being mixed and stirred into the cooked cauliflower.

    Add radishes, celery, and green onions, folding them into the seasoned cooled cauliflower.

    Add mayo (⅓ cup if you like a drier salad, more if you like it creamier), gently stir until cauliflower and vegetables are evenly coated.

    A 5 part image showing the vegetables and mayo being added to the bowl of faux potato salad.

    Gently fold in the egg slices, season with salt and pepper to taste.

    A 2 part image showing the hard boiled egg slices being added to the mock potato salad and folded in.

    Transfer to an airtight container, chill for at least 1 hour - ideally a couple of hours - before serving.

    Serving

    This cauliflower potato salad is a great way to get a good dose of veggies in, alongside your meat.

    For a light lunch, serve it with some rotisserie chicken - it’s a favourite meal of mine!

    I also love this with BBQ chicken thighs. It really goes well with all kinds of meats, I basically have a batch of this in the fridge at all times, in the summer!

    A bowl of keto mock potato salad, garnished with radishes, green onions, and hard boiled egg slices.

    More Low Carb Recipes for Salad

    Looking for more keto friendly recipes for salads? From simple salads to indulgent main dish salads, I’ve got you covered!

    Low Carb Creamy Cucumber Salad
    Colourful Keto Coleslaw
    Keto Broccoli Salad
    Low Carb Caesar Salad
    Keto Vietnamese Noodle Salad
    Keto Taco Salad
    Buffalo Chicken Salad
    Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
    Cobb Salad
    Italian Sub Salad
    Keto Taco Salad
    Mediterranean Chicken Salad
    Salad Meal Prep
    Seafood Cobb Salad
    Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad
    Shawarma Chicken Salad
    Steak Salad with Creamy Wasabi Dressing
    Thai Pesto Salmon Salad

    A bowl of keto cauliflower potato salad.

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    ... and hey, if you love the recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and comment! (Sharing the post on social media is always appreciated, too!)

    A bowl of keto cauliflower potato salad.

    A bowl of keto cauliflower potato salad.
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    5 from 3 votes

    Cauliflower Potato Salad

    Grandma made the BEST potato salad - not super traditional, full of flavour. This cauliflower potato salad is a very accurate keto version.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Cooling / Chilling Time2 hours hrs
    Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Canadian
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Servings: 8 Servings
    Calories: 178kcal

    Equipment

    • Microwave safe dish

    Ingredients

    Dressing:

    • ¼ cup Olive oil
    • 1 ½ tablespoon White vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon Sugar substitute
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon Black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon Onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Smoked paprika
    • ¾ teaspoon Salt

    Salad:

    • 1 head Cauliflower
    • 6 Radishes thinly sliced
    • 4 Celery ribs
    • 3 Green Onions Thinly Sliced
    • ⅓-1/2 Cup Full Fat Mayo
    • 4 Large Eggs Hard boiled and sliced
    • Salt
    • Ground Pepper

    Instructions

    • Whisk together dressing ingredients, set aside.
    • Cut the cauliflower into small florets, place in a large, microwave safe dish.
    • Cover loosely with plastic wrap, microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir well, microwave for another 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, drain well.
    • Whisk the dressing again, pour over the hot cauliflower and toss well to coat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, allow to cool to room temperature.
    • Add radishes, celery, and green onions, folding them into the seasoned cauliflower.
    • Add mayo (⅓ cup if you like a drier salad, more if you like it creamier), gently stir until cauliflower and vegetables are evenly coated.
    • Gently fold in the egg slices, season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Transfer to an airtight container, chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

    A bowl of low carb cauliflower potato salad.

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    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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