Sicilian Cauliflower Salad is super easy and made with simple pantry ingredients you may already have on hand. It’s a live and tasty salad that keeps for days in your refrigerator!
The thing that I love most about Italian food and cooking is that hardly anything ever goes to waste. The Italians find creative ways to make everything stretch! This salad is inspired by the Italian “reinforcement salad” which exemplifies that no-waste philosophy!
What is Sicilian Cauliflower Salad?
The Sicilian Cauliflower Salad (or Insalata Rinforzata as this salad is inspired by) is often served at Christmastime in southern Italy and Sicily. I think it’s perfect at any time of the year and especially now because you can make it with things you may already have in your pantry. Best of all, it holds beautifully!
In the “old days,” it was customary to make this type of salad as an antipasto and then as the holiday season went on, additional vegetables or condiments would be added.
This version is inspired by Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia on PBS who says that if any is leftover you can add things from your refrigerator like carrots or asparagus to give it new taste nuances.
No matter what you call it, I call it delicious!
How to make Sicilian Cauliflower Salad:
- Make a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and garlic.
- Cut a large head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
- Blanch the florets in salted boiling water for approximately 1 minute.
- Transfer the hot cauliflower florets to a large mixing bowl then pour the vinaigrette over the cauliflower.
- Give it a stir so that all the cauliflower is evenly coated with the vinaigrette and it “marinates” as it cools to room temperature.
- Add the other ingredients:
- Diced red onion
- Diced roasted red bell pepper
- Halved kalamata olives
- Capers
- Diced sun-dried tomatoes
- Chickpeas
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Stir and that’s it! Adjust to your taste with salt, pepper or a little extra vinegar or lemon juice.
So good… and the perfect salad to make with all those pantry ingredients you have! You could also add:
- Canned tuna
- Anchovies
- Pepperoncini or cherry peppers
More cauliflower salads you’re sure to love!
- Cauliflower Antipasto Salad
- Cauliflower Artichoke Tabbouleh
- Warm Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad
- Cauliflower Tabouli with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Feta Cheese
Sicilian Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar - or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - approximately 1 large lemon
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 1 large head cauliflower - cut into small florets (7-8 cups)
- ½ large red onion - finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 jar (12-ounce) roasted red peppers in olive oil and garlic - drained and chopped
- ½ cup halved Kalamata olives
- 5 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil - drained and chopped (approximately ¼ cup)
- ¼ cup capers - drained
- 1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas - (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste in a large bowl.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
- Drop the cauliflower florets into the boiling water and cook 1 minute. Drain well.
- Transfer the blanched cauliflower florets to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Toss to coat with the vinaigrette and let cool.
- When cooled to room temperature, add the next 8 ingredients (red onion to crushed red pepper flakes). Stir to combine.
- Adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper and additional red wine vinegar if desired.
Notes
- Canned tuna
- Anchovies
- Pepperoncini or cherry peppers
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Deborah says
This salad is very tasty! Definitely a keeper. I added artichoke, extra roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes. Would be great with olives but I did not have any. I used 4 large cloves of garlic and it was not too much. I added a little extra lemon to the vinaigrette which was very nice too. I made it early morning and the flavours melded and improved during the day. We are the leftovers 2 days later and it held up well and tasted even better. Thanks for a great recipe.
Carol says
Hi, Deborah, Thanks so very much and so happy you are enjoying!! You are more than welcome!
Cindi Faith Bennett says
This was so so delicious. I ate it on a lettuce salad and also on top of slightly warmed rice. Will be making this often, loved the flavors and texture.
Carol says
Hi, Cindi, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed!! Love that you served it over lettuce–great idea. Thanks again!
Carol says
Hi, Lori, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed! This salad is definitely versatile and love that you added artichoke hearts; they’re one of my favorite things in life. Thanks again!
Lori says
Amazing recipe! This was so good. I omitted sundried tomatoes because I don’t like them. I used up all of my leftover jars of kalamata olives, roasted red pepper and capers. I had some artichoke hearts so I added that too. As usual, it’s better the next day. This will be in heavy rotation at my home. Thank you!
Tracy Smith says
Curious….have you ever tried this with broccoli? I’m not a cauliflower fan but the recipe looks amazing!
Carol says
Hi, Tracy, Thanks so much for your question. I have not made this with broccoli. It might work fine with broccoli or give this a try and perhaps you’ll begin to enjoy cauliflower with all the other flavors going on. If you want to try a great broccoli salad, do give my Lemony Broccoli, Barley and White Bean Salad a try. Thanks again!
Tamara Andersen says
I just dropped by to tell you this cauliflower salad is gorgeous, and I think I’ve got everything to give it a try. A well-stocked pantry is such a good thing right now! Beautiful, and thanks!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Tamara! It’s a great salad full of pantry ingredients. Hope you enjoy!