Cauliflower Couscous Salad
This grain-free cauliflower couscous salad combines lemon-garlic cauliflower with olives, dried apricots, fresh herbs and roasted sunflower seeds for an easy Moroccan-inspired side dish.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dried apricots, about 4–6
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 cups cauliflower florets, from 1 small to medium head
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
- ½ cup pitted olives, such as Castelvetrano or Kalamata, chopped or sliced
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp roasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Soak the apricots. Place the apricots in a small bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain well and finely chop.
- Make the cauliflower couscous. Working in batches as needed, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped into couscous-size pieces. Take care not to overprocess.
- Cook the cauliflower. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and just beginning to soften, about 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower and one teaspoon of kosher salt and cook, tossing frequently, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Finish the salad. Transfer the warm cauliflower to a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olives, red onion, apricots, parsley, mint, dill, sunflower seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; toss well to combine.
- Season with additional salt, lemon juice or olive oil to taste. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.