Last Thursday was just like any other busy work day. I was running from a Zoom call at home to another meeting, and then to a recipe photoshoot session for the blog (which turned out to be really fun!).
I had packed this salad in my bag for lunch and as I was microwaving this in the studio, my teammates looked at me and exclaimed, “Cassandra, what is that?! It smells amazing!”
That was a good sign for this new salad I was testing out. It’s always so daunting to try new, daring recipes, but if people around me respond positively, then it’s a go!
All I did was toss together roasted cashews, curry roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes. I also added in some onions, peas, cranberries and cilantro. It sounds like a lot and I won’t lie: it is. But it tastes so darn good and lively, especially with the curry and turmeric seasoning.
There are so many fun textures in this salad – crispy nuts, soft cauliflower, and juicy cranberries.
And the cashew dressing is to die for! It is made of cashew nuts blended with spices, maple syrup, and lemon juice. This dressing tastes great with other salads, too.
If you’re someone who loves a bit of spice, then you’re definitely going to love this curry roasted cauliflower recipe. And one of the best parts is that there isn’t a fixed formula for it. You can add whatever vegetables you like, and it’ll still be full of flavor. You can also make it even more spicy by adding red pepper flakes.
Gluten-free, vegan-friendly, low-carb roasted cauliflower curry salad awaits you. Enjoy!
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe calls for a handful of easy-to-find ingredients that work together to create one fabulous dish!
- Cashew nuts – Prepare ½ cup of raw cashews. Skip a step by buying a bag of pre-roasted cashews.
- Cauliflower – Cut into florets (about 3-4 cups).
- Sweet potato – Peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2-3 cups).
- Frozen peas – Thaw ⅔ cup of frozen peas (you can do this by soaking them in warm water until soft).
- Green onion – Dice some green onion (about ¼ cup).
- Olive oil – Prepare 1 tablespoon of olive oil to help coat the vegetables with spices.
- Spices and seasoning – These spices will pack a ton of delicious flavor. Get some curry powder, turmeric powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Extra garnishing ingredients – Dried cranberries, finely chopped cilantro and flat-leaf parsley will make fabulous toppings in this salad. Wait for the pop of flavor!
Blend these ingredients to make the creamy cashew dressing:
- Cashew nuts – Soaked in hot water for 20 minutes (A key step to soften the cashews and make them creamy).
- Water – I recommend starting with ¾ cup and 2 tablespoons of water. Then, add as needed to thin the dressing.
- Spices – Get some curry powder, garlic powder, freshly grated ginger, and salt. Yum!
- Lemon juice – Squeeze your own lemon juice. Fresh is best!
- Maple syrup – Add as needed to balance out the spices.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (this will make your cleanup easier later on). Scatter cashews in a single layer.
Step Two: Roast the cashews for 10 to 15 minutes, but don’t walk away! Stir occasionally to prevent scorching and keep an eye on your cashews since oven temperatures may vary.
- Pro Tip: Linger around while your cashews are baking and set a timer. Nuts love to go from almost done to burned when you stop paying attention. Set aside to cool.
Step Three: While cashews are baking, chop one head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Peel and chop sweet potatoes. Place cauliflower florets and sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle the curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
Toss everything together (I use my hands) until it’s well coated with oil and spices. Spread out evenly. Roast the cauliflower and sweet potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes until tender, flipping halfway in between.
- Pro Tip: Go all in with your hands to make sure you get an even coating. Turmeric can stain your fingers orange for a few days, so put on a disposable glove to keep this from happening.
Step Four: Make the dressing. To a food processor or high speed blender, add the soaked cashews, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, ginger, lemon juice, water, and maple syrup. Blend to a smooth consistency. You can taste test and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Step Five: Once the roasted sweet potato and curried cauliflower are done cooking, add them to a large bowl. Add in the thawed peas, cranberries, baked cashews, cilantro, parsley and dressing. Toss the dressing into the rest of the ingredients until they are well coated.
- Pro Tip: If you’re looking for extra proteins in your salad, try adding shredded chicken and chickpeas – both taste amazing!
Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
This roasted cauliflower curry salad stays well in the fridge for up to 5 days. The spices get even more concentrated the longer they sit, so this salad tastes the best the day after. I kept leftovers for lunch the next day and when I took my first bite in, I thanked myself and was SO grateful I made it.
Reheating this salad is easy. You can eat it lukewarm after it has thawed, or, if you want it piping hot, simply microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes. If you want it really crisp, bake it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F.
Roasted Cauliflower Curry Recipe
Ingredients
Cashews, Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 head cauliflower cut into medium-sized florets (about 3-4 cups florets)
- 1 large sweet potato cut into ½ inch cubes (about 2-3 cups diced sweet potato)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
- 2/3 cup thawed frozen peas thaw by placing in warm water
- 1/4 cup green onion diced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Dressing
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp water or as needed to thin the dressing
- 1 ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or add more to taste
Garnish
- Extra cranberries & cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Add cashews in a single layer.
- Roast for 10-15 minutes. But don’t walk away! Stir occasionally to prevent scorching and keep an eye on your cashews since oven temperatures may vary (Do not walk away during the last few minutes of baking and set a timer. Nuts love to go from almost done to burned when you stop paying attention). Set aside to cool.
- While cashews are baking, chop cauliflower + peel and chop sweet potatoes and place cauliflower florets and peeled and cubed sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle on curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together (I use my hands) until it’s well coated with oil and spices. Spread out evenly. Roast for 35-40 minutes until tender, flipping halfway in between.
- Make the dressing: While the veggies are in the oven, start making the dressing. To a food processor or high speed blender, add cashews (which were soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, then drained) with water, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, ginger, lemon juice and maple syrup. Blend to a smooth consistency. You can taste test and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Once vegetables are done cooking, add roasted sweet potato and cauliflower to a large bowl. Add in the thawed peas, cranberries, baked cashews, cilantro, parsley and dressing. Toss the dressing into the rest of the ingredients until they are well coated.
- Optional Proteins: I have added chicken and chickpeas both taste amazing!
