A few years back I did a questionnaire on Instagram and asked if there was one recipe you wanted me to recreate, what would it be. Someone responded and mentioned a yummy curry roasted cauliflower sweet potato salad that used to be sold at Trader Joe’s. Immediately I put it on my must-recreate list of recipes, and once I did it quickly became one of my all-time FAV salads to date.
When Abra and I made this salad we seriously couldn’t stop devouring it. I’m not sure what it was that made it so good. Maybe the cauliflower and sweet potatoes tossed in curry spices and roasted to perfection, or perhaps it was the sweet cranberries, cilantro, and peas that brightened up the salad so well? Frankly, I think it’s the curry tahini dressing. You decide.
This salad is deliciously filling thanks to the roasted veggies and makes the perfect lunch or even party side dish. It keeps well in the fridge for days so you know I’ve got your #MeatlessMonday meal prep covered! Enjoy as is or try it with an additional protein (plant-based or non). Basically, if you haven’t made this sweet potato cauliflower salad yet this is your sign. Get ready to fall in love!
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Everything you’ll need to make this cauliflower sweet potato salad
This roasted veggie salad packs a serious flavor punch from curry, warm spices, sweet and tangy mix-ins and the best curry tahini dressing you’ll ever have. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:
- Veggies: we’re roasting up both cauliflower and sweet potatoes as the base of this lettuce-free salad. I also love adding peas for a little texture and sweetness.
- Herbs & spices: the spices in this salad are everything. You’ll roast the veggies with curry powder, ground turmeric, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper. You’ll use some of those spices, plus fresh ginger in the dressing.
- For the dressing: you’ll also need tahini fresh lemon juice and a little warm water to round out the dressing. Feel free to add a little pure maple syrup if you find the tahini bitter.
- Mix-ins: what’s a salad without fun, flavorful mix-ins? I like to add dried cranberries, green onion, cilantro, and parsley for amazing freshness.
Make this salad your own
There are tons of easy ways to customize this cauliflower sweet potato salad to use up what you have on hand and make it your own!
- Add some crunch. I think roasted, shelled pistachios or cashews would add a wonderful crunch to this salad.
- Boost the protein. Keep this salad vegan by adding a can of chickpeas or even a cup of cooked quinoa. If you’re not vegan or vegetarian top it with some cooked, chopped chicken breast.
- Kick up the spice. Feel free to add 1/4 teaspoon more cayenne pepper to the dressing if you like a little heat!
- Mix up the veggies. Roasted carrots would also be delicious, and some kale marinated in the dressing would add the perfect serving of greens.
How to make this sweet potato cauliflower salad
- Roast your veggies. Add your cubed sweet potato and cauliflower florets to a prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss them all of those gorgeous spices. Roast ’em up for about 30 minutes until fork tender (flipping halfway through).
- Add your mix-ins. Transfer your roasted sweet potato and cauliflower to a bowl and add peas, green onion, cranberries, cilantro and parsley.
- Make the dressing. Next, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy — adding more warm water as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Toss it together. Pour the dressing all over the salad and gently toss to combine. Garnish with some extra mix-ins and devour!
Wait, is it hot or cold?
The salad will be slightly warm the first day you make it because of the roasted sweet potato and cauliflower but is absolutely delicious straight from the fridge the following days!
Store it for later
One of the best parts about this salad is that it stays good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days! Make a double batch and serve it as a side dish or vegan main dish at your next party. The leftovers make the perfect lunch!
More salad recipes you’ll love
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If you make this curry roasted cauliflower sweet potato salad, be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. You can also use the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram so I can see your creations — xo!
Curry Roasted Cauliflower Sweet Potato Salad (vegan & gluten free)
Vegan and gluten free curry roasted cauliflower sweet potato salad with sweet dried cranberries, fresh herbs and a creamy curry tahini dressing. This gorgeous cauliflower sweet potato salad is everything you could ever want. Easy to make, packed with veggies and absolutely addicting!
Ingredients
- For the cauliflower and sweet potatoes:
- 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 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the add-ins:
- â…” cup thawed frozen peas (just let them sit in warm water for a bit)
- ¼ cup diced green onion
- â…“ cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
- ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
- optional: 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- For the dressing:*
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons warm water, to thin the dressing
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- To garnish:
- Extra cranberries & cilantro
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cauliflower florets and cubed sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle on curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder, red cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper. Use clean hands to toss everything together until it’s well coated with oil and spices. Spread out evenly. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway in between. We want the sweet potatoes to be somewhat fork tender but still have a slight bite.
-
Once done cooking, add roasted sweet potato and cauliflower to a medium bowl. Add in the thawed peas, green onion, cranberries, cilantro and parsley.
-
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, add in tahini, lemon juice, warm water, curry powder, garlic powder, ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Add more warm water if necessary to thin out the dressing so it is spoonable. Fold the dressing into the rest of the ingredients until they are well coated. Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are. Garnish with a few extra scallions, cranberries and cilantro.
Recipe Notes
If you find the dressing bitter, feel free to add 1-2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup to sweeten it up.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 4)Calories: 213calCarbohydrates: 26.4gProtein: 5.9gFat: 10.2gSaturated Fat: 1.4gFiber: 6.3gSugar: 10.4g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on January 9, 2019, republished on September 16, 2021, and republished on October 11, 2023.
