PEANUT LIME CAULIFLOWER SALAD

Riced cauliflower makes a filling low-carb base for this fresh and vibrant Thai-inspired Peanut Lime Cauliflower Salad.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or a neutral oil)

• 3 cups riced cauliflower

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

• 1 fresh lime (2 Tbsp juice)

• 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1/2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1/4 red onion

• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large skillet over medium, then add the oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the riced cauliflower and a pinch of salt. Sauté the cauliflower over medium for about 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl and allow it to cool as you prepare the rest of the ingredients (you can place it in refrigerator for faster cooling).

2. Squeeze 2 Tbsp juice from the lime into a small bowl. Add the grated ginger, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine.

3. Finely dice the red bell pepper and red onion. Pull the cilantro leaves from the stems and roughly chop them. Roughly chop the peanuts.

4. Add the bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and peanuts to the bowl with the cooled cauliflower. Pour the dressing over top, then toss to combine the ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

RECIPE NOTES

*You can use raw, dry roasted, salted, or unsalted peanuts.

follow STEP BY STEP PHOTOS for easy cooking

This recipe begins with “riced” cauliflower, which is just cauliflower that has been broken up into little pieces. This 1 lb. bag is just over three cups. I think some stores also sell this frozen, which would work just as well. You can use this cauliflower raw or cooked for this salad, whichever you prefer.

I prefer the flavor of cooked cauliflower to raw, so I used sautéed cauliflower in my salad. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of a neutral cooking oil (I used coconut because even though it has a strong flavor, the flavor goes well with the ingredients in this dish). Add the cauliflower and a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes or until it has reached your desired level of tenderness. Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl to let it cool as you prepare the other ingredients. I suggest placing it in the refrigerator to cool faster.

The dressing for this salad is incredibly simple. Squeeze 2 Tbsp of fresh lime juice from a lime and combine it with about 1 tsp freshly grated ginger, 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1/2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (you can use sriracha if you have that instead). 

Finely dice 1 red bell pepper and 1/4 red onion. Pull about one cup of leaves from the stems of cilantro and give them a rough chop (about 1/2 bunch). Roughly chop 1/2 cup peanuts. Add the bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and peanuts to the cooled cauliflower.

Pour the prepared lime dressing over the salad…

And then stir to combine! That’s it! This salad is so incredibly fresh and vibrant. I absolutely LOVE it.

see: Fried Rice, Thai Peanut Rice, Shrimp & Rice Salad