Description
A vibrant and refreshing Cauliflower Cashew Confetti Salad featuring colorful purple and orange cauliflower, crisp Granny Smith apples, cooked quinoa, and crunchy cashews, all tossed in a tangy and slightly sweet garlic shallot dressing with bright lemon juice and sumac seasoning. This quick 10-minute salad is perfect as a healthy side or light meal.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 head purple cauliflower, cored and chopped
- 1 head orange cauliflower, cored and chopped
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup cashews, chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 1 large shallot, peeled and finely minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon shallot salt
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa: Prepare the quinoa according to package directions until fully cooked and fluffy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, minced shallot, lemon juice, maple syrup, sumac, and shallot salt to create a flavorful dressing.
- Chop Produce: Clean and core the purple and orange cauliflower heads as well as the Granny Smith apples. Chop all into uniform small pieces for consistent texture.
- Chop Cashews: Roughly chop the cashews to add crunch to the salad.
- Toss Salad: Add chopped cauliflower, apples, cooked quinoa, and cashews into the bowl with the garlic shallot dressing. Use tongs or salad forks to gently toss and combine all ingredients evenly.
Notes
- This salad is best served fresh for optimal crunch and flavor.
- You can substitute cashews with almonds or walnuts if preferred.
- Adjust maple syrup quantity to taste for desired sweetness.
- Sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor and can be omitted if unavailable, using additional lemon juice instead.
- Quinoa can be prepared ahead to reduce prep time.
