I’m grateful for the idea of cooked salads. While raw greens are great, in winter I often crave something warm yet wholesome — like roasted vegetables tossed with a bright dressing, whole grains, beans and fresh herbs. Each bite combines rich, layered flavors, satisfying textures and real comfort. Right now my go-to is this Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Salad. I want to eat it every day, and I think you will love it too.
I developed this recipe and filmed a video collaboration with vegan YouTuber Karolina Sobanska. She suggested cauliflower as our shared ingredient, which made me very excited — I adore cauliflower in all forms: raw, sautéed, pureed, roasted, grilled or broiled. The video shows the method and Karolina’s cauliflower alfredo is worth watching as well.
The salad is a harmony of roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes, bright parsley and mint, hearty farro and chickpeas, and a tangy pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. Toasted cumin seeds add a savory, aromatic edge, and toasted pumpkin seeds provide crunch. This dish is simple to prepare and makes a great addition to weekly meal plans.
Roasted Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fingerling potatoes, halved (or 2 Yukon potatoes, cubed)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup raw quick-cooking farro
- 1½ cups garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup pomegranate vinaigrette (recipe below)
- ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds or ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Toss the chopped cauliflower with about 1½ tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on one baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until tender and golden.
- Toss the sweet potatoes and fingerling (or Yukon) potatoes with oil and salt, spread on the second baking sheet, and roast 30 minutes or until tender.
- Bring 1 cup of water and ½ cup quick-cooking farro to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until tender, about 10 minutes for quick-cook farro. Drain any excess water.
- While the vegetables and farro cook, make the dressing: combine pomegranate molasses, Dijon, lemon juice (or vinegar), toasted cumin, black pepper, red chili flakes, sea salt and olive oil in a jar. Shake well until emulsified, or whisk vigorously in a bowl.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the roasted cauliflower, roasted potatoes, cooked farro, chickpeas, sliced red onion, parsley, mint and the dressing.
- Toss thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Finish with black pepper, extra red chili flakes if you like heat, and toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch.
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