Smoky Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Garlic Lemon Dressing

A bold, filling cauliflower salad where small florets are seasoned and roasted until golden, then served on a vibrant, vegetable-packed couscous. Finished with a bright drizzle of sriracha mayonnaise — delicious warm or chilled.

Cauliflower often gets a bad rap when boiled and overcooked, but treated well it’s wonderfully versatile. It absorbs strong flavours — garlic, smoked paprika and chilli all sit beautifully on its firm texture — while still keeping a pleasant bite. You can use cauliflower to make classics like cauliflower cheese, transform it into a rice substitute, or slice it into steaks. Here, it’s broken into florets, tossed in spices and roasted until the edges are golden and slightly charred.

This recipe pairs the roasted cauliflower with a bright couscous salad packed with crisp peppers, tomatoes, spring onions and parsley, and a little warm spice from cumin and paprika. A simple sriracha mayo gives a creamy, spicy finish that lifts the dish. It’s substantial enough to serve as a meat-free main for dinner but also excellent as a warm side or a chilled lunch.

How to make it:

Below is a concise overview. Full ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe card further down.

1. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and the spice mix, spread them on a baking sheet and roast until they’re golden and tender with a little char.
2. Make the couscous base by gently cooking onion in oil, adding garlic and spices until fragrant, then stirring in couscous and hot stock. Cover and allow to steam for a few minutes.
3. Fluff the couscous with a fork and fold through chopped peppers, tomatoes, spring onion and parsley so the grains stay light and separate.
4. Arrange the couscous salad in a large serving bowl and top with the roasted cauliflower.
5. Mix mayonnaise and sriracha to make the sauce, then drizzle it over the cauliflower just before serving.

The result is a satisfying, flavourful dish — the smoky roasted cauliflower contrasts with the bright, fresh couscous and the sriracha mayo adds a creamy, spicy finish. Leftovers keep well in the fridge and are delicious cold the next day.

🍽️ What to serve it with

• Serve alongside a simple tomato and onion salad for an extra fresh contrast.
• Swap couscous for a Moroccan-style couscous salad if you want different textures and dressings.
• If you prefer a different sauce, try a sweet chilli dressing, a bang bang–style sauce, or a plum-sriracha for a fruitier kick.

🍲 More fantastic cauliflower recipes

Appetizers

Baked Cauliflower Wings – Asian Style

Appetizers

Bang Bang Cauliflower

Skinny Recipes

Cauliflower Steak with Spicy Salsa Verde

Asian

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Appetizers

Cauliflower Arancini

Soups

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

This recipe originally appeared in my first book, Seriously Good Salads, published in 2019. It’s a reliable crowd-pleaser: easy to scale up, simple to prepare, and full of satisfying textures and flavours.

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Smoky Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Smoky Cauliflower Salad – a tastebud-tingling, filling, meat-free dinner made with seasoned, roasted cauliflower, bright veg-studded couscous and a drizzle of sriracha mayo. Serve warm or cold.

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: All

Ingredients

Smoky Cauliflower:

• 1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp garlic salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1½ tsp smoked paprika

Couscous Salad:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp celery salt
• 175 g (1 cup) dried couscous
• 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) hot vegetable stock
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 10 grape tomatoes, quartered
• 5 spring onions (scallions), chopped
• 60 g (1 cup) chopped fresh parsley

Sriracha Mayo:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) sriracha

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
2. Place the cauliflower florets on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, garlic salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Toss to coat evenly, then spread in a single layer and roast for about 20 minutes, or until golden and tender at the edges.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the couscous salad. In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until softened.
4. Add the minced garlic, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ground cumin, ½ tsp paprika and ½ tsp celery salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the spices become fragrant.
5. Stir in the couscous and pour over the hot vegetable stock. Bring to a brief simmer, then remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes to steam.
6. Remove the lid and fluff the couscous with a fork. Fold in the red and green bell peppers, quartered tomatoes, spring onions and chopped parsley so everything is evenly combined.
7. Transfer the couscous to a large serving dish and top with the roasted cauliflower.
8. Mix the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl to make the sriracha mayo. Drizzle the sauce over the cauliflower just before serving.

Notes

The nutritional information is per serving. This recipe serves 4.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 468 kcal | Carbohydrates: 57 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 23 g | Fiber: 10 g | Sodium: 1651 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.

Some links mentioned in the original post may have been affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through those links, a small commission may be earned at no extra cost to you. Thank you — it helps keep this site running. The nutritional values provided are estimates and can vary depending on exact ingredients and portion sizes.