First, a big thank you goes to Sarah Fragoso at Everyday Paleo for coming up with the original No Potato Salad made with cauliflower. Genius! Second, this recipe is another example of how I often mess up in the kitchen. One of the best parts of a good potato salad, for me, is the flavor of black olives throughout. And this one’s no exception. But wait! Do you see any black olives in the photo? No? That’s because I forgot to add them to the bowl before taking a photo of the final dish! Yep, it happens all the time. So take my word for it, because I added the olives post-photo session, and the salad was fantastic. And third, while I don’t usually make my own mayo because I don’t use it often, I will make a batch for this recipe. The flavor of fresh homemade mayo is well worth the extra prep time.
1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
4 eggs, boiled, peeled, and chopped
½ cup diced dill pickle, or 1/3 cup (720 ml) dill pickle relish
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup (240 ml) sliced black olives
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup diced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBSP (15 ml) lime juice
½ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Serves a crowd!
Steam the cauliflower florets for 5-7 minutes. They should be tender but not too soft.
Transfer the steamed florets to a medium-sized bowl, and refrigerate them until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, pickle, celery, olives, cilantro, onion, garlic, mayo, mustard, lime juice, sea salt, and pepper.
Remove the cooled cauliflower from the refrigerator, and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Add it to the rest of salad ingredients. Stir gently to combine.
Taste the salad, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a cooler until needed.
Tip:
Add grilled shrimp, cooked bay shrimp, or diced chicken to the bowl, and make it a meal for the road!
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Creamy Cilantro No Potato Salad is everything you love about potato salad with none of the potatoes. Steamed cauliflower stands in for spuds and disappears under a creamy dressing of mayo, Dijon, and lime, with eggs, dill pickle, black olives, celery, and a generous handful of fresh cilantro.
Pro Tips
- Steam the cauliflower florets 5–7 minutes only — they should be tender but not soft, since they'll firm up as they cool and won't turn to mush in the salad.
- Chill the steamed cauliflower at least 15 minutes before chopping and folding it in; warm cauliflower makes the mayo dressing split and go greasy.
- The dill pickle (or relish) and black olives bring the briny punch that makes this taste like proper deli salad — don't leave either out.
- Fresh cilantro and lime juice keep the whole bowl bright against the creamy mayo and rich chopped eggs.
- It only gets better after a few hours in the fridge, so make it ahead and let the flavours meld before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this cauliflower salad paleo?
Yes: cauliflower, eggs, pickle, celery, black olives, and a mayo-based dressing with Dijon and lime. Use a paleo mayo made without seed oils to keep it fully clean.
How long does it keep?
Covered in the fridge, it's good for 3–4 days. Stir it up before serving, and add a squeeze of lime to refresh the flavours.
Can I make it a full meal?
The recipe's own tip: fold in grilled shrimp, cooked bay shrimp, or diced chicken and it becomes a complete meal for the road.
Does it taste like cauliflower?
Barely — the cauliflower takes on the creamy dressing and all the briny mix-ins, and the chopped eggs and olives make every bite taste like the classic.
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