Roasted cauliflower potato salad made with frozen cauliflower is an easy, low-carb twist on the classic side dish. It's tossed in a creamy half-mayonnaise, half-Greek yogurt dressing with sweet dill pickle relish and hard-boiled eggs for extra protein.

Roasted cauliflower potato salad with Greek yogurt dressing, chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, and sweet pickle relish in a light brown bowl.

Notes from my kitchen

When picnic and potluck season rolls around, cauliflower mock potato salad always makes an appearance. I want to be sure there's at least one healthy and low-carb option on the table!

I don't refer to it as faux potato salad because that implies it's an imposter. Instead, I think of it as a delicious cauliflower side dish inspired by classic potato salad.

It combines the traditional tangy dressing of potato salad with cauliflower that's roasted until the edges are caramelized. Roasting prevents watery, mushy cauliflower and helps the florets soak up the dressing.

Honestly, I think this recipe is even easier than traditional potato salad because there's no peeling or chopping potatoes. Plus, using frozen cauliflower florets is a big time-saver because you don't need to wash and chop the cauliflower.

It's the same roasting technique I use for cauliflower elote. Same technique, different flavor profile (and another great choice for a summer potluck!)

Marjory

Ingredients

Of special note:

Frozen cauliflower florets - You'll find them in all different packaging sizes in the freezer section. The dressing easily covers 20-30 ounces of florets. Fresh cauliflower florets can be used instead, but the cook time may need to be adjusted.
Mayonnaise / Greek yogurt - We used a half-and-half combination to make this recipe a little healthier and higher in protein. I prefer an olive oil-based mayonnaise, which usually cuts down the calories. However, any mayonnaise will work. Using all Greek yogurt made the dressing too tangy and not quite creamy enough. I found this combination to be the perfect blend. Any combination of these two ingredients can be used.
Red onion - Green onions or shallots can be used instead.
Sweet pickle relish - This ingredient is often found in traditional potato salad recipes and that was what I was trying to mimic. It adds just a touch of sweetness too. You can find sugar-free relishes. But it's used in such a small quantity that it really didn't make much of a difference in my opinion.

The recipe card below includes ingredient amounts, step-by-step instructions, and nutritional information.

How to make roasted cauliflower potato salad

Roast frozen cauliflower florets

Roasted cauliflower on a large sheet pan.

Preheat the oven and baking sheet, which gives frozen cauliflower a head start on browning. Once the pan is hot, spread the cauliflower florets into a single layer, lightly coat them with olive oil, and season with salt. Roast until the florets are tender with golden brown edges, turning them once about halfway through cooking so they caramelize evenly. Handle the hot baking sheet carefully when adding and stirring the cauliflower.

Hard-boil eggs

Hard-boiled eggs cut in half with egg shells in the background.

While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Cover the eggs with cold water, bring the water to a full boil, then turn off the heat and let the eggs finish cooking in the hot water. Remove to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, peel and chop the eggs.

You can air fry the hard-boiled eggs instead!

Make dressing

Mixed dressing for cauliflower potato salad in an orange bowl with a whisk.

Whisk mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and celery seed in a small bowl.

Combine ingredients

Cauliflower potato salad with dressing, relish, celery, red onion, and chopped egg in a red bowl with a large spoon.

Let the roasted cauliflower cool for a few minutes before tossing it with the dressing so it stays creamy rather than melting into the warm vegetables. Gently fold in the sweet pickle relish, celery, red onion, and chopped eggs, taking care to keep the cauliflower florets intact. The salad can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

A serving of cauliflower mock potato salad on a white plate with a fork next to a hamburger and with a bowl of more cauliflower potato salad in the background.

What to serve with cauliflower potato salad

My family enjoys this with burgers, pulled pork, and any other picnic favorites, even if it's a simple weeknight dinner.

But, if it's part of a larger buffet, then I like to add a few more healthy options, such as Southern vinegar slaw and keto deviled eggs.

Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?

Join our email list

Notes from my kitchen

Ingredients