Broccoli Cauliflower Greek Salad

This delicious twist on a traditional Greek salad uses broccoli and cauliflower in place of cucumbers and onions. Full of olives, grapes, and a homemade Caesar vinaigrette, it’s a zesty crowd-pleaser! {Paleo and vegan-friendly}

Today’s recipe is brought to you by my former boss. She shared the original salad at a company gathering, where we all went so bonkers she had to old-school email it to us. Where we then proceeded to old-school print it off and old-school put it in an old-school binder. While I’m certain I had a cell phone at that point, I think its only function was for talking. Probably you could leave a voicemail. Anyone’s guess if I actually knew how to check messages. So this recipe has been in the Spirited family for almost two decades. And it’s still going strong. 

Here’s the thing about company potlucks. They go one of two ways. Either the recipes are fantastic because offices are small and reputations are on the line. OR they are absolute dumpster fires because John used mayo instead of Miracle Whip in the potato salad. And if my late grandmother, The Gram, were here today, she’d want to know exactly WHO JOHN EVEN THINKS HE IS? Miracle Whip over mayo all the days.

Fortunately, my boss’s salad was a hit, does not use mayo OR Miracle Whip (so crisis averted), and makes enough to feed a crowd. Thus, if you need a salad recipe to share at Easter, on the 4th of July, over Labor Day weekend, during Thanksgiving, or on Christmas day, basically Broccoli Cauliflower Greek Salad is your wingman. Or wingwoman.

The original recipe calls for cheese and store-bought dressing. However, I paleo-ized this Broccoli Cauliflower Greek Salad, and created a vegan-friendly dressing that totally jazzes up the cruciferous vegetables.

So grab a large mixing bowl, some veggies, olives, and tomatoes, and let’s do this!

Broccoli Cauliflower Greek Salad ingredients

In place of lettuce, Greek salads often use greens, such as cucumbers. But in this salad, we’re going to use broccoli and cauliflower for the base. The result is tantalizing! 

• Broccoli and cauliflower florets. Break the fresh veggies down into small-to-medium florets. Ideally, they should be small enough to easily eat with a fork or spoon but not so small they turn soggy once the dressing is added. 
• Black and green olives. I use medium size black olives and large green Spanish olives. Serve whole, slice, or halved. It’s up to you!
• Grape tomatoes. Slice these in half and serve up. While I typically use one pint, you can easily double this for a larger yield or to offset the cruciferous veggies.
• Homemade Paleo Caesar Vinaigrette. The original version of this recipe calls for a store-bought Caesar Parmesan vinaigrette. I workshopped an alternative and use it in place of store-bought dressings. Start with one batch of dressing for this salad, and if you think you want more dressing, then add half of a second batch. If you’d like to learn more about adding an egg yolk (or not) and anchovies (or not) to this recipe, click the link for the stand-alone vinaigrette recipe.

The original recipe also calls for shredded Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. I’ve heard through the grapevine that vegan cheese has come a long way. So you could always try it on this recipe. Additionally, you can add chopped cashews or diced avocado. And, really, this salad tastes incredible without the dairy. So, there’s no need to complicate matters if you’d rather skip these variations altogether. 

How to make Broccoli Cauliflower Greek Salad

Use a large mixing bowl for this recipe. It will be easier to store the veggies and then toss them with the dressing! 

1. Break the broccoli and cauliflower into small-to-medium florets and place them in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the black and green olives and grape tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a jar, combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Then pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables, tomatoes, and olives. Stir until the ingredients are coated. Let sit in the refrigerator for four hours to let the veggies absorb the ingredients. Then stir everything again before serving to make sure the ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
4. If desired, make a second batch of dressing and add another half cup of dressing to the salad, especially if working with large heads of broccoli or cauliflower. 

If lettuce-free salads are your thing, then check out Paleo Greek Salad. It’s another flavorful salad! And last but never least, shoutouts to successful company picnics. Because sometimes that’s where you find the best recipes.

Be well, friends. I’m glad you’re here. ❤️

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