Keto Cauliflower “Potato” Salad with Lemon and Dill
Made with cauliflower instead of potatoes, this low carb side salad is drizzled in a homemade lemon dill dressing. Easy to make and perfect for BBQ, this keto “potato” salad is ready in 30 minutes.
Just 7g net carbs per serving.
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Recipe Card
Cauliflower “Potato” Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing
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Equipment
- Knife and Cutting Board
- large salad bowl
- Large Pot
- Mesh strainer or collander
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower
- ½ small red onion or 1 shallot Finely sliced
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 2 stalks green onion
- ½ tsp salt
Creamy Lemon Dill Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sour cream or full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2-3 cloves garlic (about 1 tsp) minced or paste
- 1 large lemon juice and zest
- 1 tablespoon capers minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
Instructions
- Blanch Cauliflower Florets - Use a sharp knife to separate the cauliflower into bite sized florets. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove over high heat and add the florets. Boil the florets for 3-5 minutes until the outside is just fork tender but the inside remains firm. A paring knife should easily pierce the florets. Immediately drain and transfer the cauliflower to a bowl with ice/cold water to stop the cooking.1 large cauliflower
- Make the Dressing - In small bowl, combine the, mayonnaise, sour cream/Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, garlic paste, lemon juice and zest, minced capers, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Stir until well combined and adjust the seasoning to taste. Set aside while you prepare the salad. This can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge, the longer it sits the better the flavour.1/3 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons sour cream or full fat Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2-3 cloves garlic (about 1 tsp), 1 large lemon, 1 tablespoon capers, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Prepare the salad - Drain the blanched cauliflower and shake off as much excess water as possible. Add the cauliflower to a large salad bowl along with the, red onion/shallot, chopped dill, chopped parsley, and green onion. Salt lightly and toss to combine. Drizzle the desired amount of dressing over the salad in the bowl and toss to coat. Adjust the seasoning as needed and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.1/2 small red onion or 1 shallot, 1/4 cup fresh dill, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 2 stalks green onion, 1/2 tsp salt
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated using the recipe calculator and verified database available from Cronometer. Although every reasonable effort is made to provide accurate information this estimate is provided as courteously and convenience only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Try the free recipe calculator at Cronometer
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients
- Replaces potato salad with less than 7 g net carbs
- Stores well in the fridge and can be made ahead in batches
- Keto friendly
Ingredients and Substitutions
Cauliflower: Use fresh not frozen cauliflower, as frozen will be too mushy. I recommend using a sharp paring knife to cut away the stems of the cauliflower until its broken down into small bite sized florets.
Fresh Dill: Gives the salad much better flavour than dried dill. If using dry dill use about 1/3 the amount as its much stronger in flavour.
Red onion or Shallot: While any onion can be used red onion or shallot has the most pleasant flavour for this salad. Make sure it finely sliced so you don’t get a huge chunk of onion on your fork.
Green Onion: Use the green portion of the stalks only as you don’t want too much onion in the salad.
Parsley: Again fresh is the way to go. Curly or flat leaf, either is fine.
Dressing
Mayonnaise: The base of the creamy dressing. Use a full fat mayo for best flavour. You may be wondering if you can use Miracle whip instead. No, that’s gross, use mayo you heathen.
Sour cream: Use either full fat sour cream or Greek yogurt. Lightens up the dressing a bit giving it a nice creamy texture and slight tang.
Olive Oil: The higher quality the better the flavour. Extra virgin olive oil will work best, but any olive oil or even avocado oil can be used.
Garlic Paste: I like to use fresh garlic instead of store bought paste, finely minced and then ground into a paste with the side of a knife.
- Peel the garlic and mince into very small pieces.
- Sprinkle liberally with salt
- Place the flat part of the knife over the garlic and press firmly into the cutting board with you scrape the knife across the garlic.
- Continue until garlic has turned into a fine paste.
Lemon: Use a fresh lemon. Remove the zest before juicing. Add both the zest and the juice to the dressing.
Capers: An optional but recommended ingredient. Capers add briny, acidic, flavour to the dressing that works really well. Mince them very finely and mix into the dressing.
Quick Tips to Master This Recipe
- Blanch or parboil the cauliflower and cool before adding to the salad. Raw cauliflower has a nice crunch, but we want the texture to resemble a classic potato salad.
- Use the freshest ingredients possible. Store bought shortcuts like garlic paste and dried dill are fine, but for the most flavour, use fresh. Its worth the extra work.
- Allow the dressing to marinate. The longer it sits, the more the flavours of the garlic and lemon will infuse the dressing. You can even make it ahead of time and leave it in the fridge. It lasts a long time and we love it for other salads or as a dipping sauce.
- Make ahead and store in the fridge for potlucks and family dinners. Either dressed or undressed this salad holds up well in the fridge and won’t get soggy as quickly as other salads. You can make it the day before or even use it for packed lunches and meal prep.
What to Serve with Cauliflower Salad
This recipe is mean’t as a low carb replacement for potato salad for anyone looking to cut their carbs.
Serve it alongside grilled meats like steak, ribs, roast chicken, or fish. Great for sharing bring this low carb salad to BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and summer parties.
Really anywhere you’d normally have potato salad.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Leftovers
This salad gets better as it sits and can be made ahead to save time.
Store it either dressed or undressed in the fridge until ready to use. Will last up to 4 days without getting soggy.
I would not recommend freezing this recipe.
Enjoy!
