The week after I gave birth to my son, my dear friend Becky brought us dinner for when we came home from the hospital. One of the components was a delicious orzo based pasta salad from Epicurious.com called Orzo with Everything.
Since she introduced me to it almost five years ago (Thanks Becky!), I’ve made it many times and it’s always a hit.
I’ve been thinking about trying a version using lightly cooked “al dente” cauliflower to stand in for the orzo for awhile now. The flavors of the salad are Mediterranean based (Balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, etc…), and I hoped that they would be robust enough to mask any cauliflower flavor.
The original recipe calls for radicchio, which has a nice bite to it, but I subbed in red cabbage for mine because I couldn’t find any in my local grocery store. The cabbage worked, but if you can find the radicchio I recommend it!
The original recipe also calls for toasted pine nuts which are a really tasty addition. I omitted them from my version simply because they are expensive and hard to find depending on where you live, and I wanted to see if it would still taste good without them. It does, but if you have them, toast some up and toss them in because they are awesome.
Lastly, I added chopped artichoke hearts, which added a nice flavor and texture. I can’t say it’s as good as the original – only because it’s hard to beat the chewiness and comfort food feel of the pasta, but the cauliflower worked really well as a substitute.
This is a truly delicious, flavor-packed side dish – and it’s hearty enough (especially with the pine nuts) to eat on it’s own for a light lunch. Hope you guys like it!
Keto “Anti” Pasta Cauliflower Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: (8) 1/2 cup servings
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This Keto “Anti” Pasta Salad is a truly delicious, flavor-packed dish! Perfect as a side or hearty enough to eat on it’s own for a light lunch. Gluten Free, Keto, Low Carb
Ingredients
- 2 cups of raw cauliflower, chopped
- 1/2 cup radicchio, chopped
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 3 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 Tbsp kalamata olives, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, cook your finely chopped cauliflower in the microwave for five minutes. Don’t add any liquid or seasoning to it, just spread it on a microwave safe dish and zap it. Let the cauliflower cool while you prep the other ingredients.
- Combine the radicchio, artichoke hearts, basil, parmesan, sundried tomatoes, olives, and garlic in a medium bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar, then pour it over the salad.
- Toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be served room temperature or chilled.
Notes
Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to get the best results. The artichoke hearts should be packed in water, not marinated in oil and seasonings.
Also, the sundried tomatoes I used were packed in oil so they were nice and soft – if you use the dehydrated ones, reconstitute in some warm water for 20 minutes before using them.
Finally, use a shredded parmesan or asiago, not the granular grated stuff you get in the can.
If you use the best quality ingredients you can get for this salad it will make a huge difference in the flavor.
Approximate Net Carbs=4g
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 127
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients – I promise it’s worth it!
Misty Mills says
I’m not going to lie… This recipe came up on the Keto menu and I wasn’t digging it. I told myself I’d try it anyway. I finally made it today… and didn’t even use the good stuff (LOL). But, I DID use a White Balsamic from Italy. SO DELICIOUS!! This is going on my Trello board for favorite recipes! And next time, I’ll use all the good stuff (Olive Oil from Greece, L’arte Balsamic Vinegar from Italy, real Parmesan… !! ) Thanks, Melissa for yet another favorite recipe!!
Julia says
Fantastic! One question, because I have too much leftover- can it be frozen? Thanks for your wonderful
Recipes. I’m loving EVeRything!
Marlene VanderLaan says
I just bought a huge jar of Artichoke Hearts in oil & seasoning from Costco! What will they do to the calorie/fat count in this recipe?
Love your recipes!
Marley from southern Ontario, Canada
TLR says
Would roasting the cauliflower be permissible? Just wondering if you need the extra moisture when microwaving the cauliflower. Thought roasting the pine nuts and cauliflower would give it a nutty flavor.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sounds delicious!
Abby says
I accidentally bought artichoke in oil. Will this mess up the recipe too terribly if I use them? Any suggestions?
Elisa says
Radicchio is dandelion leaves! I never realized that until yesterday when I brought herb seeds to my mom. My mom is full blooded Italian. She goes Oh! You brought me radicchio! Now I grew up on radicchio and never even knew I was eating weeds lol
Christina S says
Radicchio is red? Not sure your on the right track thinking it is dandelion greens.
Ann says
I’m making this tonight and need to know how long to zap the cauliflower in the microwave to get it al dente?? I bought your cookbook yesterday and can’t put it down! Great recipes – amazing pics!