Cauliflower mayonnaise salad with a mustard and garlic dressing, a typical, easy to make Romanian salad recipe.
This used to be one of my favorite salads as a teenager. Just some cauliflower with mayo– simple but so tasty. We did not have this often, I think it was my mother that used to make it from time to time, especially at Christmas or New Year's Eve as a part of a festive meal.
Together with Boeuf Salad or the Oriental Salad.
Or the mushroom mayonnaise salad, another staple in the Romanian kitchen, if you would like to make that instead, just swap the cauliflower for two well-drained cans of sliced mushrooms.
I haven't had the cauliflower salad with mayonnaise in ages until just recently, but it only took one bite to be transported back to those teenage days. And I could not believe it that it took me so many years to finally make this salad myself, it is so good and so easy to make it should really become a more frequent affair.
Ingredients
Cauliflower:
- 500 g/ about 1 lb fresh cauliflower florets.
- For this particular salad, I only use the florets, but if you chop the stem and add it to it, it is fine as well.
- Otherwise, never discard the stem. Use it to make soup, cauliflower potato mash, or patties, for instance.
- If you don't want to use the stem immediately, chop it roughly, place it in a freezer bag and freeze it until you need it.
Mayonnaise:
- I use homemade mayo most of the time, it is easy to make, super cheap and it best.
- Have you ever made mayonnaise with an immersion blender? It takes less than a minute and you will have the best-tasting mayo ever!
- However, your favorite brand is fine as well.
Add flavor:
- With garlic (plenty), lemon juice and mustard.
- The recipe only mentions one large garlic cloves, but I always use at least two, I just love it!
More salads with mayonnaise:
Romanian Eggplant Salad - Vinete
Romanian Cauliflower Mayonnaise Salad
Ingredients
- 500 g/ 1 lbs cauliflower Note
- 2-3 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise or your favorite brand
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice to taste
- 1 large garlic clove more to taste
- fine sea salt and black pepper
- scallions leeks or chives to garnish
Instructions
- Divide the cauliflower into small florets. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add some salt and the cauliflower and cook until soft but not mushy. About 5 minutes from the moment when the water comes to a boil again, but keep checking. Drain the cauliflower thoroughly and let cool completely.
- Place the cauliflower florets into a bowl. In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, grated garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Add the dressing to the cauliflower and mix carefully.
- Garnish with finely chopped scallions, leeks, or chives and serve chilled with bread, crackers, or as a side dish.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Have never had cauliflower prepared this way...it seems simple and very delicious, Adina.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I've never thought to serve cauliflower this way but it's such a great idea - it's like a lower carb version of potato salad, love it!
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
Time in the garden and time at the lake both sound amazing to me! And I'm so intrigued by this salad - it's a new one to me but I adore cauliflower and it looks so creamy! Gonna have to try it!
Sissi says
One more original cauliflower dish! It looks at first a bit like a potato salad, but it's lighter and healthier...and, I'm sure, equally delicious.
Wanda says
I love this salad! I add dill to it yet.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
This is similar to a salad I make that combines cauliflower and broccoli so I can imagine how good this tastes. I'm happy to hear that you and your family are getting t enjoy some very nice weather, hope it continues.
Claudia says
This is such a delicious salad! I use to make it frequently. But mostly in autumn when it's cauliflower's season.
Adina says
I haven't made it in ages, must do it again soon. 🙂
Carol says
It's the best way to eat cauliflower. So easy, it's like having it with plain aioli.
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback, Carol, we love this recipe too. 🙂