Raw Cauliflower Salad with Lime

Name: Raw Cauliflower Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 medium head of cauliflower; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 cups chopped purple cabbage; 1 bunch scallions (white and green parts sliced thin); 2 large stalks celery (diced); ⅓ cup chopped pistachios; ½ cup chopped fresh parsley*; 1 ½ cups frozen green peas*; 3 medjool dates (pits removed and diced); ¼ cup olive oil; 1 lime (zested and juiced*); 1 clove garlic; 1 small shallot (thinly sliced)

Published: Apr 6, 2021 · Modified: Apr 8, 2026 by Debra Klein · This post may contain affiliate links · 64 Comments

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This raw cauliflower salad recipe has it all going on….crunchy, salty, chewy, sweet….tasty, nutritious, and easy to make. You’ll take this healthy cauliflower salad to every BBQ, Potluck, Picnic…and make it for meal prep every single week because it takes just 15 minutes to make, it’s vegan and gluten-free and the lime vinaigrette is the tang that pulls it all together.

Large white bowl, filled with chopped colorful salad that includes purple cabbage, scallions, shaved cauliflower, fresh parsley, sliced scallions, green peas, diced dates. There are fresh limes, dates, fresh parsley and a dish towel strewn around the salad bowl.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Bowls of ingredients for raw cauliflower salad. chopped cabbage, green peas, diced celery, sliced scallions, chopped parsley, pistachios, diced dates, salt and pepper. All small bowls positioned in a circle, surrounding a white bowl of shaved cauliflower.

Cabbage: If you use purple cauliflower, then choose green cabbage….you’re going for bursts of color. This ingredient is part of the crunch, so if you don’t use cabbage, pick another crunchy veggie like carrots…which also come in purple..YAY.
Green peas: Frozen, NOT canned. If you’re looking for a substitution, go with shelled edamame beans or chickpeas. Oh, but don’t forget the half bag you have in your freezer that you bought to make pasta salad.
Celery: Adds to the crunch…so choose your sub accordingly. Bok Choy works well. I also like raw fennel here.
Fresh parsley: Fresh herbs really add to the flavor of this salad. Good subs would be cilantro, dill, basil, oregano….or any combo.
Pistachios: You can use any chopped nut in this recipe. Almonds, walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts would all be delish. If you can’t have nuts, use pepitas or sunflower seeds.
Dates: I absolutely LOVE the sweetness and chewy texture the dates add. Buy medjool dates with the pits still in and remove them yourself. They will be much more chewy…already pitted dates are often dry. Consider raisins, golden raisins, unsweetened cranberries or another unsulfered and unsweetened dried fruit.

Prep the Cauliflower

Pick a color, any color….fresh firm cauliflower, without blemishes, in any color will work well in this salad.

Three heads of cauliflower: purple, white, and yellow. All have their green leaves attached.

First you’ll need to prep the cauliflower. I used a sharp knife and cut it into super thin slices that mostly fell apart and also left a few very small and thin florets. You could also use the shredding disc of a food processor or the side of a box grater.

Wooden cutting board with head of yellow cauliflower. Half is already sliced super thin with a sharp knife.

Put the cauliflower into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. While you get the remaining ingredients ready, the salt will begin to soften the cauliflower making it very palatable to eat, even raw.

Make the lime vinaigrette

Small yellow bowl with lime vinaigrette. Also on the cutting board, are the ends of a shallot, a microplane zester with an end of a garlic clove and a juice squeezer with a squished lime inside. Plus a dish towel.

The dressing is super easy to make with simple ingredients. Over a small bowl with olive oil, use a microplane grater for both the lime zest and the garlic. If your lime isn’t very juicy, you may need 2 to equal ¼ cup. Thinly slice the shallot. Either whisk all ingredients together or use a small jar with a lid to vigorously shake until well mixed. The shallot will mellow and develop a tangy sweetness from the lime juice while you’re making the rest of the salad.

Salad in colorful sections of purple cabbage,green peas, yellow cauliflower, green scallions, brown dates with a small bowl lime vinaigrette, dates, lime and fresh herbs

Load up all the ingredients into the bowl where the cauliflower was marinating in the salt and pepper. Pour on the dressing and toss until well mixed. You’re going to want a little bit of everything in every single bite.

White bowl filled with colorful chopped salad that includes purple cabbage, fresh parsley, green peas, yellow cauliflower, pistachios, chopped dates, and scallions. There is a fresh slice of lime, some pistachios, dates and fresh parsley in the foreground on the white countertop

Debra’s Pro Tips

Chopped cauliflower, cabbage, dates and nuts on a round plate with limes and fresh herbs.

Make at least a couple hours in advance so the flavors can intensify and the cauliflower can soften.
If you’re making more than 2 hour ahead, store the dressing separately and toss everything together closer to serving time.
Roll the lime around on the counter with a firm touch to get the juice ready to squeeze. If your lime isn’t too juicy, you’ll want to use 2!

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