Low-Carb Cauliflower “Potato” Salad – vegan & paleo

Do you love potato salad but want a low-carb alternative? Here is a fabulous recipe for cauliflower potato salad that is guaranteed to please and has even been known to fool some potato salad lovers into thinking it’s the real deal!

I’m so excited to share my Low-Carb Cauliflower Potato Salad recipe (aka Faux Tato Salad) with you today. This one has been on repeat in our house recently, and neither my husband nor I can get enough of the refreshing flavor of the delicious, soft cauliflower coated in the creamy cashew sauce.

It’s been our new favorite side dish.

Growing up in a Korean household with mostly home cooked Korean dishes, potato salads were always a special treat for me that I would only get a chance to enjoy at school outings and picnics. I absolutely loved the taste and texture, and the slight vinegary flavor complemented the cooked pillowy potatoes so so well.

Nummmmm….

After enjoying the heck out of them all throughout college at the campus cafeteria, I actually forgot about them and haven’t had them much for the past several years. I’ve also been eating more low carb recently because of my candida issues, which flare up with too much sugar or too many carbs, so it wasn’t something that I would normally make…

…until this cauliflower potato salad recipe came along.

Cauliflower Potato Salad?

This recipe replaces the traditional potato with steamed cauliflower, but this version is even more delicious than the original kind. My husband actually thought this was a real potato salad when he first took a bite, and we got a good laugh about how I fooled him yet again with a delicious and healthy substitution that he couldn’t detect.

Unbelievable!

So cauliflower works as a rice substitute in Grain-Free Sushi, a potato substitute in this Low-Carb Shepherd’s Pie–and now this!

But really… is there anything that cauliflower CANNOT do?

Yeah–maybe there. I mean, I still haven’t seen a Cauliflower Peanut Butter Cup, or a Cauliflower Hershey Kiss…..but I’m not giving up hope yet.

What Makes This Low-Carb Potato Salad Special?
Hint: sauce

What makes this cauliflower potato salad really shine is the cashew cream sauce that’s  packed with flavor and pulls the dish together beautifully. I decided to create this yummy sauce instead of using mayonnaise because I’ve had sensitivities to eggs in the past so it’s something I try not to eat them too often.

In this egg free “mayo,” soaked cashews (see how to soak nuts) are blended with yummy ingredients like lemon juice, mustard, and garlic, yielding a smooth and addicting sauce that’ll wake your taste buds as you enjoy this low carb potato salad.

It’s so good that I’m thinking of making a double batch of the sauce for next time just to have it to drizzle over salads (like this Broccoli Jicama Salad) and bowls.

What to Eat with this Low-Carb Potato Salad

We’ve been enjoying this cauliflower potato salad as a side dish next to roasted chicken or grilled steak, but it’s hearty enough that you can eat it on its own as a main dish. It also keeps well (and actually gets better the longer it sits!) and is portable, so it’s perfect to bring to a picnic or a potluck.

It would also be fantastic included in a packed lunch, or of course at a cookout! Hey hamburgers and hotdogs, those aren’t potatoes in that salad sitting next to you –ha!

And best all, this low carb potato salad packed with all the healthy good-for-you vegetables so you know you are getting in plenty of nutrients in the most delicious way!

Move over potato-shmato. Cauliflower is where it’s at!

Recipe Notes and Substitutions for Cauliflower Potato Salad

• Raw Cashews: You will want to use only raw cashews for this recipe. Roasted will yield a totally different flavor. It might be nice but won’t seem like a typical dressing.
• Mayonnaise: Of course, if you aren’t avoiding eggs, you can use your favorite mayonnaise as the dressing for this low-carb potato salad.
• AIP: And if you’re on the AIP (autoimmune paleo) diet, you could sub in this Vegan Avocado Dressing for the sauce. It will taste amazing, but it will be green :).  There are a few AIP ranch dressings you could use as well.
• Nut-Free Dressing: If you can’t eat nuts, this Vegan Ranch Dressing is a fantastic alternative to the cashew dressing.
• THM: This recipe fits in as an “S” if you are on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.

Low-Carb Cauliflower Potato Salad

Love Potato Salad but you've gone keto? This Cauliflower Potato Salad is the perfect low-carb companion to any meat including cookouts and potlucks!

5 from 4 votes

Print Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: AIP, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, THM, Vegan

Keyword: cauliflower potato salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 243kcal

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower (cut into bite-sized florets)
• 1 small red onion (diced)
• 2 stalks celery (chopped)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• paprika (for garnish)

Cashew Cream Sauce

• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours and drained)
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp water (or more, if needed)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled)

Instructions

• Place a steamer insert into a large saucepan and pour in water to just below the bottom of the steamer
• Turn the heat to medium high and bring the water to a boil.
• Bring down the heat to medium low to simmer, then add cauliflower florets, cover, and steam until tender, about 5 minutes.
  
• While the cauliflower is steaming, place all ingredients for the cashew cream sauce in a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. 
• If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more water and blend again until it reaches the right consistency. Set aside.
• Place the steamed cauliflower in a large mixing bowl.
• Add red onion, celery, green onions, dill, garlic powder, sea salt, and ground black pepper. 
• Pour in the cashew cream sauce over the vegetables and toss together to coat. 
• Place in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving, so the flavors can meld together.
• Sprinkle with paprika before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @wholenewmom or tag #wholenewmom!

I think you’ll LOVE this.

What will you serve this Low-Carb Potato Salad with?

Jean Choi is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, recipe developer, and food photographer at What Great Grandma Ate. She is also a cookbook author of the Korean Paleo Cookbook. She started her blog to share her story of overcoming years of digestive issues and adrenal fatigue, and to help others realize that nutrient-dense allergen-free cooking can be simple, easy, and delicious. Jean believes that the food you love should love you back through healing and nourishment. For more of her real food recipes and SoCal adventures, follow along on her Instagram and Facebook.