When we want to change up our salad routine, we gather a bunch of veggies and make this lettuce-less version. It’s reminiscent of a good jardinière (or giardiniera, if you’re Italian), just in a salad form.
And, it’s become one of our favorites for several reasons: it’s easy, makes a lot, keeps well, and tastes great. Oh, and it’s healthy and a good step to getting your daily recommended servings of vegetables. That is a win-win-win-win-win in our book!
To make it, you’ll need a head of cauliflower, cucumber, sweet bell pepper, carrots, celery, and grape or cherry tomatoes. Dice the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, halve the tomatoes, and place all of it in a large bowl.
For the dressing, mix white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, fresh or dried herbs, minced shallot, and garlic. Whisk vigorously (or shake the mixture in a tightly lidded jar) till well blended (i.e. you don’t want to see a layer of olive oil floating on top).
Season it with salt and pepper and pour half of the dressing over the vegetables. Stir till everything is well coated and add more dressing as desired. Then cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving.
It’s crunchy and satisfying with lots of healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals, and fats (the good, unsaturated kind our bodies need). During cooler months, pair it with richer soups – like Creamy Mushroom and Kale or Zuppa Toscana – that benefit from a side dish with some brightness and acidity.
When it’s warm outside, make it to go with burgers and sandwiches. It’s also a great dish for a potluck or picnic.
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Crunchy Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups cauliflower florets usually ½-¾ of a head, depending on the size of the cauliflower head
- 2-3 large carrots peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange) seeded and diced
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 4 tsp. chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, and chive) or 2 tsp. dry Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp. minced shallots
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the diced vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.
- In a separate, smaller bowl (or a large glass measuring cup or lidded jar), add the remaining ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, Italian seasoning, shallots, and garlic). Whisk or shake vigorously till well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Pour half of the dressing over the vegetables in the bowl and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing as needed (any extra can be refrigerated).
- Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours. Overnight is fine, too, as this salad is perfect for making the day before.
Notes
- A large dice works best for the vegetables in this salad.
- English cucumbers are preferred, as they don’t need to be peeled and the seeds are minimal. If you use regular field cucumbers, be sure to peel and seed them before dicing.
- If you choose to use dry Italian seasoning for the vinaigrette, we recommend the Morton and Bassett Italian Herb Blend.
- Also for the vinaigrette, white wine or red wine vinegar may be substituted for the white balsamic. Just be aware that those have a higher degree of tartness. If you prefer a mellower vinaigrette, stick with the white balsamic.