Here’s a salad we cannot get enough of! This quinoa, cauliflower, and ham salad is a treat to the palate with it’s variety of flavors that combine wonderfully. Plus, not only is it super nutritious and healthy, but it also looks beautiful so it’s sure to impress your guests. Why not give it a try?
We always garnish this salad with honey mustard salad dressing. It is very easy to make and it goes perfectly in this recipe, since it is fantastic to contrast the cauliflower and spinach. If you do not wish to make this dressing, you can instead garnish your salad with olive oil and lemon juice. The quinoa, cauliflower, and ham salad can be a bit dry if you don’t use any dressing, so try not to skip it.
Quinoa has become something of a rockstar among seeds in the last decade. It is rich in protein and nutrients, and does not contain gluten, so it has gained a lot of praise as a healthy alternative to starchy grains. If you haven’t tried it yet, this recipe is a great option to do so. Remember to rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove some of the bitterness in its coating.
The recipe calls for serrano ham, a dry-cured ham from Spain, but other dry-cured hams will work well in this recipe, such as Black Forest ham or Prosciutto. The intense flavor of dry-cured hams is a key element in this salad, so we suggest you don’t skip or replace it.
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Quinoa, cauliflower, and ham salad
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 9 oz mozzarella cheese (drained)
- ½ small red onion
- 4 slices serrano ham
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Honey mustard dressing
- 3 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to the instruction on the package. Set aside to cool down.
- Cut the cauliflower into small florets and transfer it to a baking tray. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil. Mix well and spread it out on the baking tray. Preheat the oven to 400℉ and roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes until it is golden and tender. Let it cool down for a few minutes.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, cut the mozzarella cheese into cubes and finely chop the red onion. Tear the serrano ham in bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the honey mustard dressing by mixing the mayo, Dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper. If the dressing feels too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.
- When the cauliflower and quinoa are ready and have slightly cooled down, mix them with the mozzarella cheese, onion, serrano ham, fresh spinach and dressing in a large bowl. Serve with fresh bread.
Notes
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove some of the bitterness in its coating.