Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowSpring and summer are some of the easiest times of year for low carb recipes. Between fresh grilled meats, juicy burgers (either bunless or on low carb hamburger buns), and simple salads (like a creamy cucumber salad for a side or a healthy taco salad as a meal), there are many delicious options to choose from. Best of all, many of these foods will please everyone – even if they are not eating low carb. Before I made this cauliflower potato salad recipe, I didn’t expect it to be one of those. To my surprise, it was!
The dressing is what really makes the dish — and just like the original version, this keto potato salad (sometimes called mock potato salad or faux potato salad) is perfect for barbecues, picnics, or family get-togethers.
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Potato Salad Recipe
- Creamy, zesty dressing
- Perfectly tender cauliflower
- Classic add-ins like hard boiled eggs, celery, and onions
- 2 simple cooking methods
- Ready in 15 minutes
- Only 6g net carbs per serving
- Naturally keto friendly, low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, whole30, and just plain healthy
- All the same flavors of classic potato salad in every bite
This easy cauliflower potato salad tastes so much like the regular version and has been so popular on Wholesome Yum over the years, that I decided to include it in my Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook. There are only a handful of recipes from this book on my blog, but the whole book has 100 keto recipes total, with 80 of them brand new and exclusive to the book. Every recipe has a photo, macros, and helpful tips included — and they’re all easy like this one, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto potato salad, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – The cauliflower taste in this dish is actually quite mild, and the texture of this low carb potato salad is very much like a regular one. The key is cooking the cauliflower to the same softness as cooked potatoes would be. To do this, make sure your florets are very small. This will allow them to cook up very soft. You could also use leftover steamed cauliflower.
- Mayonnaise – I use homemade mayo, but you can use any kind of mayonnaise that you prefer. You could also use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, but mayo creates the best flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar adds a tart and zesty flavor to this keto cauliflower potato salad. You can substitute white vinegar or lemon juice if you like.
- Dijon Mustard – I prefer the flavor of Dijon here, but regular yellow mustard would also work.
- Seasoning – To add a delicious flavor to the keto potato salad dressing, you’ll need garlic powder, sea salt, paprika (or substitute smoked paprika), and black pepper.
- Onion – While I selected a yellow onion for this recipe, a white onion, red onion, or sweet onion would work nicely as well. Dice it finely.
- Celery – Finely diced. Other low carb vegetables like celeriac or fennel stalks would make good substitutes.
- Eggs – My favorite method to boil them is these easy peel hard boiled eggs, but you could also make hard boiled eggs in the air fryer.
- Chives – Optional for garnish. You could also use fresh dill.
VARIATION: Add dill pickles or bacon!
If you like these flavors in potato salads, you’ll like them in this cauliflower potato salad, too. Just mince the pickles finely or crumble oven baked bacon, and add to your taste.
How To Make Cauliflower Potato Salad
This section shows how to make keto potato salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Cook the cauliflower. Either in the microwave or the stove top, cook the cauliflower and drain well. (I cooked it in boiling water in a saucepan.) You could also use a steamer, or even use a roasted cauliflower recipe here if you like the flavor, like I do for roasted cauliflower salad.
TIP: Cook a double batch of cauliflower to use in other recipes.
Mashed cauliflower is another easy low carb dish that’s made from very soft cooked cauliflower like the kind for this recipe.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper, until smooth.
- Combine. In a large mixing bowl or serving bowl, stir the cooked cauliflower, diced onion and celery, and hard boiled eggs together with the dressing. If desired, garnish with chives and additional paprika.
TIP: If you have time, refrigerate the cauliflower potato salad for 1 hour.
This is not required, but will let the flavors develop more.
Storage Instructions
- Store: This easy cauliflower potato salad can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended, as mayo-based dressings like this one don’t freeze well.
- Meal prep: Since this keto potato salad stores well, you can easily make it ahead of time. Alternatively, you can cook the cauliflower, chop the other vegetables, or make the dressing ahead.
What To Serve With Keto Potato Salad
Since I first published this recipe, I’ve made it dozens of times for my family, friends, potlucks, picnics, and more. It’s a hit with everyone, even my Eastern European extended family (who love their genuine potato salads). Here are some dishes I like to serve with this keto potato salad:
- Grilled Mains – Pair this salad with grilled steak, herby Mediterranean chicken kabobs, or my best juicy burgers (either bunless or on low carb burger buns).
- Steak – Make sirloin steak in the oven, perfect reverse sear steak, or a tender chuck eye steak to serve with this dish.
- Sandwiches – Pair this salad with your favorite keto sandwich. Try crunchy cucumber subs, savory low carb sloppy joes, or a fast bell pepper sandwich.
More Keto Salad Recipes
These keto salads make a great option for weeknight meals, or a crowd!
Recommended Tools
- Mixing Bowls – Serve your salad in this large glass bowl, and use a smaller one to prep the dressing. I love that they nest together for storage.
- Cookware Set – This cookware set is professional grade and has the perfect sized pot to cook your cauliflower for this recipe.
Cauliflower Potato Salad (Keto & Healthy)
This easy cauliflower potato salad recipe is keto, gluten-free & just healthy, with all the flavor of the regular kind. Ready in 15 minutes!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Cook the cauliflower on the stove or in the microwave.
Stove method: Boil a pot of water with a tablespoon of salt. Add the cauliflower, and simmer until very tender (about 5 minutes). Drain well and let cool.
Microwave method: Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Drain well and let cool.
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Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper, until smooth.
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In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, diced onion, sliced celery, and diced egg.
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Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
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If you have time, refrigerate the cauliflower potato salad for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop. (This is optional.) If desired, garnish with chives and additional paprika.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
182 Comments
Martha Owens
0I made this yesterday morning. I could not stay out of it. It was absolutely amazing!! No one in my house likes potato salad but my daughter-in-law and myself. When she came home from work I grabbed the bowl and asked her to taste the potato salad. After she commented about how good it was I told her that it was cauliflower instead of potatoes.
Jenn
0I made this and it was so good! I absolutely love it. I have a question though. I made too much and was wondering if it will freeze. I don’t know how it would be after being frozen and was wondering if anyone has tried this. Please let me know. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jenn, I’m sorry but I would not freeze this salad. I don’t think it would hold up well.
Sherry
0Personally, I would omit the garlic powder in the future. I presume it was added because cauliflower is pretty bland but I thought it lent a very “un-potato salad-y” flavor to the dish. Taking this to a potluck cookout. I’m sure it will go fine with the grill food. Over all, it’s good except for that.
Lauren
0Loved it! I omitted the celery and onion because I didn’t have it on hand. I substituted garlic powder with minced garlic paste, added an extra egg for texture, and added extra Cuban deli mustard because I like mine more on the tangy side. My husband (who is very particular about his potato salad) loved it too. Glad to find this recipe. We ate it with BBQ pulled pork (using sugar-free BBQ sauce). Dishes like this make it easy to stick with this keto lifestyle.
Jennifer
0So easy to make and a crowd pleaser! Thanks for the recipe!
Ginette
0Absolutely love this dish! Every time I make it I love it more. Have shared the recipe with friends who all enjoy it. Don’t miss the potatoes at all.
Pamela
0OMG….I made this over the weekend and it was a HUGE hit! I added pickles and an extra boiled egg. My picky brother ate seconds and told me how much he like it! I’m still stunned!! LOL This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you so very much!
AJ
0Full disclosure – I was prepared to dislike it & roll my eyes at the cauliflower trend. But I ended up eating it by the spoonful during the stirring process, it didn’t even make it to the plate. SO AMAZINGLY GOOD!!!! Next time I’ll use maybe half the apple cider vinegar, just personal preference but the taste is a little too potent to require full measurement. Already being requested by family to bring to the next event…..potatoes who?!?!? 😉
Kendra
0Hi, I made this recipe exactly as stated and I really enjoy it. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten potato salad, so I can’t say exactly how it compares. But it is delicious as it’s own kind of meal! Very easy to make, and the instructional video was an added bonus. [Side note: Your website is very difficult to load and scroll through. I’m not sure if that’s a browser situation, but I have trouble navigating it on my mobile device and on Safari, which made it really difficult to look at the recipe.]
Faith
0This turned out amazing!!! I was skeptical, because potatoes are potatoes….nothing else is a potato. I’m Irish. I love my potatoes! Lol. But we made this to go with burger day and I tried to quick-cool in the freezer….it didn’t quite cool in time to normal potato salad cool, and it was still SOOOO SATISFYING!! Thank you for the recipe.
Marisol
0Simply delicious I started keto some weeks back and will be making this often. Highly recommend!
Tam
0Been meaning to make cauliflower potato salad for quite a while but could’ve see how it could be like my childhood favorite. I used 4 extra eggs, homemade avocado mayo . It turned out absolutely fabulous.
Thank you for this recipe.
Dianna
0You said the key was to boil the cauliflower as long as you would boil potatoes… but recipe says boil 5 minutes! We always boil our potatoes for salad at least 15 to 18 minutes?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dianna, some commenters have found 5 minutes too firm to their taste. You can definitely boil it longer if you’d like.
Wendy Robinson
0I made this last night and it was really good. I steamed the cauliflower and found the salad to be a bit wet for my liking so next time I will do it in the oven. It’s a keeper.
Dini
0Your site is my absolute go-to, for keto and paleo recipes! I’ve used so many recipes from your site, and they’ve all been huge hits. The cheesecake has been requested several times. I’ve passed your site on to a few people as well! I’m just trying this recipe right now. Can’t wait!
Vicki Groce
0Made this because my husband can no longer eat potatoes. He loves potato salad in the summer. It was amazing!
My only complaint was that the dressing was runny. Any tips for draining the cauliflower better?
Melisa
0This recipe was delicious! I added a few slices of cooked crumbled bacon and cooked the cauliflower on the grill using lump coal and wood chips to get a delicious smokey flavor.
Theresa Mullins
0I made this with frozen cauliflower and adjusted the Mayo using 1/3 cup. Came out great!
Kathy Bee
0SO good!!
Doris Poore
0I made the Cauliflower potato salad on Wednesday for my side with dinner and for dinner yesterday on the 4th with BBQ ribs . It was amazing. I haven’t made potato salad in a very long time and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this. It gives me another option besides broccoli or green beans. I couldn’t get over how much it was like the real stuff. I made it just as I would have if I had been using potatoes and it was wonderful. So it will work with any old family recipe. I also made last week pizza crust with cauliflower rice. My husband loved it and he’s not on a low carb plan like me. He said don’t make the real crust again. It was so good! Who knew cauliflower was so versatile!
Christy Haupt
0I just made this for our 4th of July bbq and it is amazing! The cauliflower flavor is not even noticeable with all the other delicious spices around it. I added more finely chopped celery for more crunch and a little stevia to make it sweet/sour and pickle juice instead of the vinegar. Thank you for creating this.
Casey
0Omg this is so amazing!
Lyne M
0This recipe is amazing! I have been craving potato salad for a while now. This certainly hits the spot. Good texture, flavor, and filling too!
Noura
0I made this and added claussen dill pickles and pickle juice, fresh dill, and a small can of sliced olives. Amazing! I took it to a big bbq, and everyone wanted the recipe. I watched people go back for seconds and thirds. This is my new favorite.
Jacky A Galindo
0This recipe was a hit and I did use frozen florets used a paper towel to absorb extra moisture.. then roasted them… great texture.. everyone loved it
Jacky
0Has anyone used frozen cauliflower florets? I’m waiting for them to thaw out then will squeeze out any extra moisture in them..but gonna roast them to give them texture
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jacky, Frozen florets should be fine since you cook them for this recipe.
Penelope
0Great looking recipe. I’m going to try it with roasting the cauliflower first, add more flavor perhaps. Keep up the great blog.
Tina
0I just made this, it’s so good I added pickles because I love pickles.
Sara Kaska
0I made this and it was so good but I put some fried bacon in it and it was so good
BretVz
0Thank you! I miss potato salad! Can’t wait to try this.
Amber
0I am going to try this tonight! I am going to add more egg and I also I like to use celery salt in mine 🙂
Edward Martens
0Can I use mashed rice cauliflower instead of a head of cauliflower?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Edward, You probably could if you wanted, but I think cold cauliflower mash would be a little unusual.
Lois
0Made this recipe with the wholesomeyum mayo and added crispy bacon pieces and an extra hard boiled egg. The dressing was a little bland, however extra salt took care of that. This recipe is a KEEPER! Thank you for sharing your expertise.
Lori B
0I have a brother-in-law who will only eat mashed potato salad, we always leave some potato’s in the pot to cook longer just for him. Unusual yes, but some people love it that way. Go for it!
Iris
0Family and friends LOVE this. 1st time I made it, the cauliflower was just a bit firm. 2nd time around I steamed the little florets longer until their texture was more like boiled potatoes. I also use both green and white cauliflower for interest. Next time I see orange cauliflower, I’ll use all three for a fun “confetti” look. We love this so much that I have to triple the recipe so it lasts more than a day. It actually tastes better the next day anyway when the flavors “meld”.
I don’t like mayonnaise – neither the taste, texture, or ingredients. Instead. . .For a single recipe amount, I use a mini food-processor it to blend the boiled eggs with 2 to 4 tablespoons of softened cream cheese (amount depends on personal taste), a tablespoon or so of “fresh-fermented” pickle juice instead of vinegar, the mustard, and spices. I also add a dash of powdered erythritol because friends and family are used to store-bought potato salad which is actually sweetened with sugar. As another reply said, you can instead use a couple of tablespoons (per personal taste) sugar-free sweet pickle relish. I also use the mini-processor to grind the fresh onions and celery until they’re fine and a bit “juicy”. Sometimes I add a couple of fresh-fermented pickle chunks and olives to the onions and celery and grind them all fine together. When they’re stirred into the egg-cream cheese mix, the dressing is as creamy as one with mayonnaise. If more dressing bulk is needed, double the amount of celery when grinding them with the onions. Increase ingredients accordingly up when doubling and tripling the recipe. No one has yet discovered there’s no mayo in the mix :-). “Regular” (bottled/pasteurized) organic pickles, olives, and their juices can be used. I prefer fresh/raw pickles and sauerkraut for their live fermentation cultures – just as good for the gut as live yogurts.
Kind regards and good eats!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much for your kind words, Iris!
Sue
0Thank you so much for this recipe! This is excellent and we all loved it! Have not had potato salad all year after reducing carbs. What a treat! Thanks again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy that you liked the salad, Sue! Have a great day!
Elfi
0Love the crunchy texture of the cauliflower! Tastes just like potato salad! I’ll be making this again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Elfi! You can cook the cauliflower to be either soft or crunchy.
Carol Jakl
0I’m going to try this (even though I DETEST cauliflower, can’t even stand the smell of it cooking) because my family like it, and several are on low carb diets. I cook Friday night family dinner (son,his wife, grandson, hubby, daughter and sometimes another daughter and granddaughter). We’ll see.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope you like it, Carol! Thanks for stopping by!
Carol Jakl
0So, I made it. The family loved it, even had seconds. Me, it is cauliflower (I did taste it!) which I detest. I’ll make it again since everyone else loved it.
Jim Cirillo
0I am prediabetic so I am glad that I found your cauliflower potato salad recipe which I made and it was very yummy! One question: how much sodium which was not listed in the nutrition facts? I also have high blood pressure so I have to watch sodium so I changed your recipe and used 3 tablespoons of sour cream mixed with 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise (I made enough to equal 2/3 of a cup as your recipe calls for) to cut down on the sodium. 67 to 80% of diabetics also have high blood pressure!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jim, I’m glad you liked it! I don’t have additional nutrition info on hand, but you can enter the ingredients into an online calculator if you need other info. Thanks for sharing this modification for other readers, too!
CRISSY
0Omg!!… So happy I found your page!!! I LOVE all these recipes!!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Crissy! Have a great day!
Rebecca
0I just made your low carb cauliflower potato salad and I must confess I was a little sceptical at first, but WOW I love it!!! I did add two ingredients, but I liked the way it tasted before I added them. 🙂 I added 1 1/2 tsp of chia seeds which I do to all salads of this type because they absorb the excess water that always seems to accumulate by the next day. I also added three tablespoons of no sugar sweet relish because my husband simply believes that should be in everything from chicken salad to potato salad and if adding the no sugar pickle relish helps him to adapt to lower carb…makes me happy too. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am happy that you and your husband liked it, Rebecca! Please come back again soon!
Eric
0Add capers, you’ll thank me! 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Great tip, Eric! Thanks for sharing with us!
Heather
0OMG. This is amazing. I needed to have a dish I could take to a bbq that I could eat but I know I won’t be the only one . I used a bag of riced cauliflower so it was super easy. Thank you for posting .
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Heather! Have a great day!
A.E. Rocchi
0This cauliflower “potato salad” recipe is delicious. My whole family loves it. Very easy to make too. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am thrilled that you liked the salad! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Candy
0I made this for a Memorial Day picnic at a friend’s house. She is gluten free and is doing the Keto diet. I wanted to bring something delicious that she could also eat. This was a hit! I put in extra eggs (I doubled the recipe and then added a total of 11 eggs). I would stress that draining the cauliflower really well before you add the dressing is key. I set mine up in a colander to drain for a couple hours. This is a good recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy the salad was a hit, Candy! Have a great day!
Ven Baker
0Thank you for all your fabulous recipes. This looks like a good salad to try this summer, but I think I’m going to roast the caulifower, instead of boil or microwave. I just prefer the flavor of it roasted. Let you know how it turns out!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, roasting the cauliflower sounds delicious! Please come back and let me know, Ven!
Holly
0I am so enjoying this keto diet. To be able to eat such good food and still lose weight is fantastic. This mock potato salad is wonderful. My husband said it is a keeper and that I should leave a review. I am sure we will be making this all summer long.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Holly! I am so happy to hear that! Have a great day!
Barbara Caswell
0I’ve made this cauliflower salad a couple of times and it is super delicious. Even the kids liked it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That is awesome, Barbara! Thanks for stopping by!
Lyn Hertz
0Has anyone had success using frozen riced cauliflower in thi recipe? i would love to know how it turned out. Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lyn, I have not personally tried this with frozen cauliflower, but other readers have said that it works for them.
Sharon frommie
0Delicious!! The only change I make is that I steam my cauliflower to al-dente in my rice cooker/steamer. Perfect, and no problem with having to drain the excess water. This is tasty with any meal, so I try to make it often to have ‘on hand’.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Great idea, Sharon! Thanks for stopping by!
Margo
0Quick question about the nutrition, particularly the carbohydrates. Where are all those carbs coming from in the recipe? The recipe looks delicious and I hope to try it soon. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Margo, Mostly they are from the cauliflower and onion.
Margo
0Thanks. Looking forward to trying it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hope you love it!
Judy Davis
0This looks so good. Do you know if using the “riced” cauliflower readily available now would be too small in pieces to substitute for the larger cauliflower chunks in your recipe? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Judy! You could use riced cauliflower. The texture would be different, but I think it would still be good. The cook time would also need to be reduced, since those tiny pieces will cook faster than florets.
anyaperry
0Congratulations, I nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award! I also shared why I think you are awesome! 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Anya! I appreciate it. 🙂