Name: BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup dry quinoa; 4 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen; ½ cup BBQ sauce; ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; ½ cup spring water, plus more to thin; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp dried dill; 1 tsp dried parsley; Sea salt & black pepper, to taste; 5 cups fresh greens of choice; ½ red onion, thinly sliced; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 large avocado, cubed

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Level up your vegan summer dinner with this BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad recipe. It includes BBQ-roasted cauliflower, fluffy quinoa, fresh greens, mild red onion, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, & cashew ranch dressing. Ready in 30 minutes & will be a favorite!

BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad in a bowl with a fork in it, topped with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado, sitting on a white marble counter.

Each bite into this vegan salad recipe is smoky, fresh, & tangy. Your taste buds will, without a doubt, be satisfied & your body will thank you, as each ingredient included in this creation is good for you.

This salad features BBQ-roasted cauliflower, fluffy quinoa, fresh greens, mild red onion, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, & cashew ranch dressing.

Piled high with deliciousness, this BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad recipe will quickly become a new summer favorite!

Why You’ll Love This Vegan BBQ Ranch Salad Recipe

Full of Flavor: Created with yummy ingredients, this salad is loaded with sweet, smoky, & tangy flavors!
Quick & Easy: All it takes is 30 minutes to make this simple-to-make vegan salad.
Great for Meal Prep: This BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad stores well in the fridge, making it the perfect vegan recipe for healthy summer dinners throughout the week.

Vegan BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad in a bowl with a fork in it, topped with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado, sitting on a white marble counter.

Ingredients

Organic White Quinoa: To provide the salad with a nutty flavor, along with protein & fiber. You can use any color that you have on hand—white, red, or multi-color.
Organic Cauliflower Florets: Fresh or frozen will do, as they get baked to perfection with BBQ sauce.
Organic BBQ Sauce: I personally make my own, but you can use any brand that you prefer, & I encourage you to read the ingredient label.
Organic Tomatoes: I prefer to use sweet cherry tomatoes, but any type of tomatoes that you have on hand will do.
Organic Red Onion: Just a bit to add a pungent flavor.
Organic Avocado: Make sure to use a ripe avocado for some extra healthy fats & creaminess.
Organic Greens: Any greens work great. Baby spinach, baby red & green chard, kale, or a combination.
Organic Cashew Ranch Dressing: It’s herby, tangy, & creamy, which makes it the perfect condiment to drizzle over the salad.

How to Make

Quinoa. Prepare quinoa as instructed on the package.
BBQ Cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F & line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the cauliflower florets & toss with the BBQ sauce. Transfer to the oven & roast for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway.
Cashew Ranch Dressing. Add all of the ingredients, except the dried dill & parsley, to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth & creamy. Once blended, stir in the dried dill & parsley.
Serve. Divide the fresh greens between bowls. Top with the cooked quinoa, BBQ cauliflower, red onion, tomatoes, avocado, & a drizzle of the cashew ranch dressing. Enjoy!

BBQ Ranch Cauliflower Salad on a sheet pan.

Tips for Making this BBQ Ranch Salad Recipe Perfectly

Organic Greens: Any greens work great. Baby spinach, baby red & green chard, massaged kale, or a combination.
Organic BBQ Sauce: I personally make my own, but you can use any brand that you prefer, & I encourage you to read the ingredient label.
Soak the Cashews: Be sure to soak your organic raw cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them. This ensures that the cashew ranch dressing is creamy & smooth.

Storing & Reheating

This BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad is the perfect vegan recipe for healthy leftovers & meal prep!

Storing. Transfer the ingredients to separate airtight glass containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheating. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the BBQ cauliflower & quinoa to an oven-safe bowl. Place in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until warmed through. To serve, pair with the remaining ingredients.

BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad Recipe in a bowl with a fork in it, topped with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado, sitting on a white marble counter.

More Healthy Quinoa Salad Recipes You’ll Love

Sharing Is Caring!

If you make this BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad recipe, please leave a review & rating below. I love hearing from you, & it helps others learn more about the blog as well. Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more healthy content!

Xoxo.

CMG.

BBQ Ranch Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad

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Author: Christin Gillespie
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Salad
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

Always opt for organic ingredients.

QUINOA

½ cup dry quinoa

BBQ CAULIFLOWER

4 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
½ cup BBQ sauce

CASHEW RANCH DRESSING

½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ cup spring water, plus more to thin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried parsley
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

SALAD

5 cups fresh greens of choice
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large avocado, cubed

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Instructions

Quinoa. Prepare quinoa as instructed on the package.
BBQ Cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F & line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the cauliflower florets & toss with the BBQ sauce. Transfer to the oven & roast for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway.
Cashew Ranch Dressing. Add all of the ingredients, except the dried dill & parsley, to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth & creamy. Once blended, stir in the dried dill & parsley.
Serve. Divide the fresh greens between bowls. Top with the cooked quinoa, BBQ cauliflower, red onion, tomatoes, avocado, & a drizzle of the cashew ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

Organic Greens: Any greens work great. Baby spinach, baby red & green chard, massaged kale, or a combination.

Organic BBQ Sauce: I personally make my own, but you can use any brand that you prefer, & I encourage you to read the ingredient label.

Soak the Cashews: Be sure to soak your organic raw cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them. This ensures that the cashew ranch dressing is creamy & smooth.

Storing & Reheating: Transfer the ingredients to separate airtight glass containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the BBQ cauliflower & quinoa to an oven-safe bowl. Place in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until warmed through. To serve, pair with the remaining ingredients.