Miso Edamame and Cauliflower Salad

I love to put together delicious salads full of flavour, that are not only healthy, but really filling. As autumn starts to come and the weather is cooling down, I much prefer a salad with some warm elements. This edamame and cauliflower salad is one of my favourites- it tastes amazing and is filled with protein and healthy veggies. 

When it comes to healthy, vegan meal prep, salads play a huge role in my diet. There’s a huge stigma around the vegan diet, that it’s all boring green salads and vinaigrettes, but this is so far from the truth! 

Why I love cauliflower in salad

Often I’ll make a grain salad using rice or quinoa to add a bit of bulk. Sometimes, I just don’t fancy grains, and this is where I love to use cauliflower. Cauliflower has plenty of fibre, which helps to keep me full throughout the afternoon. It’s also an excellent source of most of the essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need.

What is miso?

Miso is fermented soybean paste. It’s traditionally used in Japanese cooking and has an amazing umami flavour. I always keep a big jar of it in my fridge, as it comes in handy in so many different dishes- soups, stir frys, stews and even roasts.

I’ve included miso in this recipe in both the marinade and the dressing. For the marinade, I’ve mixed it with lemon juice, sesame oil and garlic, and rubbed it all over the roasted vegetables. For the dressing, I’ve mixed it with plain yoghurt, lemon juice and garlic, for a more mellow take on the flavours. If you’re not certain on miso just yet, reduce the amount or leave it out of the yoghurt dressing completely. But I would definitely recommend giving it a go!

I’ve written more about miso in my recipe for miso roasted chickpeas– so if you want to read a little bit more, and cook some super moreish crunchy snacks, head on over there.

What goes into this salad

Whilst the cauliflower is definitely the star of the show, this salad is so much more than that. To start with, both the florets and the leaves of the cauliflower head are used. The leaves crisp up beautifully and the stalks give a great crunch. 

I’ve also added wedges of red onion and edamame beans. The red onions give a great lift to the flavour, and the edamame beans have a satisfying little bite to them. I’ve gone for frozen edamame beans in this recipe, as they’re just super convenient to have on hand in the freezer, and easy to find in most supermarkets.

The almonds add an extra crunchy texture. You could add any nuts you like here, but in my opinion, the crunchier the better! I also added these nuts for a bit of a protein boost, but if you can’t have nuts, you could definitely throw in some of your favourite seeds.

Finally I’ve topped it off with a handful of sultanas for a little pop of sweetness, but you could use any dried fruit that you prefer, or leave them out entirely if fruit in salad isn’t for you!

I eat all of this warm goodness on top of a bed of rocket leaves, but if you’re not a fan of their punchiness, any mixed leaf salad would still work well.

How to make miso, edamame, and cauliflower salad

Despite all of the elements, this salad is really easy to put together. Start by mixing the miso, lemon juice, sesame oil and minced garlic cloves. Chop the cauliflower into florets, and thin down the stalks on the leaves if they look a little thick. Coat the cauliflower and leaves in the miso marinade and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.

After 15 minutes, pull out the tray, remove the leaves, and add the onion wedges, almonds, and edamame beans. Give it a little mix, a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper. Pop it back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

To make the dressing, simply mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice, minced garlic and miso. I like to loosen the miso paste with the lemon juice first, to help it combine with the yoghurt a little better. 

To serve, layer the rocket, cauliflower leaves, and roasted vegetables from the pan. Sprinkle with sultanas and drizzle over a good spoonful of the dressing, and enjoy. 

A great meal prep lunch

This edamame and cauliflower salad is is great for lunch prep. It will make enough for 4 days for one person, and keeps really well in the fridge.

If you want to eat it as a warm salad every day, keep the roasted veggies separate from the dressing and leaves. Give them a blast in the microwave or warm oven, and you have a lovely warm lunch.

Fancy something else?

Looking for something else to prep for lunch?

• Try this mediterranean vegetable pasta salad or my favourite pesto orzo salad for something super summery!
• This vegan rice salad with pecans and apples is perfect for Autumn and is a great healthy option.
• Or this vegan pilaf is an easy and delicious option for meal prep, with hearty sweet potato.
• Green biryani also makes a great easy weeknight dinner with leftovers for lunch.
• This creamy mushroom salad is the perfect wholesome and filling salad.
• Or for an extra boost of protein, try these tofu nuggets.

Miso Edamame and Cauliflower Salad

Chloe from Forkful of Plants

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Salad

Servings 4

This edamame and cauliflower salad is one of my favourite warm salads- it tastes amazing and is filled with protein and healthy veggies!

5 from 9 votes

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Ingredients

  

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For the marinade

• 1 tbsp white miso
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced

For the salad

• 1 large cauliflower leaves and florets
• 250 g edamame soya beans (frozen)
• 2 red onions cut into wedges
• 75 g almonds whole
• 120 g rocket*
• 60 g sultanas

For the dressing

• 70 g dairy-free plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp white miso
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 200°c/180°c fan. To make the marinade, mix the miso, lemon juice, sesame oil and minced garlic cloves.
• Chop the cauliflower into florets, and thin down the stalks on the leaves if they look a little thick. Coat the cauliflower and leaves in the miso marinade and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, take the tray from the oven. Remove the cauliflower leaves and place to one side. Add the edamame soya beans, onion wedges, and almonds to the tray.
• Give it a little drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
• To make the yogurt dressing, start by loosening the miso with the lemon juice. Then add the miso, lemon juice and garlic to the yoghurt, and stir well until combined.
• Remove the warm vegetables from the oven after 10 minutes. To serve, layer up the rocket, cauliflower leaves, warm vegetables, yoghurt dressing and sultanas.

Notes

*If you don’t like rocket, replace with leafy greens of choice!

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