Spiced Carrot & Cauliflower Salad
Air-fried carrots and cauliflower seasoned with cumin and fennel, served with a bright coriander, lemon and honey dressing. A colourful vegetable salad with warm spices, fresh herbs and a lightly sweet citrus finish.
Ingredients
- 1 kg carrots trimmed and chopped into 3 cm chunks
- 1 cauliflower chopped into florets, about 500 g
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 handfuls coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
- Rocket leaves to serve
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to season
Instructions
- Peel the garlic and place it in a blender or mini chopper with the coriander leaves, lemon juice, honey and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
- Blend until smooth, or as smooth as possible, then season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 5 minutes.
- Place the carrots in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, cumin seeds and fennel seeds and toss well.
- Cook the carrots in the air fryer for 10 minutes, until starting to caramelise.
- Remove the carrots and place them in a serving dish.
- Toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook the cauliflower for 15 minutes, tossing once, until tender and slightly charred.
- Add the hot cauliflower to the carrots and leave to cool to room temperature.
- Scatter with rocket leaves and drizzle with the coriander dressing just before serving.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve the salad at room temperature with the coriander dressing drizzled over just before serving. It works well as a Side Dish with grilled meat, chicken or other vegetable dishes.Recipe Notes
Cook the carrots and cauliflower separately because they require different cooking times. The carrots benefit from starting first so they have time to soften and caramelise, while the cauliflower needs enough heat to develop lightly charred edges without becoming too soft. Allow the cooked vegetables to cool to room temperature before adding the rocket and dressing. This keeps the leaves fresh and prevents them from wilting excessively.Variations
Add extra chilli flakes if you prefer more heat, or increase the lemon juice for a sharper dressing. The coriander dressing can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until needed.Storage Advice
Store the cooked carrots and cauliflower separately from the rocket and dressing in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring the vegetables back to room temperature before assembling the salad.Wine Advice
A fresh Sauvignon Blanc works well with the coriander, lemon and warm spices. A dry Riesling is another good choice with the honey, cumin and naturally sweet carrots.Nutrition values
Serving: 410 g | Calories: 330 kcal | Carbohydrates: 39 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Sodium: 230 mg | Sugar: 19 g