Bring the exotic flavours of the Caribbean islands to your table with this healthy Cauliflower Couscous Salad. Made with gluten-free cauliflower couscous, this refreshing Jamaican couscous salad features mango, black beans, and colourful bell peppers. It's tossed with a bright, fresh lemon-lime dressing.
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❤️ Why this recipe works
- It's gluten-free! Enjoy "couscous" without the gluten! Finely chopped cauliflower makes an amazing substitute for couscous. Love couscous, but can't handle the gluten in it? You'll be surprised at just how delicious this couscous made with finely chopped cauliflower can be!
- Caribbean flavours! This easy mango salad makes a perfect accompaniment to Caribbean Jerk Chicken Breasts and Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings.
- Easy! This recipe has a short list of ingredients, but packs a lot of flavour! It's lightly dressed with a bright lemon-lime vinaigrette.
- Vegetarian: (and Vegan if you substitute sugar for the honey in the dressing.) This recipe is entirely plant-based. It's a flavourful, gluten-free alternative to couscous whether or not you eat grains!
- This Jamaican couscous salad is similar to this Mango Black Bean Salad. I've used the same Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette because it's just so good!
🛒 Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are a few details about the ingredients and steps to help you make this cauliflower couscous salad recipe perfectly every time.
cauliflower: This recipe makes enough for two large salads. You'll need about 2 cups of finely chopped cauliflower florets, which is about half a medium head of cauliflower. I usually use a whole head and freeze the extra cauliflower "rice" to have with another meal, like this Chicken Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice.
black beans: Canned black beans make this recipe quick and easy. Just drain and rinse them well.
mango: any variety. Slice the cheeks away from the large center pit, then dice the flesh.
bell peppers: adding more than one colour adds interest to this salad.
lime: you'll add lime zest to the dressing and lime juice to the cauliflower couscous.
cilantro: finely chopped, you'll add this to the cauliflower couscous to make a cilantro lime couscous.
🔪 Instructions
- Make the lemon-lime vinaigrette first and set it aside to allow the flavours to blend.
- Next, make the cauliflower couscous (also known as cauliflower rice.) You'll find complete instructions for how to make cauliflower rice along with three flavour variations in this recipe: 3 Easy Steps to Make Cauliflower Rice. I've also included the simple instructions in the recipe card below.
- And finally, prepare the black beans, the peppers and the rice and combine them togehter with the cooled cauliflower. Toss with lemon-lime vinaigrette and enjoy!
❓Questions you might have
No. You can simply chop it finely (a food processor makes this a snap) and use it in your salad raw. However, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts are often easier to digest when cooked.
According to Scientific American, cooking cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower causes them to release indole, an organic compound that can fight off precancerous cells. And who doesn't want that!
I like to cook the finely chopped cauliflower quickly in a skillet, then cool it before combining it with the remaining salad ingredients.
Regular couscous is a processed grain made with semolina flour or durum wheat. It has a high carb count and is not suitable for a keto or low-carb diet.
Cauliflower couscous is simply a vegetable. It has less than half the carbs of wheat couscous.
👍🏼 Helpful Tips
In a hurry? Cool the cauliflower couscous quickly by spreading it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate it, or put it outside on a cool day.
🔁 Possible Variations
Feel free to substitute any colour bell peppers: yellow, orange, red or green. You can also easily replace the mango with pineapple.
⏰ Storage Instructions
Refrigerate leftover salad within two hours to be safe. Bacteria can multiply in food left at room temperature for several hours. This salad will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's best to store it without the dressing.
🍽 Serving suggestions
I created this recipe to go with Caribbean Jerk Chicken Breasts or these Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings. They're hot and deliciously spicy! This salad provides a perfect contrast. It's sweet and refreshing!
Keep your Caribbean theme going throughout your meal! Serve these amazing Caribbean Rum Bananas Flambé for dessert.
🗒More recipes
When you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing how my recipes turned out for you, or what adaptations you made. Thanks in advance!
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📖 Recipe
Caribbean Cauliflower Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cauliflower "rice" or "couscous"
- 1 cup bell peppers, any colour
- 1 medium mango
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 - 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey, or sugar for vegan diet
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- sea salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, or avocado oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette and set aside to allow the flavours to blend.
- Cut cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor until it has the consistency of couscous or rice. Heat two teaspoons of oil in a skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add cauliflower, stir to coat with oil and release some of the moisture. Cover and cook for up to 5 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and no longer tastes raw. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice and cook for a minute or two more without a lid. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment pepper and let cool completely.
- Drain and rinse black beans.
- Remove core and seeds from bell peppers and dice.
- Dice a mango.
- Combine the cauliflower couscous, black beans, peppers, and mango and season with salt. Garnish with lime slices and cilantro leaves.
Terri
Wow - I love the flavour profile of this recipe! I usually just do the same Mediterranean style couscous. I'm looking forward to mixing it up with this- yum!
Elaine
Thanks Terri! The cauliflower couscous is so much like couscous--can't tell the difference! Thanks for stopping by!
Sean
I continue to be amazed by the crazy things we can do with cauliflower! Fantastic salad, great flavours, and I love how easily everything comes together. Great vinaigrette too!
Elaine
Thanks Sean! I know, right? Cauliflower is amazingly versatile. Who knew it could make a great sub for couscous?
Asha
This salad was so refreshing with the fresh mango and lemon-lime dressing! Love this new way to enjoy couscous
Elaine
Thanks Asha! I agree, the cauliflower couscous is a game-changer for those of us who can't have gluten!
Colleen
I love the cauliflower sub for couscous! This salad is so colourful and fresh. It was a perfect side dish for our jerk chicken. Thanks for sharing!
Elaine
Thanks Colleen. Cauliflower makes a great sub for couscous for those of us avoiding wheat! Thanks for the 5 stars!
nancy
super tasty and flavourful recipe. thanks for the healthy tips
Elaine
You're welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Bernice
This is such a tasty and healthy salad option and I love mangos in salad! Thank you so much for the great cooking tips and low carb salad.
Elaine
Thanks! Happy to hear you liked it too!
Dawn
Love your idea of using cauliflower as a replacement for couscous! Lots of flavor in this salad. I'll be making it again with different variations, too. 5 stars!
Elaine
Thanks so much for the 5 stars, Dawn!