Mediterranean Salad with Seasoned Cauliflower, White Bean Dip + Greek Fries

We LOVE Greek food at our house, & one of my favorite Friday post bartending routines has become picking up Mediterranean take-out, settling in on the couch with Jordan + whatever show were binging, & combining literally everything in front of me with a side of flatbread + dip. Mediterranean food is totally applicable to getting lots of different dishes you can snack on, and virtually everything is going to taste great wrapped up in pita wit a dab of hummus + a little squeeze of srircha. The sriracha not being so Greek, but this whole combo I’ve outlined here is actually the yummiest bite. Our go-to Friday night order - a refreshing Greek Salad (that’s loaded with feta + olives + cukes), flatbreads, dips, + Greek fries. It’s this yummy medley of food that’s fun to nibble on, dip into, & do the whole “try a little of this with a little of that” thing. So in the spirit of trying something new + sparking a little bit of joy in my home kitchen, I planned for a full Mediterranean night + recreated one of our favorite meals to enjoy - Mediterranean Salad with Seasoned Cauliflower, White Bean Dip + Greek Fries. We turned on the Greek Spotify station, jammed out + chowed down, and had a semi-festive night in.

Greek Fries

First things first - salad + fries is one of the most perfect combos of all time. It’s provides balance, the fries are just like a little something fun to nibble on in between crispy salad bites, & that salty potato bite seems to go well with everything. Second - fries are always a good choice, but crispy Greek fries are like Mediterranean nachos, & they’re a very, very good choice. Loaded with cheese + a creamy feta sauce - they’re this super tasty, unique variation of loaded fries. Salty + cheesy + very fun to eat.

The whipped feta is the real deal. & the signature sauce of Greek fries. Just a little Greek yogurt + feta cheese + olive oil, blended together to be this light + creamy + drizzl-able feta sauce. It’s salty, & goes perfectly with crispy fries. I saved a little extra & nestled it in with my Greek fries (for a little extra dipper), & it was lovely.

Salad essentials

Greek salad can be kind of - blah. Like I love them because they’re refreshing, but my opinion is they usually lack a fun factor. & really good salads always have one element that’s just delish. Something that’s uber tasty, & it’s what you’re seeking out to snag with every forkful of greens. Insert seasoned + roasted cauliflower. This was my flavor-packing x-factor. Cumin, paprika, salt + pepper goes a long way in terms of flavor & imparting this really deep, rich color to cauliflower. I love doing cauliflower like this because it does a good job with taking the place of where you’d maybe insert a meat. & it’s just super delish. Super flavorful, very Greek thanks to the cumin, & good enough to eat right off the pan as a little pre-dinner snack while you arrange salads.

I didn’t stray too far from traditional Greek salad vibes. I kept the kalamata olives, cukes, fresh tomatoes, & the roasted cauliflower was just a fun addition that still blends so well with everything else you’re working. Keeps things fresh, & just built to be one loaded Mediterranean salad.

Now let’s talk damn good dressing. I love thick dressings that really coat the lettuce, & that exactly what I whipped up. A combo of sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, + balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar being the prominent flavor here, and a vinaigrette with a Greek salad just makes sense.

Put that food processor to good use

The food processor if your best friend in the whole assembly of this meal. You use it for the whipped feta, the sundried tomato + balsamic vinagrette, & if you’re feeling up for it, the White Bean Dip. This dip has become a true staple at our house - we LOVE having it on hand. So good to dip fresh veggies, pita chips, or crackers into, and a lighter, lower calorie substitute for hummus (which is why we really like it!). Totally worth the small effort to make - it’s really that good! & a dollop right in the middle of your salad is wonderful.

Personally, I like to do a little smear of dip onto flatbread with a little of dressed veggies right on top - making sure to get some of the cukes + that feta cheese in the mix. Finish with a little dropn of sriracha right on top. Heaven. Total heaven.

I think that this week has been tough….very tough. The stress of owning our own business got the best of me & my anxiety went through the roof. The balance of being present for myself + my husband, and finding that quality time together combined with trying to manage a fully functioning business that has demands can feel really challenging. One of the most challenging things I’ve maybe faced in my life, & very challenging to manage emotionally. But in looking back on my week, I’m glad we had this moment together. Made the time to be with each other, be in the kitchen together, & just have a date-night at-home that in the midst of what felt like a particularly tough few days. It’s the rose of my week that I’m so glad to say happened, & makes me hopeful that we can still find time for each other + time for fun as a way to re-charge during busy + stressful times.

For the Salad

• 1 head of cauliflower

• EVOO

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp paprika

• Salt + pepper

• 1/4 c. sundried tomatoes (packed in oil) + 2 tbsp. oil from the jar

• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, plus a little extra for garnish

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 head of romaine (cut into bite-size pieces) or just a bagged salad mix of choice (butter lettuce is a good choice)

• 1 cucumber, sliced

• a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

• 6-7 kalamata olives, chopped

• 2-3 tbsp feta cheese

• Naan, flatbread, or pita (optional)

For the Greek Fries

• 1 russet potato

• 1/4 c. (4 tbsp) EVOO

• 1/4 tsp. of cumin

• pinch of Salt + Pepper

• 4 oz. feta cheese (plus a little extra for garnish)

• 1/4 c. Greek yogurt

• 1 lemon, cut into wedgees

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley minced

• Smoked paprika (for finishing)

Preheat the oven to 375.

Start by roasting your cauliflower. Toss the florets with about 2 tbsp of EVOO, the cumin, paprika, + a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet & roast for 35-40 minutes.

***if you’re making the white bean dip, throw in 3-4 heads of garlic drizzled with EVOO in the oven with the cauliflower for the entire cook time.

As it bakes, make the dressing. Add the sun-dried tomatoes & reserved oil, parsley, vinegar, & mustard to a food processor & puree. You want the tomatoes to still be a little chunky, so just know you won’t end up with a perfectly smooth dressing. The dressing is pretty thick, & if you want a thinner consistency just add in a bit of EVOO. Place in a mason jar & set it in the fridge. Wipe out the food processor with a paper towel & move to making the whipped feta. Add the feta cheese + greek yogurt for the fries to the food processor, & puree for about 15-20 seconds. With the food processor on, add in 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Totally fine to still have some smaller chunks of feta in the mixture. Transfer to a bowl & set in the fridge.

***if you’re making the white bean dip, wipe out the food processor one last time & whip together the dip before retiring the food processor.

When the cauliflower has finished baking, remove pan from the oven to cool + crank the oven temp to 425. Re-line the baking pan with foil & place in the oven to heat up. Leave in the oven for at least 10 minutes.

Cut the potato into fries, toss with2 tbsp EVOO + a pinch of cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Spread the fries on the hot baking sheet, + return to the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. At 20 minutes, toss the fries + rotate the pan in the oven. Remove fries from the oven when they’re golden brown, and cooked to your desired crispyness.

While the fries finish cooking, so after you’ve given them that first toss, assemble your salads. Toss your lettuce (enough for 2 bowls, so like 3-4 cups of lettuce) with half of the dressing. Place in serving bowls, keeping the lettuce to just 1 half of the bowl. Nestle in the cucumber, tomato, + olives (see photo for reference!).

Turn off the oven, & remove the potatoes from the oven. Transfer them immediately to your serving tray. If you’re adding a flatbread to your meal, throwing it in the oven now (while the oven is still hot) for 3-4 minutes to lightly toast is the way to go. Back to the potatoes - drizzle them with about 1/2 of the whipped feta, placing the remainder in a ramekin + served alongside the fries. Squeeze a one wedge of lemon over the top, piling the remainder on the edge of the serving tray. Sprinkle the fries with parsley, a small pinch of leftover crumbled feta, + smoked paprika. Finish your salads by adding a dollop of the white bean dip, sprinkling any leftover feta + parsley right on top, and nestling and flat bread right on the side.