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Home Meal Prep Meal Prep Lunch
5
/5
1 hour

Cauliflower Cashew Lunch Bowls

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Vegetarian Vegetarian Meal Prep Meal Prep
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard84 Comments
Posted: 3/25/20 Updated: 10/25/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Make these cauliflower cashew lunch bowls ahead of time and have work lunches ready for the week! Roasted cauliflower, toasted cashews, barley and chickpeas are all tossed in a delicious honey-ginger vinaigrette!

I love a hearty, healthy vegetarian lunch that can be enjoyed without reheating, like these Cold Sesame Noodle Meal Prep Bowls or Southwestern Sweet Potato and Lentil Jar Salads. Another wonderfully simple and satisfying recipe are these cauliflower lunch bowls!

overhead view of 4 Cashew Cauliflower Lunch Bowls in meal prep containers

The roasted cauliflower, pearl barley, toasted cashews, and chickpeas all have a mild, somewhat nutty taste to them, creating a harmonious bowl of earthy, irresistible flavor. These bowls are surprisingly filling and with fuel you through the afternoon!

This recipe is enough to create 4 individual meal prepped bowls, perfect for enjoying as healthy lunches throughout the week.

Reasons you’ll ♡ these cauliflower cashew bowls

  • easy to meal prep with simple, wholesome ingredients
  • vegetarian (easily made vegan!), but packed with protein
  • stores well for up to 4 days in the fridge, and only gets more flavorful the longer it sits

Recipe video

Wondering how to meal make these lunch bowls? Watch this 1 minute video to see how easy it is to prepare! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Don’t forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!

ingredients required for cauliflower cashew lunch bowls

Ingredients you'll need

  • Barley- go for pearl barley. For a gluten-free option, quinoa works great!
  • Cauliflower- 8 cups which is one small head of cauliflower. Use pre-chopped cauliflower as a short cut!
  • Chickpeas- one canned drained & rinsed, or make your own for extra flavor using this Instant Pot Chickpeas recipe!
  • Cashews- I used roasted + salted cashews for extra flavor.
  • Honey Ginger Vinaigrette- a super simple dressing made with olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, grated ginger

cauliflower salad ingredients in a large bowl

Meal prep tips

An entire batch of these lunch bowls are easily made with just a few steps and my simple tips:

  • Multi-task - Get the barley cooking first, then roast your cauliflower, and mix up the vinaigrette while everything cooks.
  • Cashews - You've been warned: cashews will soften if stored in the fridge, so if you really want that crunch factor, add them just before serving.
  • Heating - I love to eat as a cold salad, but cauliflower cashews bowls can definitely be enjoyed hot, too! Ben likes to heat his up in a frying pan and add a fried egg on top for an extra boost of protein.
  • Storage - These bowls keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing.

Find my favorite kitchen tools and meal prep containers in my shop!

salad ingredients tossed up in bowl

Can I swap the chickpeas for another vegetarian protein?

Absolutely. Cooked brown lentils would also work well. Let me know in the comments if you try this or another legume option!

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Barley is not gluten-free. Swap for quinoa for a yummy gf option with a similar texture.

Can I make these vegan?

Yes! Simply substitute maple syrup in place of the honey, and you're good to go.

cauliflower cashew meal prep bowls portioned out in meal prep containers

More vegetarian lunch ideas:

  • Chickpea, Barley, Butternut Squash Jar Salads
  • Kale Barley Salad with Feta and Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Enchilada Sweet Potato Noodles Skillet
  • Farro Arugula Salad
  • Instant Pot Fiesta Rice Bowls

Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2015. It has been republished with fresh photos, tips and a new video in 2020.

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

cauliflower cashew meal prep

Cauliflower Cashew Lunch Bowls

5 from 23 votes
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Print Rate
Make these cauliflower cashew lunch bowls ahead of time and have work lunches ready for the week! Roasted cauliflower, toasted cashews, barley and chickpeas are all tossed in a delicious honey-ginger vinaigrette!
4

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon dijon
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger using the fine part of the box grater

Salad

  • ⅔ cup uncooked pearl barley (makes about 2 cups cooked)
  • 1 head cauliflower chopped into bite-sized pieces (8-10 cups)
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • ½ cup cashews
  • 15 oz chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

Instructions 

  • Cook pearl barley according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
  • Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
  • Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Spread cauliflower on a large baking sheet.
  • Roast cauliflower, turning occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, until soft and golden in places.
  • Shake together all vinaigrette ingredients.
  • Toss all salad ingredients together, divide into 4 sealable lunch containers, and store refrigerated until you're ready to eat.

Storage

  • Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Serve cold or warm up if you'd prefer.

Tips:

I recommend rinsing your barley several times before cooking it to get rid of excess starch.
To keep cashews crunchy, keep them separate until the day of serving.
Lunch bowls may be stored, sealed in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 442kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 438mg, Fiber: 21g, Sugar: 18g
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

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Recipe Rating




  1. Amy Larkins says

    Posted on 7/8/22 at Posted on 7/8/22

    5 stars
    This was very nice quick and easy thank you, my first forray into meal prepping. It lasted surprisingly well the 4 days.

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 7/11/22 at Posted on 7/11/22

      Way to go, Amy! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed.

      Reply
  2. Jessica Palmeri says

    Posted on 4/23/22 at Posted on 4/23/22

    5 stars
    Couldn’t find barley so substituted farro and it was amazing!!

    Reply
    • Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 5/3/22 at Posted on 5/3/22

      Hi Jessica, We are glad to hear you found a sub that worked for you. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
  3. Isabelle says

    Posted on 12/18/21 at Posted on 12/18/21

    5 stars
    Hey I’ve made this for this weeks meal prep , I haven’t tried it yet but it looks amazing haha. I’m wondering how I should store the dressing? I’ve made a double batch. Fridge or counter ?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 1/3/22 at Posted on 1/3/22

      Hi Isabelle, we hope you enjoy it! Vinaigrettes are best stored in the fridge. As the vinaigrette sits, the oil and vinegar will separate over time. Let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then shake it up well before serving. Cheers!

      Reply
  4. Ann says

    Posted on 9/21/21 at Posted on 9/21/21

    It says toasted cashews but the toasting part isn't in the recipe?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 9/22/21 at Posted on 9/22/21

      Hi Ann, sorry for the confusion. To specify, Denise uses roasted + salted cashews for extra flavor for this recipe. You can purchase them already roasted or "toasted" rather than raw. I hope that helps!

      Reply
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Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

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