Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (2024)

Cauliflower recipes are super versatile and taste great in everything from roasted side dishes to comfort food-inspired casseroles. Whether you're looking for a vegetarian-friendly entree or an easy appetizer, these savory cauliflower recipes are great for any occasion. Some of our favorite recipes for cauliflower include cauliflower tinga tacos, sausage-spiced cauliflower steaks, cheesy gratin, and more.

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Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Florets

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (1)

When roasted with a little olive oil, cauliflower florets turn wonderfully sweet, crisp, and caramel-brown; a squeeze of lemon brightens their flavor.

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02of 30

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (2)

Mashed potatoes get an elegant upgrade with this combination of Yukon Gold potatoes and cauliflower. Cauliflower lightens the mash, emulsifies beautifully into the potatoes and keeps the mixture from turning gummy.

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03of 30

Aloo Gobi

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (3)

Our version of this curry, a favorite combination of vegetables in India, unites cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes. Fresh cilantro provides an herbal note. Serve the curry as a generous side dish or with rice for a meatless main dish.

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04of 30

Three-Cheese Cauliflower Gratin

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (4)

A powerhouse of English cheeses — Montgomery's crumbly and nutty cheddar; Ogleshield, a washed-rind Jersey cow-milk cheese; and buttery, blue-veined Colston Bassett Stilton — blankets cauliflower florets in a béchamel.

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05of 30

Charred Cauliflower Tacos with Romesco Salsa

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (5)

A smoky, mildly spicy romesco salsa seeps into the filling of charred cauliflower florets in this well-balanced vegetarian taco.

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06of 30

Cauliflower Okonomiyaki

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (6)

Tender and nutty sheets of cauliflower, held together with eggs and plenty of ginger and scallions, form the base of this savory pancake.

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07of 30

Sausage-Spiced Cauliflower Steaks

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (7)

A quick spice blend of roasted fennel seeds, black pepper, and orange zest lend a sausage-like flavor to these roasted cauliflower steaks — without the meat. Browning the cauliflower before adding the toppings and melting the cheese ensures a tender, sweet, and nutty bite. Be sure to flip the cauliflower during roasting to ensure there are plenty of caramelized florets under the marinara and melty cheese.

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Slow-Grilled Cauliflower with Tahina and Zhough

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (8)

Serve this dish as a hearty main course or as a side with herbal zhough and bright tahina sauces, garnished with sumac onions and herbs.

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Cauliflower Tinga Tacos

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (9)

Cauliflower works best in this saucy dish. It takes on the flavor of the spiced tomato sauce while maintaining its delicious bite. If you want a smokier, spicier sauce, you can add a canned chipotle in adobo sauce to the mix.

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10of 30

Miznon's Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (10)

In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best: The cauliflower served at Miznon in New York City calls for the best quality ingredients, each essential for creating the dish. Here's how to prepare fresh cauliflower with tight, closed florets surrounded by a crown of crisp leaves.

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11of 30

Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (11)

For Aida Mollenkamp, spiced Moroccan tagines are a dinner-party staple because they can be made in advance. "In case something impromptu happens," she says, "you're not stressed about the main dish." And tagines are incredibly versatile. This version is vegetarian, but lamb or chicken could be added.

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12of 30

Korean-Style Fried Cauliflower

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (12)

This ultra-crispy cauliflower, aka KFC, is a signature dish at Hong Kong’s Yardbird. After being battered and fried, the cauliflower florets are tossed with a sweet and fiery sauce made with gochujang, the pepper paste that is a staple of Korean cooking.

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Bucatini with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (13)

Marc Vetri sautés cauliflower and brussels sprouts with onion, garlic, anchovies, and herbs until they're charred and flavorful, then tosses them with long, thick strands of bucatini. The best part: the crispy bread crumb topping.

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14of 30

Cauliflower Casserole with Cheddar

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (14)

This dump-and-stir casserole recipe could not be easier. Fresh thyme and smoked paprika give the cauliflower great flavor, without having to add loads of heavy cream and butter.

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15of 30

Sweet Cauliflower-and-Carrot Pickles

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (15)

"These came from an overzealous trip to the farmers' market," says chef Naomi Pomeroy. "When I see something beautiful like purple cauliflower, I can't resist." She marinates the vegetables in a mixture that includes sugar and Cointreau, and sometimes honey, too. The sweet pickles can be served as a snack, in salads, or on a charcuterie plate.

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16of 30

Panfried Cauliflower

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (16)

Chef David Tanis ensures sweet and nutty cauliflower with gorgeous and delicious browning by pan-frying it. He writes, "To get sweet caramelized cauliflower, pan-fried is the way to go. Some cooks make this dish with grated cauliflower, but I prefer to make irregular thin slices, which brown beautifully. Make it as spicy as you wish."

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17of 30

Jerk-Spiced Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower and Chickpeas

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (17)

Jonathon Sawyer makes a fantastic jerk spice blend to sprinkle on a mix of chickpeas, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts after they've been roasted. You'll have some left over, and the blend is great on shrimp and chicken.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Green Olives and Pine Nuts

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (18)

Roasting cauliflower caramelizes the florets, making them supersweet. Tossed with crunchy pine nuts and salty olives and capers, this dish is perfect with roasted chicken or steamed fish.

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Quinoa and Cauliflower Salad with Popped Sorghum

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (19)

Sorghum, a type of grass, has seeds that can be popped like popcorn. Chef Daniel Patterson tops his nutty, crunchy quinoa salad with popped sorghum, which gives it a buttery flavor.

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Cauliflower Fried Rice with Sausage

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (20)

Throw away your takeout menus, tonight we are making fried rice with a twist. Spiced with chile, ginger, and garlic, cauliflower and sausage pair beautifully in this rice dish.

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21of 30

Curried Cauliflower and Green Bean Salad with Lemon Yogurt

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (21)

Here, Mark Peel flavors roasted cauliflower and green beans with a mild curry powder.

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22of 30

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (22)

The late Armenian cookbook author Arto der Haroutunian, who taught Paula Wolfert this dish, caramelized cauliflower on the stove before baking it with eastern Mediterranean flavorings: chopped tomatoes, plumped raisins and Marash red pepper flakes. You can use any cazuela or flameware pot, but Wolfert likes the unglazed black La Chamba roasting pan from Colombia, which she says imparts sweetness to the dish.

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Baked Shells with Cauliflower and Taleggio

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (23)

High-quality pasta makes a big difference in this decadent dish: The shells retain their beautiful texture instead of turning mushy as they bake.

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Potato-and-Roasted-Cauliflower Salad

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (24)

Cauliflower florets are a sly substitute for half of the baby potatoes in this creamy salad. The white-on-white combo gets a zingy lift from briny capers, mustard, and freshly grated horseradish.

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Cauliflower Korma with Blackened Raisins

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (25)

Meera Sodha, author of Fresh India, adds ground almonds to her version of this yogurt-based curry, then folds in nutty roasted cauliflower. Toasting the almonds and the raisin garnish adds a striking smokiness and texture to the finished dish.

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Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa with Candied Walnuts

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (26)

This simple and elegant dish makes an easy dinner party side, and caramelizing the walnuts only adds 5 minutes.

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27of 30

Cauliflower Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (27)

This luscious, creamy cauliflower soup from star chef Anne Burrell gets a delicious topping of crispy roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts.

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Dijon-Roasted Cauliflower

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (28)

A few tablespoons of Dijon is what makes this recipe sing.This mustard hugs the cauliflower as it's roasted, creating a bold yet pleasant taste. Use this roasted cauliflower to garnish chef Steven Satterfield's Silky Cauliflower Soup.

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Roasted-Cauliflower-and-Sesame Spread

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (29)

Jerry Traunfeld toasts and grinds whole coriander seeds before pureeing them with roasted cauliflower, tahini paste, lemon and cilantro. At home, use ground coriander from a bottle to season this bright, tangy recipe.

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Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego and Almond Sauce

Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (30)

This outrageously rich sauce, flavored with salty, nutty Manchego, gets poured on sautéed cauliflower and baked until it's golden and bubbling.

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Our 30 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Is it okay to eat cauliflower every day? ›

The fact that it's a vegetable makes cauliflower automatically good for you. Additionally, cauliflower is packed with nutrients that give it unique benefits, such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and choline. These properties give you a good reason to eat it frequently or even daily.

Is cauliflower a carb or protein? ›

In 1 cup of chopped cauliflower, you'll get 5.3 g of total carbs, 3.2 g of net carbs, 0.3 g of fat, and 2.1 g of protein, per the USDA. Not to mention, you get 320 mg of potassium, making this vegetable a good source of the nutrient.

How long does cauliflower last in the fridge? ›

Moisture can lead to discoloration or decay of the cauliflower. You should also skip washing your cauliflower before storing it, but you should wash it once you're ready to use it. When properly stored, cauliflower can last up to three to five days in the fridge.

What will adding lemon juice to the water for cooking cauliflower do? ›

Helps retain color: Cauliflower can sometimes turn brown or lose its vibrant white color when cooked. However, the acid in lemon juice can help prevent discoloration and maintain the cauliflower's white appearance.

Is cauliflower better than broccoli? ›

On the nutrient front, broccoli is slightly healthier, although cauliflower contains more folate and potassium. Both should be consumed regularly as they contain a slightly different balance of nutrients, antioxidants and phytonutrients and are extremely healthy options.

Is cauliflower good for weight loss? ›

May aid weight loss

As a good source of fiber, cauliflower slows digestion and promotes feelings of fullness. This may help reduce the number of calories you eat throughout the day, an important factor in weight control ( 2 , 9 ). High water content is another weight loss-friendly aspect of cauliflower.

Is cauliflower more nutritious than potatoes? ›

Nutritionally, cauliflower is lighter in calories and carbs than potatoes and is more nutrient-dense. That's why it's popular among the low carb and weight loss communities.

Is the black stuff on cauliflower mold? ›

But recently, I found out those spots aren't mold at all. They're the result of oxidation. “The spots that you see on cauliflower are typically areas where the vegetable has started to age and oxidize, which can occur due to exposure to air and light,” explained Norah Clark, a chef and registered dietitian.

Can dogs have cauliflower? ›

Yes, dogs can eat cauliflower in moderation, either raw or cooked. Cauliflower is a source of dietary fiber, vitamin K, and vitamin C for dogs. Some dogs may dislike the slightly bitter taste of cauliflower. Avoid cauliflower with seasonings or oils, as they can cause upset stomach.

Can I freeze cauliflower? ›

Freezing cauliflower is a great way to avoid waste. It will also make the cooking time quicker when you come to cook it from frozen. Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value deteriorates, so make sure you blanch it to preserve these elements.

Does cauliflower soak up liquid? ›

Cauliflower absorbs water like crazy, and the "granules" will become gummy. To keep it fluffy, just let the moisture in the cauliflower do its work.

Does cauliflower absorb marinade? ›

The vegetables actually absorb some of the marinade, helping to season them from the inside out. All you have to do is toss your vegetables in your favorite marinade and let them sit. That's it.

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