6 Cauliflower Recipes That Give This Humble Vegetable a Glow-Up
Cauliflower has spent the last decade working several jobs it never applied for. We've turned it into rice, pizza crust, mashed “potatoes,” and even steak. Somewhere along the line, we may have forgotten that this vegetable is pretty delicious when we simply let it be itself.
These cauliflower recipes aren't interested in disguising it. Instead, we're roasting it until the edges get crispy, tossing it into curries, covering it with Parmesan, and giving it plenty of herbs, spices, and sauces.
Here are half a dozen easy cauliflower recipes that put this veggie back in a starring role.
1. Crispy Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
We'll start with the recipe that may convert anyone who still thinks cauliflower is destined to be steamed into submission. High heat gives the florets crispy brown edges, while Parmesan adds a salty finish.
It's simple enough for Tuesday night dinner, but good enough to keep stealing directly from the baking sheet.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Spread the florets in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until browned and crispy around the edges.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Among all the roasted cauliflower recipes we should keep in our back pocket, this is the most dependable one. Don't expect leftovers.
2. Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Buffalo sauce doesn't particularly care if chicken is involved. These spicy roasted florets deliver plenty of heat and crunch without requiring a deep fryer.
You can also serve them with ranch or blue cheese dressing, and plenty of celery.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup Buffalo sauce
1 tablespoon melted butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, milk, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
Toss the cauliflower in the batter until lightly coated.
Arrange the florets on the baking sheet without crowding them.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Stir together the Buffalo sauce and melted butter.
Toss the cauliflower with the sauce and return it to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Put these down during game night and watch how quickly everyone stops asking where the wings are.
3. Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Pasta
Cauliflower and pasta make surprisingly good dinner companions, particularly when lemon and Parmesan join the party.
The cauliflower gets deeply browned first, so it brings more flavor than we'd ever get from simply boiling it alongside the noodles.
Ingredients
12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ cup grated Parmesan
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
Directions
Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving ½ cup pasta water before draining.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.
Add the cauliflower and cook until browned and tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the remaining olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Cook for another minute.
Add the pasta, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Toss everything together, adding the reserved pasta water as needed.
Finish with parsley.
Of all our cauliflower dinner ideas, this pasta proves cauliflower doesn't need to replace anything. Sometimes it simply needs an invitation.
4. Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin
We promised not to pretend cauliflower was something else. We didn't promise not to cover it in cheese.
In this recipe, you can bake some tender cauliflower beneath a creamy cheddar sauce and crisp breadcrumb topping for a side dish that will hold its own next to any dinner.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Steam the cauliflower for 5 to 7 minutes until just tender.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour.
Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Place the cauliflower in a baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over it.
Mix the breadcrumbs with Parmesan and scatter them over the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Is this our lightest cauliflower recipe? Absolutely not. Is it our best? We think so.
5. Smoky Cauliflower Tacos With Avocado Crema
Cauliflower handles taco seasoning really well because all those little edges catch the spices and crisp up in the oven.
Avocado crema cools everything down, while the cabbage adds the crunch.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
8 small corn tortillas
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 avocado
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until browned.
Blend the avocado, Greek yogurt, and half the lime juice until smooth.
Warm the tortillas.
Fill each tortilla with roasted cauliflower and cabbage.
Drizzle with avocado crema.
Finish with cilantro and the remaining lime juice.
Perhaps your next Taco Tuesday will have a new favorite.
6. Garlic Butter Cauliflower Steaks
We'll finish with another cauliflower transformation worth keeping.
Cutting a whole head into thick slabs will give you plenty of surface area for browning, while the garlic butter will seep into all those little crevices.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower while keeping the core intact.
Slice the cauliflower vertically into ¾-inch-thick steaks.
Arrange the steaks on a baking sheet.
Mix the olive oil, butter, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Brush the mixture generously over both sides of each steak.
Roast for 15 minutes, carefully flip, and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Finish with parsley and fresh lemon.
No, we're not going to tell you cauliflower tastes exactly like steak.
It's cauliflower. But, at this point, we think it's earned the right to be proud of that.
Let Cauliflower Be Cauliflower
Cauliflower doesn't need to impersonate rice, potatoes, or pizza crust to earn a regular spot in our kitchens.
Roast it until it's crispy, toss it with pasta, pile it into tacos, or cover it in cheese. There are plenty of ways to make this humble vegetable interesting without pretending it's something else.
With these healthy cauliflower recipes, your new favorite vegetable will finally get to keep its name on the menu.
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