In this Ultimate Guide to Cauliflower Recipes, you will find hundreds of cauliflower recipes, plus tips and facts about your favorite coniferous vegetable.
A person can never have too many cauliflower recipes at their disposal. There's been a massive surge in cauliflower recipes in the past few years, with chefs creating everything from breakfast cauliflower recipes to dessert cauliflower recipes, and just about everything in between.
Cauliflower is quite the actor, being able to turn itself into creamy sauces, pizza dough and a near dead ringer for rice. Its powers of transformation are pretty awesome.
In this Ultimate Guide to Cauliflower Recipes, you'll find tons of recipes as well as information about how to buy and store cauliflower, why it's so healthy, why it turns brown and how to prevent that.
Make sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to find some fun facts about cauliflower!
How to Buy and Store Cauliflower
When buying cauliflower look for white or pale beige heads that are free of any grey discoloration. The leaves should be tightly packed and not show any signs of yellowing.
Once you're home, make sure to put your cauliflower in the fridge right away. Warm temperatures will cause it to brown quickly. Store cauliflower in a perforated plastic bag (often the bag it came in) and make sure it is stem side down.
Why Does Cauliflower Turn Brown?
It's frustrating, to say the least when you bring home a big, beautiful, white head of cauliflower only to find little brown spots appearing all over it the next day. Frustrating? Yes. Dangerous? No.
The brown spots are places where the cauliflower has started to oxidize. These brown spots are safe to eat, but most people (including me!) like to remove them first. The easiest way to do this is by using a Microplane to shave off the color.
Note: if the area under the brown spot is soft and mushy that should be cut away. If you see black spots, it's time to toss the cauliflower.
When is Cauliflower Season?
Cauliflower can be grown year round, but it is best during the winter and spring. Have you ever had a bitter cauliflower? It was likely grown in the summer. Heat and sunshine bring out bitter flavors in cauliflower, whereas the chilly weather turns cauliflower sweeter.
If you're thinking of planting a few in your garden this year, make sure you have lots of room. Each head will take up at least 3ft of space!
Is Cauliflower Healthy?
Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, just 1 cup of cauliflower contains nearly the same amount of vitamin C as an orange, which is half the recommended daily intake for women. It is also full of vitamin K (a strong anti-inflammatory), folate and B6.
Cauliflower is also very low in calories; there are only 25 calories in 1 full cup!
Studies have shown that glucosinolates, the compound in cauliflower that makes it smell of sulfur, may help prevent cancer. While it is not fully understood, one theory is that glucosinolates promote detoxification and help your body to remove carcinogens.
Fun Cauliflower Facts
The name ‘cauliflower' means ‘cabbage flower'. The part we eat is really just an underdeveloped flower.
China produces more cauliflower than anywhere else in the world.
Cauliflower was originally grown in Asia, around the Mediterranean Sea in the 1500s. It wasn't until the 1900s that it was finally brought to North America.
Cauliflower Salad with creamy avocado pesto, sweet cherry tomatoes, and spicy arugula is about to become your go-to recipe to bring to a picnic or serve on the deck with dinner. The flavors are bright and fresh and so delicious!
This cauliflower hummus is creamy, flavorful, and completely chickpea-free! It's easy to make, easy to digest, and tastes delicious as a dip or spread. With simple kitchen ingredients, it's ready in just 30 minutes!
This insanely creamy Spinach Lemon Cauliflower Rice Risotto is all things delicious. It's made with sauteed cauliflower and a healthy cauliflower cream sauce (dairy-free or regular, your choice!) and has lots of fresh lemon flavor. Top with some spicy garlic prawns for a simple to make dinner everyone will love!
Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice is INSANELY delicious. It's an easy to make and low carb option for when you're craving Chinese takeout. Made with cauliflower, eggs, your favorite veggies, garlic, ginger, cashews, and sesame seeds. Yum!
Bacon and cashews are blended right into this Paleo Cauliflower Soup recipe which makes it super creamy and delicious. It's a low-carb and Whole30 soup recipe that everyone will love!
This insanely delicious Irish Cheddar Cauliflower is first tossed in spices and roasted in the oven. Then it's topped with Irish cheddar and popped back in the oven until it melts. It's like cauliflower with cheese sauce only a thousand times better.
Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower = the BEST cauliflower recipe ever! The DIY tandoori paste is made with yogurt and staple pantry spices and is so flavorful. Serve the delicious cauliflower with an easy to make tahini cilantro sauce for a healthy and crazy delicious side dish recipe.
Want an easy to make dinner tonight and delicious leftovers for lunch all week? This healthy and delicious Curried Chicken Cauliflower Rice Soup recipe has your name on it. It's super simple to make and so flavorful. It's also paleo + Whole30 compliant. Dig in!
Brown butter mashed cauliflower is a tasty alternative to mashed potatoes. It's roasted cauliflower puréed with garlic and thyme-infused brown butter. It's perfect for holiday dinners, simple to make, and ready in just 40 minutes!
This stunning whole roasted cauliflower is coated in an Asian-inspired mix of miso paste, sesame oil, ginger, and chili garlic sauce and then roasted until it's dark and delicious. It's a delicious and hearty vegetarian main or side that's surprisingly easy to make. Ready in just 55 minutes!
This golden turmeric cauliflower is a healthy and versatile side dish. Bite-sized cauliflower florets are seasoned with turmeric, ginger, and a little chili, then topped with a squeeze of lemon. It's super easy to make, and it's ready in 45 minutes!
This bang bang cauliflower is spicy, sweet, and incredibly easy to make. It's bite-sized pieces of cauliflower breaded and baked until golden and then tossed in a homemade bang bang sauce. It's a delicious vegetarian appetizer, snack, or side dish, and it's ready in just 40 minutes!
This baked General Tso’s Cauliflower is every bit as delicious as the fried version. It’s quick and easy to make and is a super delicious vegan + paleo meal.
This blackened cauliflower is one of the best side dishes imaginable. The cauliflower is first roasted until golden and then topped with crispy herb and garlic panko and sweet, plump raisins.
Najib's Special Lebanese Cauliflower is EXACTLY like the famous cauliflower from Nuba restaurant in Vancouver. It's lemony, crazy delicious, and served with a simple tahini sauce. It is totally irresistible!
These cauliflower bites with curry mayo are the perfect laid-back party appetizer. Bite-sized pieces of cauliflower are dusted in curry spices then roasted until golden, and served with a curry mayo dip. It's an easy cauliflower appetizer, and it's ready in just 40 minutes!
You’re killing it with these veggie round-ups! Again, thank you for including my “rice” recipe and for putting together such a yummy perfect post! XOXOXOXO
Wow! This is a huge list of cauliflower recipes. I love how they are organized, Must try some since I love cauliflower so much.
Thank you so much! Cauliflower is the best, isn’t it?!!
Speaking of an ode to cauliflower…you already wrote one! Wonderful!!
Ha ha I guess I kind of have! Well if you ever write an official one I’ll still definitely buy it! 🙂
I love cauliflower, especially roasted mmm. There are so many delicious recipes there I don’t know where to start!
Roasted cauliflower is my fav too!
WOW!!! This is such an amazing post. Pinned and bookmarked!! This is going to be a lifesaver over winter.
You just put the biggest smile on my face, Lucy! Thank you so much!!
Love this round-up! I’ve never seen so many recipes for cauliflower in one place. Thanks for including my recipe!
Thank you so much for featuring my recipe!!
Thanks for sharing my cauliflower recipe! Excited to make all the other ones… they all look so good! Happy Saturday!
This is a great article about cauliflower! And a great compilation too! Thanks a bunch for this article and for giving my blog a place here! 🙂
WOW, I have never seen such a comprehensive list of cauliflower recipes! Thanks for including me in your round up!!
No problem at all! That cauliflower recipe of yours with the almond sauce has been on constant rotation around here since I first made it. 🙂
Just wanted to drop by and say a quick ‘thank you’ for including my Cauliflower Tacos in your round up! 🙂
You are so welcome! They look amazing!!
You’re killing it with these veggie round-ups! Again, thank you for including my “rice” recipe and for putting together such a yummy perfect post! XOXOXOXO
It’s kind of ridiculous how much I enjoy veggies. I think I have a problem lol! You’re rice recipe looks so delicious! 🙂