Our 24 Favorite Cauliflower Recipes

Cauliflower Steak and Eggs with Sauteed Greens
Photo: © The Complete Gut Health Cookbook by Pete Evans and Helen Padarin (Weldon Owen, 2017)

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.

01 of 24

Cauliflower Casserole with Cheddar

Cauliflower Casserole with Cheddar
© Phoebe Lapine

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.

02 of 24

Panfried Cauliflower

Indian Panfried Cauliflower
Evan Sung

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."

03 of 24

Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego and Almond Sauce

Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego and Almond Sauce
© LISA LINDER

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

04 of 24

Sausage-Spiced Cauliflower Steaks

Sausage Spiced Cauliflower Steaks
Caitlin Bensel

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.

05 of 24

Roasted Cauliflower with Green Olives and Pine Nuts

Roasted Cauliflower
© Fredrika Stjärne

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.

06 of 24

Cauliflower Tinga Tacos

Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
Abby Hocking

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.

07 of 24

Quinoa and Cauliflower Salad with Popped Sorghum

Quinoa and Cauliflower Salad with Popped Sorghum
© Chris Court

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.

08 of 24

Roasted-Cauliflower-and-Sesame Spread

Roasted-Cauliflower-and-Sesame Spread
© Joseph de Leo

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.

09 of 24

Curried Cauliflower and Green Bean Salad with Lemon Yogurt

Curried Cauliflower and Green Bean Salad with Lemon Yogurt
© Stephanie Foley

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

10 of 24

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins
© Kana Okada

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.

11 of 24

Baked Shells with Cauliflower and Taleggio

Baked Shells with Cauliflower and Taleggio
© Christina Holmes

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

12 of 24

Bucatini with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts

Bucatini with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts
© John Kernick

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.

13 of 24

Cauliflower Fried Rice with Sausage

Cauliflower Fried Rice with Sausage
© The Complete Gut Health Cookbook by Pete Evans and Helen Padarin (Weldon Owen, 2017)

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.

14 of 24

Jerk-Spiced Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower and Chickpeas

Jerk-Spiced Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower and Chickpeas
© John Kernick

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.

15 of 24

Sweet Cauliflower-and-Carrot Pickles

Sweet Cauliflower-and-Carrot Pickles

"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.

16 of 24

Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt

Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt
© Jessica Sample

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.

17 of 24

Slow-Grilled Cauliflower with Tahina and Zhough

Slow Grilled Cauliflower with Tahina and Zhough
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

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.

18 of 24

Three-Cheese Cauliflower Gratin

Three Cheese Cauliflower Gratin
Victor Protasio

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.

19 of 24

Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry

Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry

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.

20 of 24

Potato-and-Roasted-Cauliflower Salad

Potato-and-Roasted-Cauliflower Salad
© Chris Court

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.

21 of 24

Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa with Candied Walnuts

Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa with Candied Walnuts
© Kristen Stevens

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

22 of 24

Cauliflower Korma with Blackened Raisins

Cauliflower Korma with Blackened Raisins
Eric Wolfinger

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.

23 of 24

Dijon-Roasted Cauliflower

Dijon-Roasted Cauliflower
© John Kernick

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.

24 of 24

Silky Cauliflower Soup

Silky Cauliflower Soup
© John Kernick

This ideal meal during a cold winter night is guaranteed to warm your soul. The silky soup can be refrigerated for up to two days.

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