recipes

37 Cauliflower Recipes We Want to Eat All the Time

Cauliflower is anything but boring, and we’ll prove it, one recipe at a time.
Two ChipotleRoasted Cauliflower Tacos on a plate served with toppings
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Gerri K Williams

When you think about cauliflower recipes, what comes to mind? Buffalo cauliflower? Mashed cauliflower? Cheesy gratin? That cauliflower pizza crust you remember trending a few years back? Low-carb cauliflower tots, a.k.a. your favorite reason to pull out the air fryer? These all sound great, but there’s so much more that you can do with this cruciferous vegetable.

First, some tips for how to buy and store cauliflower. Look for compact heads—slight discoloration or spotting is normal, but avoid any that are totally black in places—with leaves that reach partially up the vegetable. Those leaves should be crisp, not rubbery, and should snap off when bent back. Once you’ve brought it home, you can store it in the refrigerator whole or cut into florets, covered in a loose or perforated wrapping or storage bag either way. We recommend using it within a week.

As for how to cook cauliflower, scroll on to find our very best cauliflower recipes.

  • Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    3/37

    Sticky and Spicy Baked Cauliflower

    Forget the fryer. For this crispy cauliflower recipe, you’ll batter and bake large florets to give them a crackly exterior ideal for coating in sticky-sweet gochujang glaze.

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  • Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    4/37

    Cauliflower Steaks

    Because cauliflower steaks are held together by the piece of stem at the base of each head, you can really only cut two thick ones. Save the trim for cauliflower rice.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman
    5/37

    Clean-Out-the-Fridge Kimchi

    If you’ve never made kimchi, start with this recipe, which uses any end-of-the-week veggie scraps lingering in the fridge. (In other words, keep the stakes low.)

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    6/37

    All-Dressed-Up Cauliflower Rice

    Turning a head of cauliflower into a fluffy, vegetarian side dish isn’t magic; it’s about having a good relationship with your food processor.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich 
    7/37

    Cauliflower Bolognese

    Cauliflower provides the heft and mushrooms bring the flavor in this vegetarian dupe of everyone’s favorite meaty Italian sauce.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    8/37

    Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetables

    Roasted vegetables are the perfect, hands-off way to prep healthyish meals. Cook cauliflower, brussels sprouts, onions—whatever vegetables you’re craving—and suddenly, you have the building blocks for a week’s worth of dinners.

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  • Alex Lau
    11/37

    Kung Pao Cauliflower

    In this almost meat-free stir-fry—bacon brings flavor and texture but isn’t the main event—searing the cauliflower before marinating softens the vegetable so it can absorb more sauce.

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  • Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
    12/37

    Grilled Cauliflower and Broccoli With Lentils

    Take broccoli and cauliflower steaks to the grill to get them golden brown and deliciously charred before dressing them with a zingy green chutney.

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  • Alex Lau
    13/37

    Roasted Cauliflower Larb

    Cauliflower might not be a traditional ingredient in larb, but it sure makes for a delicious vegetable-forward version. (We say vegetable-forward because this recipe uses fish sauce, which is not a vegetarian ingredient.)

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    14/37

    Curry Vegetables

    Make this Caribbean-style curry, which gets its brilliant yellow hue from grated fresh turmeric, with a mix of vegetables: zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, and mushrooms.

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  • Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas
    15/37

    Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower

    Beloved New York restaurant Fat Choy closed, but it lives on through this recipe for cauliflower. Roast the cauliflower florets on high heat, then dress them with a silky tofu sauce.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou
    16/37

    Lunch Nachos With Spiced Cauliflower

    Cauliflower on nachos? Get into it. Thin slices of the vegetable soak up flavor from cumin, coriander, and paprika before getting layered with tortilla chips (and blanketed in cheddar cheese).

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova, prop styling by Allie Wist
    17/37

    Winter White Salad

    We sense a theme party coming on. Put on your winter whites for this elegant monochromatic salad. A little black pepper cracked over the top adds just enough contrast to really make it pop.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    18/37

    Roasted Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower)

    For this easy vegetarian side dish, you’ll roast cauliflower and potatoes on a single baking sheet before tossing them with a deeply spiced onion mixture.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou
    21/37

    Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

    This lunch or dinner recipe is adaptable. Swap out the raisins, almonds, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes with whatever flavorful dried fruits, nuts, and spices your heart desires (or you find in your pantry).

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  • 22/37

    Roasted Cauliflower With Capers and Parmesan

    Allow us to share a simple trick: Use (1) a high-heat oven and (2) an uncrowded baking sheet, and you will get golden-brown roast cauliflower every time.

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    31/37

    Crispy Brown Rice “Kabbouleh”

    Is it a fried rice recipe or a salad? It’s both. And your food processor will do the work of “chopping” the cauliflower and kale, saving you some time.

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  • Alex Lau
    32/37

    Herbed Cauliflower Rice

    Have a food processor with grating attachment? Let it shine with this side dish of shredded cauliflower with scallions, jalapeño, and a healthy dose of coarsely chopped cilantro.

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  • Alex Lau
    37/37

    Roasted Cauliflower

    Looking for a just-the-basics roasted cauliflower recipe? This streamlined method, which involves only cauliflower, olive oil, salt, and black pepper, will get you to caramelized perfection every time.

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