Ever wondered what to do with cauliflower? This staple vegetable is anything but boring—it’s so versatile and flavorful!

Whether you’re new to cauliflower or you’re looking for new ways to cook it, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Here are 3 delicious things you can do with it.

1. Roast it

   This is the easiest way to get incredibly tasty cauliflower. Use it as a side, a snack, with rice, in stews, tacos, quinoa, or in a salad. The possibilities are endless!

   1. Start by removing the heart of the cauliflower and cutting it into florets. The size of the florets depends on what kind of dish you want to make and of course, how much time you have. The smaller the florets, the quicker they’ll roast.

   2. Preheat your oven to 400°F / 200°C. Toss the florets in olive oil, salt, and pepper and lay them out on a lined baking sheet. For medium-sized florets, roast them for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

   3. Eat as is or toss them in a sauce or dressing. Here, we’ve made a Thai herb sauce made with cilantro, basil, kale, garlic, shallots, jalapeño, and coconut oil.

2. Pan-sear it

   Another great option is to pan-sear it.

   1. For this method, you’re going to cut large cross-sections of the cauliflower being careful to keep most of the stem on so that it remains intact and doesn’t fall apart.

   2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Season the water with a good amount of salt and carefully place your cauliflower “steaks” in. Cook them for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted into their stems easily.

   3. Drain the cauliflower and place on a plate with a paper towel underneath to soak up any excess water. Next, we’re going to pan-sear. Use heat a cast iron pan on medium heat if you have one, if not, use a regular large pan. Add some coconut oil to the pan and spread it out evenly. Place cauliflower “steaks“ into the pan and sear until golden on the bottom. Carefully flip with a spatula and sear on the other side.

   4. To serve, we made an Asian-inspired vinaigrette made with fermented bean paste, garlic, ginger, lime, and tamari. You can have pan-seared cauliflower with grains, beans or pulses, or with a side salad.

3. Purée it

   Finally, you can always make cauliflower purée. this is expecially great if you have uneven cauliflower pieces or scraps. Cauliflower lends itself so well to blending. When it emulsifies with oil it becomes super creamy and buttery.

   1. To make cauliflower purée, chop cauliflower into thin 1/2” slices. You don’t have to be too careful with your cuts and you can use the whole stem, since it’s all going to be blended anyway.

   2. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil, then lowe to a simmer. Season the water with a good amount of salt and add cauliflower pieces. Add 1/8 of an onion, 1 bay leaf, and 2 peeled cloves of garlic to the water. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

   3. Discard the bay leaf and strain everything using a sieve. Press the cauliflower into the sieve to make sure you get as much of the water out as possible. Transfer to a high-speed blender, including the onion and garlic. Add about 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and blend on high for about 2 minutes or until completely smooth, making sure to scrape the sides of the blender to incorporate everything. Use a more neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed or avocado oil instead if you don’t want your puree to taste like olive oil.

   4. You can use this purée as a base for sauces, to make vegan sour cream, plant-based cheesy sauce, or even as a creamy base for soup (omitting the oil and adding water if necessary).

 

 

Which one’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments box below!