20 Cauliflower Recipes That Will Encourage You to Eat This Popular and Versatile Vegetable All the Time

By Victoria Spencer
Updated November 02, 2020
Credit: Raymond Hom

Cauliflower steaks, cauliflower rice, and cauliflower pizza crust are all popular right now, but there are tons of other delicious ways to enjoy this hearty vegetable. From simple sides of roasted cauliflower to cheesy casseroles and everything in between, we're sharing a delicious array of cauliflower-based recipes to enjoy right now.

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Credit: Raymond Hom

Have you noticed how popular cauliflower has become? If you ask us, it's about time that this favorite cruciferous vegetable is finally getting its due. Join us as we celebrate the cauliflower renaissance. Cauliflower is delicious roasted, steamed, or even raw, but it's also stellar in soups, salads, or riced . And it's not just delicious—it's healthy, too. Cauliflower is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, potassium, and folate. Vegans and vegetarians love the meaty nature of this hearty vegetable, so if you haven't already tried a caulilflower steak, you should! It takes center stage at any meal, and we promise that you don't miss the meat. Basically, it's the vegetable for our time. Truly it was only a matter of time before the vegetable had its chance to shine beyond its former supporting side dish status.

Maybe you grew up with that classic pairing of cauliflower and cheese? So did we, and though we still enjoy that comfort food casserole or gratin today, our love and appreciation of the humble cauliflower has grown. Now we embrace it in a savory custard, a noodle casserole, and Potato, Cauliflower, and Cheddar Bake. We love cauliflower baked as much as we love it mashed.

Though you can find cauliflower in the grocery store year round, it's true season begins in October and extends through April, giving you plenty of time to explore its many possibilities. When shopping for cauliflower, whether white, orange, or purple, look for unblemished heads with tight florets and fresh-looking leaves. At home, you'll want to store cauliflower heads wrapped in plastic or a reusable produce bag for three to five days. We doubt the vegetable will hang around that long, though—there are so many tempting ways to enjoy it. Need more proof? Browse our best cauliflower recipes in the slides ahead. We're certain they'll inspire a new dinner idea.

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Charred Cauliflower with Clementines and Olives

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Beautiful and delicious, this dish has it all. Cutting cauliflower into steak-like cross-sections before roasting makes the vegetable feel more substantial. It's topped with Kalamata olives, clementines, fresh parsley, and a white-wine vinaigrette for a delectable Mediterranean-style side dish.

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Baked Pasta with Cauliflower and Swiss Chard

Credit: Julia Gartland
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The humble cauliflower will always make comfort food more cozy. Here, it stars along with Swiss chard and Gruyère cheese in a comforting, meatless baked pasta.

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Sweet-Potato-and-Cauliflower Mash

Credit: Louise Hagger
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Better than mashed potatoes? Definitely a winner for color and nutrition, this mash is amped up with milk, butter, and a touch of nutmeg and cayenne. 

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Wild Salmon with Edamame-Cauliflower Rice

Credit: Kate Mathis
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Turning cauliflower into rice is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your meal. Cooking it in the oven means it comes out crispy. Make it really healthy by adding edamame and serving with heart-healthy wild salmon. And the clincher: This winner meal is made on just one sheet pan.

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Cauliflower-and-Chickpea Pitas with Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Credit: Chris Simpson
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If you hadn't considered using cauliflower as a sandwich filling, this recipe will inspire you! Cauliflower and chickpeas are roasted and spiced for this plant-based entrée  that's inspired by the falafel and there's a bright, zippy lime-jalapeño yogurt sauce drizzled on top 

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Cauliflower-and-Mushroom Roast

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Our deconstructed take on a grilled cheese sandwich uses roasted cauliflower steaks as a base and crunchy toasted bread as a garnish. Umami-rich mushrooms and nutty Gruyère turn them into a satisfying vegetarian dinner.

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Tuna-Noodle Casserole with Cauliflower

Credit: Linda Pugliese
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And you thought tuna-noodle casserole couldn't get any better. The classic returns with cauliflower snuggled among the pasta.

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Cauliflower Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

Credit: Bobbi Lin
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We love the combination of raw cauliflower, cooked crisp-tender green beans, and crunchy roasted chickpeas in this salad. Fresh parsley and dried currants complete the dish.

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Cauliflower Crust Pizza Margherita

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Homemade pizza? Yes, please! If you haven't made a pizza using cauliflower as the crust, today is the day! Margherita is the classic topping but feel free to swap it for anything you like.

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Steamed Cauliflower with Walnut Vinaigrette

Credit: Sidney Bensimon
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Crisp-tender cauliflower is topped with a sensational dressing made from walnuts roasted with garlic and Parmesan, capers, parsley, and red-wine vinegar.

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Cauliflower Steaks with Romesco Sauce

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will appreciate the appeal of this hearty knife-and-fork dish. It's made by cutting a head of cauliflower, trimmed stem and all, vertically into thick slabs, then roasting it until it's crisp and browned on the outside but still tender inside. Serve each "steak" with romesco sauce or try tapenade, chimichurri, or salsa verde.

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Bucatini with Cauliflower, Capers, and Lemon

Credit: James Ransom
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Try this novel technique for a fast vegetarian meal: finely chopped cauliflower is broiled atop the pasta. Yes, it's a one-pan dinner!

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Baked Cauliflower Custards

Credit: Chris Court
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Why does a dish always seem fancier when made in individual portions? Here we have roasted cauliflower with dairy upon dairy upon deliciousness (plenty of butter and milk plus Gruyère and Parmesan).

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Roasted Chicken with Cauliflower "Tabbouleh"

Credit: Lennart Weibull
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This creative winter salad calls for cauliflower to be grated and tossed with lemon, oil, and herbs. It's a radical and delicious take on the classic bulgur salad. Served alongside sliced roasted chicken breast over a bed of baby kale and shredded carrots, it's a standout dinner. 

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Pickled Chile Cauliflower

Credit: Christopher Testani
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Is there really nothing cauliflower can't do? We think not! Case in point: It makes an excellent pickle.

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Cauliflower-Spinach Dip

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Similar to hummus, this dip replaces nutty chickpeas with rich, buttery cauliflower and nutrient-dense spinach but keeps the tahini. The result is a dip that's—dare we say it?— even better than hummus and definitely prettier.

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Potato, Cauliflower, and Cheddar Bake

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Potatoes and cheese have been friends for years, but why not add cauliflower to the mix? Here, our favorite vegetable adds a pleasant crunch and nutty flavor to this creamy casserole.

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Creamy Cauliflower Soup

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Oh so easy and so smooth, this super simple recipe calls for cooking florets in chicken broth then blending. There's no dairy—the cauliflower magically creates a creamy texture.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Flageolets, Turnips, and Pistachios

Credit: Gentl and Hyers
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Purple cauliflower is a moody, delicious accompaniment to flageolet beans in this colorful plant-based dish that's as balanced as it is beautiful.

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Easy Cauliflower Gratin

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This casserole is simple to make and comforting to eat. Your family will enjoy it paired with any protein!

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By Victoria Spencer