20 ways to use cauliflower

Growing up cauliflower was the vegetable everyone ignored on the vegetable platter. Well, no more!

You’ll find that there’s little cauliflower can’t do without the help of a few eggs and lots of cheese. It’s easily roasted or transformed into pizza crust. Heck, you can even turn it into vegan buttercream!

So get inspired by 20 ways to use cauliflower, because cauliflower was always destined for more than ranch dressing anyways.

Roasted

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower via Primavera Kitchen

Such a classic and for a reason, it’s easy! It’s great with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper or with a sprinkling of grated parmesan and tons of garlic.

Fried rice

Fried cauliflower rice with a fried egg via A Little Gathering

This is one of my favorite recipes! Replace rice with finely grated cauliflower for low-carb fried rice. Adding an egg makes it a meal.

Mashed

Mashed cauliflower with garlic and herbs via Downshiftology

Trust me, this one is worth buying a potato masher for. Add your favorite seasonings, like garlic and herbs or a few squeezes of sriracha. Just be careful not to over-mash your cauliflower unless you don’t mind having cauliflower soup!

Soup

Roasted cauliflower and chickpea soup via Floating Kitchen

But sometimes you do want to have cauliflower soup! It’s all about the textures though. Cauliflower soup can be silky smooth, so textural ingredients like chickpeas add much-needed contrast.

Pizza

Cauliflower pizza crust via Damn Delicious

What can’t cauliflower do! Cauliflower crusts are typically a combination of grated cauliflower, eggs, and a blend of cheeses like parmesan and mozzarella. The key is your cauliflower needs to be dry in order to crisp up.

Mac and cheese

Cauliflower mac and cheese via The Little Pine

What’s better than mac and cheese? Nothing, and you can make it with cauliflower too. Mac and cheese is basically a cheese sauce with noodles, so replace the noodles with cauliflower for a twist on a classic.

Tots

Cheesy low carb cauliflower tots via Wholesome Yum

Things are getting wild, yes you can tot-ify cauliflower. These are kind of like latkes made with riced cauliflower instead of shredded potatoes. You can’t really go wrong with fried anything though!

Breadsticks

Cheesy cauliflower breadsticks via Jo Cooks

This one is a bit like cauliflower pizza, but with a twist! I love this idea, making a crust out of the cauliflower and topping it with tons of cheese to make breadsticks!

Chowder

Creamy cauliflower chowder via My Food Story

Chowders are insanely rich, but they rely on flour to thicken. This cauliflower version doesn’t require gluten making it a match for those with gluten intolerance.

Casserole

Green Chile Cauliflower Chicken Casserole via eatwell 101

Yes, you can casserole cauliflower too! Sub out rice for riced cauliflower in a casserole, and you have a delicious bake ready to be topped with cheese.

Grits

Cauliflower Grits with Spicy Shrimp via Jessica Gavin

Honestly this is one of my favorite ways to enjoy cauliflower rice because cheese and shrimp. Need I say more?

Alfredo sauce

Dreamy vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce via The Endless Meal

Creamy cauliflower puree makes for a delicious vegan alfredo sauce, which is a lighter hack on a classic pasta sauce favorite.

Stews and curry

Cauliflower White Beans and Coconut Stew via Playful Cooking

While cauliflower purees wonderfully, it also can hold up in richer stew and curry dishes. This version is served with white beans but the combinations are truly endless.

Steak

Cauliflower steaks with lemon-caper lentils and harissa “hummus” via Dishing Out Health

You can slice cauliflower into steaks - making them a great choice for meatless Mondays or vegan meals. You’ll want to pack cauliflower steaks with lots of flavor, like this version served with lentils and harissa cannelini bean puree.

Wings

Sticky honey sriracha cauliflower “wings” via Gimme Delicious

It can be “winged” too! You can both fry or bake cauliflower florets and then coat them in your favorite sauce, from spicy buffalo sauce to honey sriracha.

Salad

Warm roasted cauliflower and chickpea salad via From a Chef’s Kitchen

Cauliflower is hearty enough to stand up to strong flavors like red wine vinegar and olives. You can actually pickle it on its own, or enjoy it warm in a salad like this one.

Shepherd's pie

Shepherd's pie with cauliflower topping via Joy Filled Eats

Shepherd’s pie is a dish with ground meat topped with a fluffy layer of mashed potatoes which forms the crust. This is a twist, with cauliflower mash instead.

Tacos

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos via The Modern Proper

Cauliflower florets make a perfect veggie taco filling. Especially when they’re served with avocado cream like this version!

Nachos

Chipotle Cauliflower Nachos w/ Pineapple Salsa via Love and Lemons

When pureed, cauliflower is insanely creamy making it the perfect base for vegan nacho cheese sauce! Pair with chips and salsa and you have delicious nachos.

Buttercream

Vegan Chocolate Buttercream via 84th and 3rd

Yes, you’re reading this right. Turns out steamed and mashed cauliflower makes a delicious vegan buttercream. Honestly there’s nothing this vegetable can’t do.