Cauliflower has gained popularity as an extremely versatile veggie. This fat-free, low sodium star ingredient boasts a healthy portion of dietary fiber and some much-needed carbohydrate. Its high water content makes it easy to cook with and it’s favored in many diets targeting weight loss. Its versatility also makes it the perfect ingredient for vegan dishes as well, and it can be used in place of cheese to make for some creamy dishes.
Cauliflower florets can hide quite a bit of grime, so it is best to start by soaking it in a bowl of warm water with some salt added to it and rinsing it thoroughly.
Today we’ll take a look at five easy-to-make recipes that feature this amazing faux flower/veggie along with a few other fairly common ingredients:
1. Cauliflower dip
This dip is a healthy, creamy, and absolutely delicious accompaniment for all your chip needs.
Ingredients:
– 1 cup cleaned cauliflower florets
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 3 tbsp. olive oil
– 1 tbsp. lemon juice
– Salt to taste
– Pepper to taste
Preparation:
– In a hot skillet, add 2 tbsp. olive oil, add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
– Add cauliflower florets and roast over medium heat, occasionally tossing, until it softens.
– Take it off the heat and once cooled, transfer to a blender, add ½ tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, and blitz until smooth
– Add salt and pepper to taste
– Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the smooth mixture and give it a gentle swirl.
2. Crispy cauliflower popcorn
Crunch factor meets spicy edge, this is the perfect snack for those binge-watching sessions!
Ingredients:
– 2 cups cleaned and dried cauliflower florets, broken into bite-size bits
– 3 tsp. Cayenne pepper powder
– 2 tsp. Garlic powder
– 2 tsp. Onion powder
– 1 tsp. Red chili flakes
– 1 tbsp. cornflour
– Oil for shallow frying
– Salt to taste
Preparation:
– In a mixing bowl, add 1 tbsp. of water to the cornflour and make a slightly runny slurry.
– Add the spices, except the red chili flakes, and a pinch of salt to this slurry, and make sure to mix well.
– Add the florets to this mixture and make sure each piece is well covered by the slurry mixture.
– In a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat the oil to about 365 degrees F.
– Drop the florets in small batches and shallow fry until golden and crispy.
– Transfer to a tray lined with paper napkins and dab away excess oil.
– Sprinkle salt and red chili flakes over the crispy cauliflower popcorn and serve hot with ketchup or dip.
3. Herb cauliflower rice
An extremely adaptable dish that can be enjoyed on its own or replace rice in just about any dish!
Ingredients:
– 3 cups cleaned and grated cauliflower florets
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 small shallot, finely chopped
– 1 scallion, finely sliced
– 2 tbsp. softened butter
– 2 tbsp. olive oil
– Fresh or dried herbs of your choice
– 1 tbsp. lemon juice
– Lemon zest
– Salt to taste
– Pepper to taste
Preparation:
– In a pan or wok, heat the butter and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. To this, add shallot and garlic, sauté until translucent.
– Add grated cauliflower and cook over medium heat, occasionally tossing. After 5 mins, cover with a lid and let it cook until it softens.
– Take off the lid after 5 mins, add your selection of herbs and stir over medium heat.
– Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and juice, making sure to mix them in well.
– Season with salt and pepper to taste.
– Drizzle the remaining olive oil, garnish with scallions and serve hot.
4. Cauliflower steak
Creative, fancy, and yummy, this steak checks all the right boxes and is a perfect dish for the next date night!
Ingredients:
– 1 cup cleaned cauliflower, cut into 1’ thick slices
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 3 tbsp. olive oil
– 1 tbsp. butter
– Dried herbs of your choice
– Salt to taste
– Pepper to taste
Preparation:
– In a hot skillet, add the butter, olive oil, dried herbs, minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Pour this mixture into a bowl and save for later.
– Turn up the heat, and in the same skillet, sear cauliflower slices for about 3 mins per side or more if you prefer it a bit charred.
– Add a tsp of the mixture prepared earlier and let the cauliflower steaks sizzle.
– Plate it with some roasted veggies and pour the remaining mixture over the cauliflower and veggies. Serve hot.
5. Mashed cauliflower
Gooey deliciousness that’s reminiscent of mashed potatoes without the extra calories or the guilt!
Ingredients:
– 2 cups cleaned cauliflower, cut into medium-sized pieces
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 tbsp. olive oil
– 3 tbsp. butter
– Finely chopped chives for the garnish
– ¼ cup heavy cream or half-half
– Salt to taste
– Pepper to taste
Preparation:
– Steam the cauliflower for about 20 mins, drain and blend to preferred consistency.
– While the cauliflower is still hot, add the butter, olive oil, heavy cream, or half-half, and mix well.
– Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped chives. Serve hot.
We hope you enjoyed these simple recipes featuring this superstar veggie. It’s all about eating healthy and getting creative about it!
Which of these are you willing to try out? Let us know in the comments below.