How to cook cauliflower? 11 great recipes (childproof)

Do not recipes with cauliflower inspire you at all? Here are our favorites: we bet they’ll change your mind without a doubt!

Being good in the kitchen means (also) being able to make less appetizing vegetables appreciate the most difficult palates . If we talk about recipes with cauliflower, we already hear a good part of you turn up their noses, but today we are here to change your mind and to try to make you appreciate them!

It’s true: cauliflowers aren’t beautiful or fragrant, but they are full of benefits and properties . They contain Vitamin C , potassium, folic acid and calcium, help regulate the presence of sugar in the blood and are therefore suitable for those suffering from diabetes ; purple ones, then, are rich in antiocyanins renowned for their anti-aging and preventive action against neurodegenerative diseases.

In short, they should never be missing on our tables throughout the cold season! We will then take you on a journey to discover recipes with cauliflower: from velvety to pancakes, also passing through pasta.

• Cooking the cauliflower
• Recipes
  • Grated cauliflower
  • Pasta With Cauliflower
  • Baked
  • Meatballs
  • Velvety
  • Pancakes
  • Cauliflower in a pan
  • Cavour-style cauliflower
  • Cauliflower in batter without eggs
  • Cauliflower pizza
  • Cauliflower and bacon pasta

How to cook cauliflower

Did you know that cauliflowers are very easy to cook? Generally speaking, it can be said that every recipe always begins with blanching the cauliflowers in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes . Then, you can cook them in a pan or in the oven.

• The cauliflower, in the oven, takes about 20 minutes to cook at 200 ° C.
• In a pan the cauliflower cooks in about 15 minutes , covering with water or broth if necessary.
• If you fry them, it will take about 5 minutes to pancake.

11 recipes with cauliflower (for all tastes)

If you think of boiling them and eating them , however, you are mistaken: once you learn how to flavor them in a greedy way, you will finally be able to love them. So let’s see how to cook cauliflower in many different ways and many recipes to try!

The recipe for baked cauliflower au gratin

Let’s start with a recipe that is as easy as it is good , that of cauliflower au gratin . Here are the ingredients needed for the cauliflower au gratin recipe (for 4 people):

• 1 kg of cauliflower
• grated cheese to taste
• 200 g of fontina
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

For the bechamel:

• 80 g of flour
• 20 g of potato starch
• 100 g of butter
• 1 liter of whole milk
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• Nutmeg to taste

Start boiling the florets in lightly salted boiling water, and in the meantime preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Prepare the béchamel by pouring the butter into a non-stick pan; add the flour and cook the roux until golden. Finally add the pre-heated milk and, after 10 minutes, complete with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

At this point we assemble the pan: make a first layer of bechamel, one of diced fontina and finally the boiled cauliflower; cover everything with more béchamel and grated cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven . You can take it out of the oven and serve when the vegetables are soft.

Pasta with white cauliflower

Let’s now pass to a creamy and succulent first course: pasta with cauliflower . The ingredients needed for the pasta and cauliflower recipe (for 4 people) are:

• 400 g of cauliflower
• 400 g of pasta
• 1 clove of garlic
• Grated cheese to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pepper as needed

Start cleaning and washing the vegetables before blanching them for 10 minutes in boiling salted water. Heat a clove of garlic in a pan with a drizzle of oil, then add the vegetables to flavor. Add the pasta to the pan that you have cooked and drained slightly al dente in the meantime. Whisk adding the grated cheese, salt and pepper and a ladle of water.

The extra idea to propose it to children is to blend the cauliflower, in order to obtain a cream to add to the vegetarian pasta.

Cauliflower flan

If you’re wondering what the difference is between cauliflower au gratin and cauliflower flan , we’re here to tell you! The second is a much more substantial , rustic and rich compound (to be enriched as desired). The ingredients for the cauliflower and bechamel flan recipe (for 8 people) are as follows:

• 500 g of cauliflower
• 180 ml of bechamel
• 2 eggs
• grated cheese to taste
• Salt to taste
• pepper as needed
• butter to taste

As usual, blanch the cauliflower in boiling salted water for about ten minutes, then get the florets. At this point, in a bowl, mix all the ingredients. Transfer everything to a baking dish, greased with butter, sprinkle the surface with plenty of cheese and cook at 180 ° C for about half an hour . Bring it to the table warm and enjoy the cauliflower pie as a second course.

Cauliflower balls

Certainly , cauliflower meatballs cannot be missing: beautiful to look at, tasty and appetizing . For the cauliflower meatballs recipe (for 4 people) you will need:

• 500 g of cauliflower
• 1 potato
• 80 g of grated cheese
• 2 eggs
• breadcrumbs to taste
• parsley to taste
• Salt to taste
• pepper as needed
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

First wash the vegetables, then steam them for about 10-15 minutes. Reduce everything to a puree and mix with the other ingredients; give it the classic round shape and, for a light cooking, bake at 180 ° C for 15-20 minutes , until golden and crispy.

If you wish, you can also make them fried: dip them in a pan of boiling oil for 5/10 minutes or until golden. In this way they will be more caloric but also tastier.

Cream of cauliflower

The cauliflower cream is a velvety soup, which will comfort you on colder evenings and when you have less desire to cook. If you have the possibility, prepare it in large quantities, put it to freeze and take out single portions as needed. For the cauliflower and potato soup recipe (for 4 people), the ingredients are:

• 1 cauliflower
• 2 leeks
• 2 potatoes
• vegetable broth to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• croutons to taste

First wash and finely chop the leeks and brown them in a saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil. Also add the potatoes and cauliflower to the pan, then cover with the broth and cook for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft (and the broth reduced). Salt, pepper and blend with a blender.

You can serve it immediately or put it in special containers (or bags) for the freezer .

Cauliflower pancakes

To make the cauliflower pancakes , we start with the cleaned, washed and blanched cauliflowers for about 10 minutes in boiling salted water. We have chosen a mix of white and purple cauliflower, but you can safely use only one variety. The ingredients for the cauliflower recipe in crispy batter (for 4 people) are:

• 1 cauliflower
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• Salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• seed oil for frying to taste
• grated cheese to taste
• parsley to taste

Prepare the batter for fried by combining eggs, salt, pepper, cheese and breadcrumbs (or flour) enough to obtain a firm and homogeneous mixture . Also add the cauliflower cooked for about 5-10 minutes in hot water and reduced to a coarse puree, then complete with fresh chopped parsley. With a spoon create some quenelles and dip them in a pot of boiling oil. When only golden, drain with a slotted spoon and place them on a sheet of absorbent paper.

Salt to taste and serve hot with sauces to flavor everything. For an even more intense flavor, add spices such as turmeric or curry.

Cauliflower in a pan

As a last recipe, we also propose the simplest preparation: cauliflower in a pan , flavored with turmeric and paprika (but also curry or any mix of spices of your choice will be fine). It is so colorful and tasty that you will not be able to resist it! The ingredients for the spiced cauliflower recipe (for 4 people) are:

• 1 cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika powder
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Boil the cauliflower in boiling salted water for about ten minutes; in the meantime, heat the oil in a pan with the garlic clove, add a little cooking water from the cauliflower and melt the spices inside. Also add the cauliflower and cook for 5/10 minutes.

How many types of cabbage do you know?

Cavour-style cauliflower

If you are looking for one of the best cauliflower recipes out there, this preparation is for you. Have you ever tried to make Cavour cauliflower as a side dish? A delicious dish with butter and cheese and topped with a delicious anchovy sauce !

• 1 large cauliflower
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 3 anchovies
• 90 g of butter
• 80 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 sprig of parsley
• juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste

Clean and cut the cauliflower into florets, then boil them in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes . Once the time has passed, when the cauliflower is cooked but still nice and compact, sauté it in a saucepan, where you have previously melted the butter and season with salt. At this point, grease a pan with about 30 g of butter , pour the vegetables, cover it with grated cheese and bake for about 15 minutes at 180 ° C. While the cauliflower is cooking , chop the hard-boiled eggs in a small bowl and add the lemon, chopped fresh parsley and the drained anchovies in oil. Melt the remaining butter and add it to the hard-boiled eggs and other ingredients and mix everything together.

When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven, sprinkle it with the sauce and serve.

Cauliflower in batter without eggs

For a vegan diet without sacrificing taste, one of the dishes with cauliflower that we would like you to try is cauliflower in batter without eggs . A recipe to be made both baked and fried , but equally tasty.

• 1 head of medium cauliflower
• 100 ml of beer
• 150 g of flour 00
• 1 teaspoon of Paprika
• 1 pinch of red pepper
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• 1 tablespoon of seed oil

Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets, then boil them in boiling water for a maximum of 5-10 minutes . After the time has elapsed, drain and dry them with absorbent paper. While the cauliflower cools, prepare the batter by mixing the flour, spices, salt, pepper and oil with the cold beer . Mix well and then add the cauliflower. Fry it in boiling seed oil for a few minutes (until golden) or bake at 190 ° C for 20 minutes .

Cauliflower pizza with vegetables

Flour-free, light and perfect for those intolerant to gluten, among the quick recipes to make with cauliflower, the cauliflower and vegetable pizza is certainly among the top positions . You can prepare it in no time and it will be fun to amaze your friends!

• 600 g of cauliflower tops
• 60 g of grated cheese
• 2 eggs
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• 50 g of pesto
• 100 g of crescenza
• 1 small courgette
• 1 small tomato
• rocket to taste

First, blend the raw (and well washed) cauliflower in a blender and reduce it almost to flour . Then mix it with the eggs, salt, pepper and grated cheese. Take two pans covered with parchment paper, divide the dough and give it a flat and circular shape in each pan (just like a pizza). Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 230 ° C , then remove from the oven and season with the remaining ingredients before serving (after seasoning, you can also make a second step in the oven for a maximum of 5 minutes ).

Cauliflower and bacon pasta

Preparing a single and balanced but tasty dish has never been easier: with our cauliflower and pancetta pasta ! Few ingredients, even fewer steps and an unmistakable taste for a complete and balanced meal.

• 300 g of pasta of your choice
• 140 g of fresh or diced bacon
• 600 g of cauliflower (white or green)
• 1 clove of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water and, in the meantime, prepare the sauce with cauliflower and bacon. Clean the cauliflowers and reduce it into florets, then put it in a pan with a drizzle of oil, 1 clove of garlic and about 2 fingers of water so that it cooks all making the vegetable soft and tasty. When the water has collected and the cauliflower is ready, mash it a little with a ladle and in the meantime add the bacon. Raise the heat and brown it. At this point, drain the pasta directly into the pan, season with salt and pepper and, if the dish is a little too dry, add a few tablespoons of cooking water and mix well in the pan before serving.