Our Best Cauliflower Recipes

Updated July 01, 2015
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Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

From pizza crusts to casseroles, cauliflower has a variety of unexpected uses. Join the cauliflower craze by checking out our best cauliflower recipes. Roasted caulfilower takes on a world of new flavors when seasoned to perfection and served alongside some of your favorite dishes or even enjoyed on their own. 

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Crispy Cauliflower Bites with Herbed Yogurt Dip

Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Sarah-Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Deb Wise

Crispy Cauliflower Bites with Herbed Yogurt Dip Recipe

Even your most carnivorous meat-eating guests won’t be able to resist these crispy, spiced cauliflower bites. Offering the perfect balance of hearty crunch and bright, tangy sauciness, our cauli-bites are a grade-A vegetarian appetizer for entertaining, tailgating, and beyond. You can find berbere at supermarkets like Whole Foods or online; and if this Ethiopian spice blend is new to you, be prepared, you’re gonna wanna add it to everything. 

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Keto Shepherd’s Pie

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Keto Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Swapping in a cheesy cauliflower mash for carb-rich white potatoes makes this family favorite keto-friendly, while keeping it every bit as hearty and comforting as you want a shepherd’s pie to be. 

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Blackened Tilapia And Cauliflower Polenta

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Gordon Sawyer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Blackened Tilapia And Cauliflower Polenta Recipe

Finish this dish with a pop of freshness from a fresh garnish and serve with lemon wedges. Don't worry if you don't have those things on hand—this healthy recipe will still be delicious without them. 

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Tandoori Cauliflower

Credit:  Caitlin Bensel; Styling= Blakeslee Giles, Audrey Davis

Tandoori Cauliflower Recipe

With its warm, spicy, and almost meat-like flavor and texture, this cauliflower dish can be served as a side or a vegetarian main dish that still feels hearty. As a unique way to serve cauliflower, it looks impressive but is easy to pull together. Feel free to make the yogurt sauce ahead of time.

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Butternut-Cauliflower-Coconut Curry

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Butternut-Cauliflower-Coconut Curry Recipe

A range of textures--crunchy peas, tender vegetables, and silky coconut broth--makes this cool-weather main incredibly satisfying. The chickpea mixture can also be a delicious gluten-free snack: After baking, toss with a little kosher salt, ground cumin, and ground red pepper.

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Crispy Cauliflower, Mushrooms, and Hazelnuts over Polenta

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Crispy Cauliflower, Mushrooms, and Hazelnuts over Polenta Recipe

Cauliflower stars in this polenta dish full of mushrooms, hazelnuts, Parmesan cheese, and more.

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Cauliflower Au Gratin

Cauliflower Au Gratin Recipe

This cauliflower dish is a delicious substitute for a potato dish.

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Veggie Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Veggie Pizza with Cauliflower Crust Recipe

Cauliflower is used to create a delicious crust in this veggie pizza recipe.

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Roasted Cauliflower

Credit: Randy Mayor; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Mellow, slightly sweet roasted garlic and onions round out the flavor of cauliflower.

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Cauliflower Hummus with Green Olives

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Cauliflower Hummus with Green Olives Recipe

Try a unique twist on our classic hummus recipe using cauliflower florets as the key ingredient. Before serivng, top hummus with 1 tablespoon cauliflower and olives for a beautiful presentation that's sure to impress guests.

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Cauliflower Chili

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Cauliflower Chili Recipe

Oscar Wilde famously espoused, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” That is the spirit of this recipe. It isn’t attempting to make chili super low-calorie. It is attempting to mitigate the calories while retaining full pleasure. And it takes advantage of the texture and mild flavor of the current darling of the pantry, riced cauliflower. Readily available in pretty much any produce section of your local grocery store, or easily made by pulsing cauliflower florets in your food processor, this vegetable adds bulk to a chili while cutting the calories from meat literally in half.

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Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling; Tina Bell Stamos

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce Recipe

Tender cauliflower topped with a velvety smooth Cheese Sauce is a favorite side dish among kids and adults. This version, from Southern culinary legend Nathalie Dupree, is as easy to prepare as it gets. Steam the cauliflower in a steamer basket, then drain and top with cheese sauce and crunchy browned breadcrumbs.

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Cauliflower Pizza Steaks

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Cauliflower Pizza Steaks Recipe

This pizza may not have any dough, but that doesn’t make it any less satisfying. The cheese, meat, and pepperoni come at the forefront, so you get the feeling that you’re eating pizza before you realize you’re eating cauliflower. The crisp, roasted, and slightly salty cauliflower is an easy alternative to a cauliflower-based crust that you can actually pick up with your hands. Plus, no extra equipment, like a food processor, is needed. 

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Louisville Hot Browns with Cauliflower Mornay

Credit: Line T. Klein; Styling: Paige Hicks

Louisville Hot Browns with Cauliflower Mornay Recipe

A Kentucky classic gets a modern twist with a light but creamy cauliflower puree that stands in for the traditional cheese sauce.

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe

This cheesy cauliflower pizza crust is—dare we say it—even better than bread.

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Cauliflower Risotto Cakes

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Cauliflower Risotto Cakes Recipe

These excellent cakes are a triple threat - they are perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or as part of an entree.

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How to Cook Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree

Pair sea scallops with a cauliflower and potato purée for an elegant yet weeknight-friendly meal

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Curried Cauliflower Gratin

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Curried Cauliflower Gratin Recipe

Serve this hearty side over cooked brown rice for a meatless main dish.

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Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Credit: Ryan Liebe

Loaded Cauliflower Soup Recipe

If you love the flavors of a loaded baked potato—think cheddar cheese, crisp bacon, and the bright bite of chives—but are on a low-carb diet, then this soup is for you. We swap out the spuds for cauliflower and swirl the whole thing into a soup that has just 12g of carbs per serving—not bad for a hearty meal. 

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Golden Cauliflower "Risotto"

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

Golden Cauliflower "Risotto" Recipe

Tiny florets of cauliflower mimic rice in this rich, creamy dish. Golden cauliflower adds appealing color, but the recipe works just as well with the white variety. Try it with pan-roasted brussels sprouts.

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Cauliflower Turkey Tetrazzini

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Cauliflower Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe

The genius trick to this unique turkey tetrazzini is using flavor-packed Cauliflower Salad in the sauce. Pureed, it becomes creamy and luscious. Any leftover turkey, or even rotisserie chicken, will work here.

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Crispy Cauliflower Cakes with Herb Sauce and Arugula Salad

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

Crispy Cauliflower Cakes with Herb Sauce and Arugula Salad Recipe

For a satisfying meatless dish, top these cauliflower cakes with herb sauce to enjoy them over an arugula salad.

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Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Roasted Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Enjoy the sweetness of roasted cauliflower in this creamy soup.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

Credit: Maria Robledo; Styling: Anna Last

Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower Recipe

This recipe creates a creamy, cheesy, and cauliflower-filled comfort dish.

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Cauliflower Piccata

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Cauliflower Piccata Recipe

These thick cauliflower steaks are cooked through yet firm enough for a meaty bite, making them the perfect keto or meat-free meal. Topped with flavorful sauce, they’re pretty much effortless. To make this dish vegetarian-friendly, simply swap vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.

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Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Dan Becker

Creamy Cauliflower Soup Recipe

In this soup, onions and cauliflower blend into deliciously smooth puree.

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Cauliflower Panko Pakoras

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Cauliflower Panko Pakoras Recipe

Coat cauliflower florets in crunchy breadcrumbs and bake until browned and crispy to prepare this delicious appetizer.

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Gratin of Cauliflower with Gruyère

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr, Jan Gautro, Leigh Ann Ross

Gratin of Cauliflower with Gruyère Recipe

Gruyere’s nutty, earthy flavor pairs well with cauliflower in this dish.

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Brown Butter Cauliflower Mash

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey

Brown Butter Cauliflower Mash Recipe

This mashed cauliflower recipe is an alternative to mashed potatoes and features pureed cauliflower flavored with browned butter and Parmesan cheese.

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Cauliflower and Green Onion Mash

Credit: Jan Smith

Cauliflower and Green Onion Mash Recipe

Similar to mashed potatoes, this side dish features a slightly coarser texture and yet a more delicate taste. Roasting on high heat deepens the cauliflower flavor.

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Red Pepper-Cauliflower Soup

Credit: Sheri Giblin

Red Pepper-Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Red peppers give this cauliflower soup gorgeous color and smooth texture.

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Creamed Cauliflower with Herbed Crumb Topping

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Creamed Cauliflower with Herbed Crumb Topping Recipe

The creamy, cheesy flavor of this cauliflower dish contrasts with the garlic-flavored crumb topping.

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Cauliflower Rotini

Credit: James Carrier

Cauliflower Rotini Recipe

Try this recipe for a simple, flavorful cauliflower pasta dish.

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Cauliflower and Red-Pepper Chowder

Credit: Randy Mayor; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Cauliflower and Red-Pepper Chowder Recipe

Cauliflower and red bell peppers meld together to create this flavorful chowder.

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