20+ Sneaky Cauliflower Recipes That'll Help You Eat More Veggies

Updated March 25, 2020
Jennifer Causey

No cauliflower fans in the house? There will be after making a couple of these deliciously deceptive cauliflower dishes. From chili and hummus to pizza and fettuccine alfredo, it's easy to hide broccoli's cuciferous cousin in a number of tasty recipes.

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Mashed Cauliflower

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Stephana Bottom

Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

Mashed cauliflower is a delicious low-carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.

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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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Green Cauliflower Rice

Credit: Victor Protasio

Green Cauliflower Rice Recipe

If you can’t find premade fresh cauliflower crumbles or riced cauliflower near other fresh prepared vegetables at your market, look for frozen. Or, you can easily make your own.

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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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Cauliflower Au Gratin

Cauliflower Au Gratin Recipe

Swap cauliflower for potatoes to cut carbs in this cheesy au gratin.

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Crisp Cauliflower Fritters

Credit: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr

Crisp Cauliflower Fritters Recipe

Light, golden-brown Crisp Cauliflower Fritters are a delicious vegetarian dinner alternative—and they're ready in just 20 minutes.

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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 Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Dip

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Dip Recipe

Up the veggie presence in your next party spread with this cheesy, savory, so-snackable Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Dip. Inspired by a favorite Trader Joe’s frozen appetizer, this vegetarian dip is easy to make, but delivers big on flavor. 

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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

Gruyère's nutty, earthy flavor is a nice match for subtle cauliflower, and crisp breadcrumbs add texture. Substitute broccoli for the cauliflower, if you prefer. You can prepare all the elements for the dish a day ahead, if necessary. Refrigerate the sauce, the cauliflower, and the breadcrumb mixture separately, and simply assemble before baking.

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Cauliflower Alfredo

Credit: Jennifer Causey Styling: Claire Spollen

Cauliflower Alfredo Recipe

Cooked cauliflower becomes creamy and luscious when pureed with stock and garlic. It's a simple way to healthier fettuccine Alfredo.

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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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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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Veggie Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Veggie Pizza with Cauliflower Crust Recipe

For a flavorful veggie pizza, use homemade cauliflower crust and top with mushroom mixture, tomatoes, spinach, basil and mozzarella. 

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Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

Credit: Maria Robledo; Styling: Anna Last

Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower Recipe

Cooking with extra-sharp Cheddar lets you use less cheese without giving up flavor. Tender cauliflower adds fiber and vitamin C.

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Gluten-Free Cauliflower Stuffing

Credit: Daniel Agee

Gluten-Free Cauliflower Stuffing Recipe

This low-carb, gluten-free stuffing made from ground cauliflower and tender vegetables seasoned to perfection just might be better than Mom's.

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Cauliflower Chili

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Cauliflower Chili Recipe

This meatless cauliflower-and-bean chili gets its smoky, satisfying flavor from cocoa powder paired with dried herbs like cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Rice cauliflower, readily available in pretty much any produce section of your local grocery store, adds bulk to a chili while cutting the calories from meat literally in half.

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French Bread with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

French Bread with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce Recipe

Ooey-gooey cheesy bread gets an extra dose of vegetables (and more creaminess) from steamed cauliflower. Use this mixture for your next grilled cheese sandwich.

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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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Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Buffalo Cauliflower Dip Recipe

This meat-free twist on Buffalo dip delivers every bit of creamy, tangy flavor you crave, but it’s loaded with buttery cauliflower instead of shredded chicken. It’s a hearty, party-perfect app that everyone will love.

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Smoky Cauliflower Hummus

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Smoky Cauliflower Hummus Recipe

Cauliflower steals the show from chickpeas in this homemade hummus. Paprika, cumin, and red chile flakes lend this appetizer super-smoky flavor. Simply roast seasoned cauliflower in the oven, then blend with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.

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Green Bean Casserole with Cauliflower Cream

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Green Bean Casserole with Cauliflower Cream Recipe

Once simmered in milk and pureed, cauliflower transforms into a silky, luscious cream sauce—a dead ringer for the classic yet with a much better profile, saving nearly 500mg sodium and 4g fat per serving. We intensify the mushroom presence by using meaty cremini and shiitake mushrooms and roasting them first to cook out the excess liquid. If you can’t find shiitakes, use 2 (8-oz.) packages of cremini mushrooms. Skip the fried onions and use torn whole-wheat bread for a rustic, crunchy topper.

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