30 Cauliflower Recipes You're Bound To Love

Although potatoes get all the love when it comes to vegetables that don't actually taste like health food, we're here to make the case for cauliflower. It is the great shapeshifter of ingredients, a vegetable that can be turned into credible facsimiles of everything from steak to rice, with a hefty dose of vitamins to boot. Cauliflower measures up positively to potatoes in almost every metric. A 100-gram serving contains only 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, compared to 77 calories and 18 grams of carbohydrates in the same amount of potatoes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture also notes. It's also full of vitamin C, with a 100-gram serving providing more than half of the recommended daily intake of the immune-boosting vitamin. Potatoes provide less than ¼.

Despite hitting all the bases of versatility and nutrition, cauliflower is still seen by many as the colorless cousin of broccoli — a tough, fibrous vegetable that doesn't have much flavor and takes so long to soften when cooked that it's hardly worth doing. If this sounds familiar, you're in luck, because you're about to discover the vast, untapped potential of this remarkable ingredient. Whether you're looking for something creamy, cheesy, and indulgent or a spicy, warming main course for a winter meal, we've got just the right cauliflower recipe for you. Before long, you'll be singing its praises just like us.

You don't have to go to a restaurant to enjoy your favorite Thai flavors. Recipe developer Maren Epstein has created a soup that tastes just as delicious as any restaurant but which you can make from the comfort of your own home. Roasted tomatoes and coconut milk form the broth and are infused with red curry paste, ginger, and lime juice.

The substance of the soup comes from noodles, cauliflower, green beans, and Brussels sprouts, which create a surprisingly filling medley. Add basil and cilantro as a garnish and you'll have a restaurant-worthy meal.

Recipe: Thai Curry Soup

One of the best ways to brighten the uninspiring appearance of cauliflower is to mix it with curry spices. Turmeric is an especially transformative option that will turn the vegetable a deep shade of gold, but the flavor of this recipe is derived from a mixture of cumin seeds, coriander, ground cumin, salt, garam masala, chili powder, and ginger powder combined with onions and garlic.

This recipe has the additional benefit of being made in an Instant Pot. This makes it a convenient option when you're short on time but craving a flavor-packed side dish.

Recipe: Instant Pot Gobi Masala

When you have a craving for wings, you don't need chicken. Cauliflower florets provide the texture, mild flavor, and even shape to make your guests forget all about the classic recipe. Even better, these vegan wings are made in an air fryer, making them even healthier than their fried counterparts.

You'll start by making a batter with almond milk, flour, nutritional yeast, and seasonings before coating the cauliflower and rolling it in breadcrumbs. Once it's fried, make sure to douse it in barbecue sauce and serve it with ranch dip.

Recipe: Easy Air Fryer BBQ Cauliflower Wings

Cauliflower is such a good vegan alternative to meat and dairy that it can be easy to neglect it in meat-based recipes. This casserole will remind you just how delicious it can be when combined with the rich fats and flavors of ground beef.

Paprika, cumin, oregano, and chili powder suffuse the recipe with warmth, while green bell peppers and chopped tomatoes give it some sweet acidity. The real winners, however, are the ground beef, cauliflower, and gooey cheese. Serve this at any time of the year and your family will be begging for more.

Recipe: Cheesy Beef And Cauliflower Casserole

Some recipes do not have to be complicated to produce mouth-watering results. When you're using ingredients that work together like magic, there's no need for filler for the sake of it. It's better to just let simple ingredients shine.

This baked cauliflower recipe is a perfect example, pairing the buttery vegetable with a medley of decadent ingredients that are irresistible. Smothering cauliflower in cheese, cream, and butter creates a dish that is both indulgent and nutritious, while paprika and onion powder add heat and flavor.

Recipe: Best Baked Cauliflower With Cheese

Harissa is a red chili paste from North Africa that is made with chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and a mixture of other ingredients depending on the region. Common additions include mint, coriander, cumin, rose petals, and citrus. Luckily, you don't have to make it yourself to enjoy the complex and seductive ingredient. You can find jars of it in the Mediterranean section of many supermarkets, and choose which variation of flavors you prefer.

Cauliflower is the perfect carrier for harissa. Tender in texture and mild in flavor, it soaks up every drop of the paste.

Recipe: Simple Harissa Roasted Cauliflower

Steak and cauliflower might sound like two distinct food groups, but hear us out on this one. Cauliflower might not have the protein or gristle of a classic ribeye, but it is surprisingly meaty, and smoked paprika, garlic, and lime ensure that it's bursting with flavor.

Even if you're a meat lover, this recipe is a must-try, and if you're vegan, it's likely to become a go-to recipe. Better yet, it takes only 25 minutes to make.

Recipe: Air Fryer Cauliflower Steak

If you've ever encountered cauliflower rice, chances are, it was at Chipotle. The chain has been dishing up its version of the grain-free starch for years, and it's high time we were all able to recreate it at home. Recipe developer Kristen Carli has been on the case and has produced a version that is nearly identical to the original.

Made in 10 minutes with four ingredients, it might seem too good to be true, but trust us, it is exactly what you're hoping it will be. Serve it with tacos, chicken, or on its own. It's that delicious.

Recipe: Copycat Chipotle Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower is so good at disguising itself as other foods — be it steak, potatoes, or rice — that it can be easy to forget that it tastes delicious on its own. Recipe developer Miriam Hahn is here to change that and even convert those who would rather hide their cauliflower behind heaps of seasonings.

With just four ingredients (cauliflower, avocado oil, salt, and pepper), this recipe puts the cruciferous vegetable front and center, and it shines. Roasting it makes it crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. It's the perfect side dish for almost any occasion.

Recipe: Plain And Simple Cauliflower

You can use cauliflower and potatoes interchangeably, or you can use them together, capitalizing on their smooth, starchy textures and subtle flavors. Both ingredients are often added to vegan soups to make them creamy, and together in one soup, they create a heavenly, velvety texture.

This recipe livens up the flavors with onions, garlic, and vegetable broth. Serve this soup with a drizzle of olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper on a chilly evening and you'll be warm and toasty in no time.

Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Potato Soup

You can make almost any ingredient tastier by breading it. Fish, eggplant, and even pickles can be transformed into salty, crispy deliciousness, and we're throwing cauliflower onto that list as well. Instead of deep-frying, this recipe calls for roasting the veggie, eliminating any risk of excessive grease.

The batter is made with paprika and garlic powder for an added kick of flavor, and the roasting time is largely hands-off. Whether you're making these healthy, breaded morsels as an appetizer or serving them as a side dish, they are bound to be a hit.

Recipe: Roasted Breaded Cauliflower

There are many ways to turn cauliflower into a creamy winter soup. You can take the minimalist route with nothing but the vegetable, broth, and a few seasonings, or, as is the case with this recipe, you can go all out, roasting and seasoning the main ingredient and intensifying its velvety texture with cream.

Roasting cauliflower brings out its earthiness, transforming its usual mild flavor into something nutty and fragrant. Combined with garlic, nutmeg, and fresh thyme, it is bursting with flavor, and when blended with cream, it becomes smooth as silk.

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Nachos are often banished to the full-on indulgence category of foods, the kind of snack that you limit to special occasions because you know all that cheese and fried tortilla chips probably aren't good for you on a regular basis. But what if we told you that there was a healthy way to make nachos that also tasted good?

Intrigued? Let us introduce you to our loaded cauliflower nachos made with black beans, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeños, and, of course, cheese. Healthy, cheesy, and full of color, this is the nacho recipe we've all been waiting for.

Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Nachos

Whether you're adding it to another dish or serving it on its own, roasted cauliflower is a recipe that every cook should have up their sleeve. And yet, despite its seeming simplicity, the internet is full of conflicting advice about how to go about it. From oven temperature to the amount of oil you use to how long you let it roast, there are a headache-inducing number of variables to contend with.

This recipe dispels the uncertainty. With clear instructions and no extra fuss, it provides the blueprint you need to perfect roasted cauliflower once and for all.

Recipe: Easy Roasted Cauliflower

Forget about trying to make cauliflower taste like chicken. These cruciferous nuggets are even tastier. Dreamed up by recipe developer Catherine Brookes, they are creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Think of them like hashbrowns but with a stronger, saltier, umami-rich flavor.

If you're worried about these nuggets tasting too healthy, let us reassure you: Most of their flavor comes from cheese. Brookes says that, while they may not look or taste like traditional chicken nuggets, they taste just as delicious with ketchup, mayonnaise, and sweet chili sauce.

Recipe: Cauliflower Nuggets