Let me guess, you’ve got a sad looking head of cauliflower hanging out in your crisper drawer begging to be used? Well, put away the saucepan because there’s more to this cruciferous veggie than soggy boiled or steamed florets! Once you start roasting it, ricing it, loading it with flavor, or using it as a veggie-meat alternative, cauliflower transforms into one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen. Here are 16 easy and (most importantly) delicious cauliflower recipes I think you need to try!
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All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.
Satisfying Main Dishes
Cauliflower has a way of turning into a real dinner when you give it the right treatment. These main dishes are filling, comforting, and show us all that a veggie-forward meal can absolutely stand on its own!
1. Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower Steak Recipe
These cauliflower steaks are one of my favorite ways to show off how satisfying a single head of cauliflower can be. Thick slices roast up tender in the center with plenty of golden edges. I love how cheap and simple it is while still delivering a plate that looks and eats like a real meal!
2. Cauliflower Parmesan
Cauliflower Parmesan Recipe
My cauliflower Parmesan recipe is pure comfort food energy, just built around cauliflower instead of chicken. I use sliced tomatoes rather than sauce, layering them under the cheese so they add moisture and flavor while stopping the cheese from melting through the gaps between the florets. Every bite feels rich and familiar, just without the meat.
3. Cauliflower Potato Soup
Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Soup
This cheesy cauliflower potato soup is creamy, filling, and exactly what I want when I need something warm and comforting. The cauliflower (fresh or frozen) blends right in with the potatoes, adding body without overpowering the flavor.
4. Cauliflower Chickpea Masala
Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala
Frozen cauliflower florets and canned chickpeas keep the prep light in this cauliflower chickpea masala, and I love how everything comes together in about 30 minutes. The richly spiced tomato sauce is perfect for scooping up with rice or bread!
Fulfilling Salads
Salads like these are why I never get bored with cauliflower. Roasting, marinating, or ricing it completely changes the vibe. Add in grains, nuts, or chickpeas, and suddenly you’ve got something totally different! These are the salads I’m actually excited to eat multiple days in a row for lunch prep.
5. Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Roasted cauliflower, crispy spiced chickpeas, and a lemony tahini dressing make this salad filling enough for a meal while still feeling fresh. This roasted cauliflower salad is MADE for colder days! I make this a lot once the temperature drops and I’m craving comfort without going full soup mode.
6. Cauliflower Quinoa Salad
Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad
This vegetarian cauliflower quinoa salad is made with hearty, nourishing ingredients you can truly feel good about eating. The roasted cauliflower goes so nicely with the nutty quinoa (which packs in plenty of protein and fiber), and it stores well for simple lunches during the week!
7. Marinated Cauliflower Salad
Marinated Cauliflower Salad
This marinated cauliflower salad keeps things simple, with just six ingredients forming the base and the rest used for a punchy homemade Italian dressing. However, I often swap in my fave store-bought dressing as an easy shortcut! You’ll love this one for meal prepping as the flavors deepen after a few days in the fridge.
8. Peanut Lime Cauliflower Salad
Peanut Lime Cauliflower Salad
Crunchy peanuts, bright lime, and tender cauliflower give this peanut cauliflower salad lots of fun contrasting textures. I recommend using pre-riced cauliflower to make this salad especially quick to throw together without losing any flavor!
Easy Side Dishes
When dinner needs something extra on the plate, these cauliflower sides get the job done. They’re low-effort and will work with whatever else you’re cooking. I really like having these recipes in my back pocket for busy nights.
9. Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted Cauliflower
This roasted cauliflower is as easy as it gets and goes with just about everything. You can season it however you like (we give plenty of ideas in the recipe), and it works just as well in the oven OR the air fryer.
10. Southwest Cauliflower Rice
Southwest Cauliflower Rice
Southwest cauliflower rice is a super flavorful side that can easily turn into a full meal. Add black beans, chickpeas, chicken, or beef, then pile on your favorite toppings to make something your family will beg you to make over and over!
11. Garlic Herb Mashed Cauliflower
Garlic Herb mashed Cauliflower
Using cream cheese and a simple homemade garlic herb seasoning makes this mashed cauliflower smooth and savory with a lighter, silkier texture than potatoes. I make it as a fun alternative to classic mashed potatoes, and my family loves it!!
Snacks & Appetizers
This is where cauliflower gets a little playful. It doesn’t matter if you’re serving a crowd or just snacking straight off the pan; these snacks and appetizers will make everyone around the table happy.
12. Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings Recipe
Cauliflower is my favorite veggie for recreating classic comfort foods, and these Buffalo cauliflower wings are another fun recipe in my arsenal. Cauliflower holds up to longer cooking times, stays hearty instead of mushy, and soaks up the buttery hot sauce flavor like a champ.
13. Cauliflower Tacos
Cauliflower Tacos Recipe (with Romesco Sauce)
These cauliflower tacos are a family favorite in my house and an easy win on busy weeknights. The roasted cauliflower is great on its own, of course, but the romesco-style sauce really brings everything together in the best way.
14. Smoky Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Smoky Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
This smoky Parmesan roasted cauliflower uses just a handful of simple seasonings to create BIG flavor. There’s very little hands-on time, and the combo of smoked paprika and crispy Parmesan makes it hard to stop snacking straight off the pan (ask me how I know…)
Even for…Breakfast?
Breakfast might not be the first place you expect to see cauliflower, but hear me out. When it’s riced and blended into familiar flavors, it quietly adds texture and staying power. Once you try it, it just makes sense!
15. Cauli Oats
Cinnamon Pecan Cauli Oats
Yeah, you heard that right. Cauliflower and OATMEAL. Once these cauli oats are cooked, you’d never know a sneaky veggie was hiding in there. The cauliflower flavor completely disappears behind warm cinnamon, nutty pecans, and creamy oats.
16. Secret Ingredient Smoothie
Cherry Almond Smoothie
This secret ingredient smoothie is the easiest breakfast ever. The frozen cauliflower adds body and fiber, helping create a naturally sweet, filling smoothie with banana, cherries, and almond butter. This smoothie keeps me satisfied for hours!
