Since when did cauliflower need to become the go-to replacement in every low-carb recipe? Here are some amazing recipes that celebrate it for what it is: a versatile veggie that can stand alone or play nice with other ingredients. Let the carbs be carbs, and let the cauliflower be cauliflower!
If you’re looking for recipes for cauliflower rice or pizza crust or oats…might want to skip this one…
I’ve had a bone to pick with diet culture for a while now, that’s no secret. But the latest straw that really got me going was when I saw that apparently cauli-oats are a thing.
Yes…you read that correctly. Cauliflower added to your oats. Cauliflower oats. Caulioats. Cauliflower oatmeal. I don’t actually know what the correct term is but it doesn’t matter because…bleh. I can’t imagine a less appealing breakfast option and I don’t think I’m alone in this. I was reminded of that when I saw an Instagram post from fellow non-diet dietitian Summer Innanen.
As she put so well in her caption:
I have absolutely nothing against cauliflower. What I’m against is spending all of our time crafting ways to avoid eating foods that we have no medical reason to avoid as if it’s our life’s purpose. It’s a product of the magical thinking of diet culture and we’ve got to question why we’re spending our time doing these things.
And I couldn’t agree more – converting cauliflower into rice, pizza crust, steaks, oats, or any other dish that’s usually made with something else isn’t the solution for health. In fact, feeling that stressed around eating those other foods is likely an indicator that there’s some restrictive thinking around food. It’s possible that it comes down to a true food preference (which is quite different than a food rule), but I’m hard pressed to believe that oats mixed with riced cauliflower is genuinely more enjoyable than the multitude of other breakfast foods out there.
Finally…you can’t call a recipe “Mac & Cheese” but replace the macaroni with cauliflower. That’s not mac & cheese at that point, it’s just a cheesy side dish. NO MACARONI MEANS YOU CAN’T CALL IT MACARONI.
Ok I’m done.
There are so many cauliflower recipes that are good – like actually good, not just “Oh the dietitian with a food blog said they’re good.” Here’s a collection of them, organized into a few different categories to showcase just how versatile and yummy cauliflower can be.
Cauliflower Side Dishes
Cauliflower is, first a foremost, a vegetable. So it makes sense that there are tons, TONS of side dish recipes out there. But I like these because they range from the classic prep methods like roasting (in florets or whole) to savory spicy casseroles, Instant Pot
Start with the basics. Here’s a good primer on Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower from Know Your Produce.
Tahini Roasted Cauliflower from Lively Table (shown below)
Creamy Cauliflower Jalapeno Popper Casserole from Peas and Crayons (shown below)
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Black Sesame Yogurt Sauce from Strength and Sunshine
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas from Dietitian Jess (shown below)
I also love this guide to cooking cauliflower in the Instant Pot from Anne Marie at Real Food Deals. Check out how easy this would be!
Main Dishes with Cauliflower
These recipes provide more than just the side dish recipe (you know…in case you’re planning on enjoying an entire meal, which is something I would generally recommend if you’re feeling hungry).
Chicken and Cauliflower Roast from Tara Teaspoon
Baked Cauliflower Risotto from Sidewalk Shoes (shown below)
Filet Mignon with Roasted Cauliflower, Carrots, and Chipotle Mayo Dipping Sauce from Cook With Me Darling
Red, White, and Blue(berry) Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin from Street Smart Nutrition
Smoky Cheddar Cauliflower Grits with Cajun Shrimp from Love & Zest (shown below)
Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta from Shivani Loves Food
Browned Butter Spaghetti with Roasted Cauliflower from Rachael Hartley Nutrition (shown below)
Soups Made with Cauliflower
I know summer is around the corner, but these cauliflower soups are seriously good enough to eat year-round. Make them now, make them later when the temps are below zero again.
Curried Cauliflower-Sweet Potato-Carrot Soup from Delightful Adventures
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Chickpeas from Street Smart Nutrition (shown below)
Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup from Mama Likes to Cook
Creamy Cauliflower Soup in the Pressure Cooker from Peas and Crayons
Curried Cauliflower Soup from Domestic Dreamboat (shown below)
Sandwiches & Wraps with Cauliflower
Finally, here are a couple of creative ways to use cauliflower in sandwiches and wraps.
Curried Chickpea Cauliflower Wraps from Domestic Dreamboat
Roasted Cauliflower Sandwich from Rachael Hartley Nutrition (shown below)
So there you have it. A small sampling of cauliflower recipes that are actually good, collected from around the web and from fellow dietitians. Cauliflower in and of itself isn’t the issue here – it’s the fear of carbs in our meals that prompts us to go about turning a perfectly fine vegetable into replacements for things it is not.
Any if you work your way through some of these and realize cauliflower just isn’t your thing that’s 100% OK, too. A non-diet approach or an interest in health doesn’t mean you have to eat foods you don’t enjoy. It’s not like there aren’t enough other veggies to enjoy instead!
Like this post? Be sure to pin it for later or share with someone who needs a little inspiration to start loving on cauliflower again.
