How to Make the Perfect Boiled Cauliflower Every Time

Boiled cauliflower recipe is a simple and light side dish, ideal for the winter period: a quick preparation, which allows you to make a healthy and easy side dish in a short time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Ingredients
• How To Cook Cauliflower + Tips
• FAQ’s
• Boiled Cauliflower Recipe (Printable)

What You Need For This Cauliflower Recipe

Cauliflower head: Choose a whole cauliflower that is free of blemishes and has a flower that should feel firm and uniform in color with green leaves and a firm stem, and perfectly closed tops.

You can also use frozen cauliflower for this recipe, but I always prefer fresh vegetables.

Salt & black pepper: To give flavor to the dish.

Olive oil: I make a healthy salad with this cooked cauliflower, but below you can find many options for using boiled cauliflower for other recipes.

Garlic & Fresh Herb: As fresh herbs I chose parsley, a great pairing with cauliflower.

You can choose the herbs you like best, Italian seasoning or curry powder is perfect for flavoring cauliflower with a touch of spice.

How To Cook Cauliflower

• How to boil cauliflower: Clean the cauliflower by removing the outer leaves and core.

Cut it into florets, wash it and boil it in salted boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes at medium-high heat (The cooking time of the cauliflower varies depending on the size of the florets, large florets take more long to cook).

Check the cooking of the cauliflower with a fork.

When the cauliflower is tender, drain the cook cauliflower florets in a colander and let it cool at room temperature.

Season it with an emulsion of oil, salt, garlic, parsley and balsamic vinegar, or just a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.

• Simple steamed cauliflower recipe: Steaming allows you to keep the properties of cauliflower almost unchanged.

Place a pot with 3 cups of water on the stove; you can also flavor it with bay leaves or lemon.

Place the steamer basket on top, then spread the cauliflower.

Cover the pot and let it come to a boil.

From there count 6 to 8 minutes and start checking by poking the cauliflower with the tip of a knife.

• Easy Microwave Cauliflower: Microwaving is the easy way to cook and retains all the properties of cauliflower.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, put the cauliflower and add 1 cup of water.

Cover the bowl with  parchment paper and then with cling film to create a tight fitting lid.

Cook on highest power for 3 minutes.

Take the bowl out, shake it to mix the cauliflower inside and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.

Tips

• To cook cauliflower without it giving off that typical, often unwelcome smell, you can resort to a number of tricks and strategies, such as adding a few drops of juice or some lemon zest or some bay leaves to the cooking water. 

• Cut the florets the same size for even cooking

• Do not overcook cauliflower. In fact, if enjoyed al dente, it retains all its beneficial properties and is even more digestible.

Variation – Boiled Cauliflower Recipes

With boiled cauliflower, many simple and very tasty recipes can be made.

Recipes such as these delicious and crunchy bread crumbs cauliflower bites, which are perfect for an appetizer or as a side dish for the picky eaters who don’t want to eat their vegetables. 

Another way to use cooked cauliflower is to use it to season pasta; this is a Sicilian recipe my grandmother used to make for me, enriched with garlic and bacon for a delicious pasta and cauliflower main dish.

My favorite way is to add some cheese sauce and parmesan cheese on top and then bake them for about 10 minutes in the oven for a delicious side dish.

What To Serve With Cauliflower

This boiled cauliflower is a great healthy side dish, for a more colorful side dish, you can add boiled carrots, which pair well with cauliflower.

It is a great choice as a side dish to accompany meat or fish dishes.

This recipe is fantastic with classic BBQ dish like this smoked baby back ribs.

I find it a great pairing with these pork chops that you can cook three ways or this chicken cordon bleu air fryer, but I also find it perfect to accompany these eggplant rolls for a vegetarian dinner.

FAQ’s

Storing and freezing

Cooked cauliflower will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered with foil or in an airtight container, for 2-3 days.

If we want to freeze it, however, only need to blanch it, without adding salt to the cooking water, for 3-4 minutes. Once cooled, we can store in the freezer it for several months.

Easy Recipe: How to Boil Cauliflower

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