# Any good quick Cauliflower Side Dish recipes



## larry_stewart (Feb 25, 2015)

So tonight Im having a vegetarian version of a " Beef Stew".
Im serving it with wild rice.

Ive had this cauliflower sitting in my fridge for a week or two.  Still looks good, but I know its time is limited.  I want to use it tonight as a side dish to get rid of it before it rots and stinks up the fridge.

So, just curious if anyone has any suggestions for relatively quick and easy cauliflower side dishes.

Only rules are:
1) vegetarian
2) Relatively quick and easy, as I have other cooking to do.
3) Preferably on the healthier side, as Im trying to watch myself.
4) Grilling is not an option, as my grill has 2 + feet of snow on it 

Thanks 
Larry


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## medtran49 (Feb 25, 2015)

You can steam it and mash.  I personally prefer to add a potato or 2, gives a creamier, more like mash potatoes dish.  I usually use butter and cream, but you can use butter or a bit of olive oil and chicken broth if you want to lean toward the healthier side.  I steam it instead of boiling it because there is less water absorbed.  If you use potatoes, put them in first for a few minutes, then add the cauliflower. 

You can also break it down and roast it in the oven.  A multitude of ways, just plain with olive oil, S and P, or add lemon zest, garlic, parm cheese, etc, etc.  

Another alternative is to make a cauliflower "steak."  Again, a multitude of ways to flavor it.  This prep can also be used as a vegetarian main course. 

Just Google any of the above and pick your favorite flavor profile or just get the general idea of how to cook it and come up with your own flavor profile.


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## Cheryl J (Feb 25, 2015)

I love it roasted.    Quick and easy.  Break the cauliflower into florets, toss with a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and maybe a few red pepper flakes.  Spread it on a sheet pan and roast at 425 for about 15 minutes or until it starts to caramelize.  Yum!


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## Whiskadoodle (Feb 25, 2015)

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower


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## Whiskadoodle (Feb 25, 2015)

Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower

Make about 1 head cauliflorets like Cheryl J's recipe.  Toss with 1/4/ - 1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce.  Add a tablespoon butter to the hot sauce if there isn't much oil from when it is roasted.  Too bad it's not tail gate weather.


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## Kayelle (Feb 25, 2015)

I've never done this Larry because I don't deep fry, but thought I'd mention what my friend used to do with it. She deep fried the spicy batter dipped florets and they were deeeelicious!


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 25, 2015)

Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese

Cauliflower "Potato" Salad

Cauliflower cheese soup

Stir fry over cauliflower "rice"


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## Steve Kroll (Feb 25, 2015)

Cheryl J said:


> I love it roasted.    Quick and easy.  Break the cauliflower into florets, toss with a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and maybe a few red pepper flakes.  Spread it on a sheet pan and roast at 425 for about 15 minutes or until it starts to caramelize.  Yum!



This is a more-or-less "go to" cauliflower recipe for me. We have something like this every couple of weeks. Sometimes, if I want to be real fancy, I'll throw in a pinch of thyme and some grated parmesan cheese.


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## Cheryl J (Feb 25, 2015)

Me too, Steve, I roast it often.  Although I haven't yet tried it with thyme - I can imagine that would be great with cauliflower.


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## Mad Cook (Feb 25, 2015)

Steamed and served scattered with breadcrumbs fried crisply in butter. If you like you can add a pinch of cayenne or whatever you like


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## Zagut (Feb 25, 2015)

Cut it into florets
Steam or roast to desired tenderness
Add salt and pepper plus butter.
That's it. Ready to serve and it's tasty. 
If you're feeling like more work sprinkle grated cheese (Your Choice) on top.


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## Dawgluver (Feb 25, 2015)

Love roasted cauliflower too.  And I always use leftover cauliflower from whatever method for cauli-cheese soup.


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## CharlieD (Feb 25, 2015)

Mine is sure vegetarian, not so much fast or healthy, well to a degree. But darn tasty. I use frozen to speed up the process. Put Cauliflower  in the water bring to a boil, drain. Drizzle with bread crumbs. Separately preheat some oil in a frying pan. Throw Cauliflower in, saute for couple - three minutes. Done.


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## Mad Cook (Feb 25, 2015)

I have had it dipped in batter and deep-fried but I wasn't impressed. You might like to try it though.


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## giggler (Feb 25, 2015)

I like to make it just steamed with a quick sauce of cream gravy and frozen peas.

steam 1 head or so of cauli in a pot with a bit of water, then drain.

in a small pot make a roux of 
2tbs flour and either 2tbs oil or butter.

just cook a little then stir in 1cp milk and boil till thick
add salt and pepper and even spices, thyme , nutmeg, chillis to taste. I don't add spices other than a lot of black pepper.

Is this vegitarian?

Eric, Austin tx.
add a pkg of frozen peas to hot cauli, then cover with cream sauce.
Let sit for 10 minutes and its great!


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## creative (Feb 25, 2015)

A fairly quick, tasty method for a cauliflower side dish is to saute a *medium onion* in a fair amount of *butter* and *oil* until soft, adding some garlic (optional).  Then add about half a medium *cauliflower*, broken up into small florets (about 1" size pieces), stirring it in well.

Lower the heat, and cook with a lid on for 10 - 15 mins.


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## Kayelle (Feb 25, 2015)

So many good sounding ideas! I seldom think to buy it as I'm always more interested in adding green veggie's to our diet. I'll have to add a head to the grocery list.

I had another friend from "ages ago potluck days", who made a wonderful sweet and sour salad made with fine chopped raw cauliflower, red onion, and tri colored bell pepper. Very pretty, and everyone loved it. Today I think I'd add some sunflower seeds.


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## larry_stewart (Feb 25, 2015)

Went with the Roasted Cauliflower, a little olive oil and a sprinkle of a spice mix/ rub I found among my spices.  Originally i was going to wait til spring to sprinkle it on a few ears of corn, but couldnt wait.  came out great, but Im looking forward to trying all the other ideas listed above.  Thanks for all the replies.

Larry


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## Cheryl J (Feb 25, 2015)

Glad it worked out well for you, Larry - what was your spice mix you used? Just curious, I'm always looking for new spice and herb blends for veggies.  

I'm going to go get a head of cauliflower tomorrow - I've got a craving for it now too, after reading all these great recipes and ideas.


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## larry_stewart (Feb 25, 2015)

Im not exactly sure what the spice mix consists of.  My friend gave me thise little samples .  One said ' poultry spice mix', another ' meat spice mix' and the other was ' jerk spice rub'.  I wanted to go with the jerk spice rub, but it was kind spicy and no one else would have eaten it.  I wound up using the Poultry one.  I can definitely detect onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper.  there is  definitely more in it, something is tangy almost lemony, but unfortunately the exact ingredients are not listed.  being a vegetarian, i didnt know what to use them for.  I was going to hit up some corn on the cob with them, but then this cauliflower came along.


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## larry_stewart (Feb 25, 2015)

I also came across this a few weeks ago:

Whole roasted cauliflower - Everyday Dishes

great idea, needs a little tweeking, but cool presentation.


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## GotGarlic (Feb 25, 2015)

Kayelle said:


> So many good sounding ideas! I seldom think to buy it as I'm always more interested in adding green veggie's to our diet. I'll have to add a head to the grocery list.



Funny. My cousin's wife is a registered dietitian and last summer, when my mom said something about veggies with more color being more healthful, she gently corrected her, saying that all veggies have some nutritional value - even the white ones


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## Kayelle (Feb 25, 2015)

GotGarlic said:


> Funny. My cousin's wife is a registered dietitian and last summer, when my mom said something about veggies with more color being more healthful, she gently corrected her, saying that all veggies have some nutritional value - even the white ones



Interesting info GG. I'm wondering about the real nutritional value of white opposed to green though. Just going by what my mama taught me long ago, something green should be served with every dinner, so I try to do that. just because.  Green has always been my number one choice and I rarely serve a dinner without some kind of green.


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 26, 2015)

Kayelle said:


> Interesting info GG. I'm wondering about the real nutritional value of white opposed to green though. _*Just going by what my mama taught me long ago, something green should be served with every dinner, so I try to do that. just because. *_ Green has always been my number one choice and I rarely serve a dinner without some kind of green.



I think of those old rules every time I put together a holiday meal!  

So many little kitchen tips and hints from my Mother, Grandmothers, etc...

Funny the little memories that a child will carry with them for a lifetime!


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## CWS4322 (Feb 26, 2015)

I like purple cauliflower. Here's a link to a recipe I tried last week:


http://www.cbc.ca/inthekitchen/2014/01/tandoori-whole-roasted-cauliflower.html


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## GotGarlic (Feb 26, 2015)

Kayelle said:


> Interesting info GG. I'm wondering about the real nutritional value of white opposed to green though. Just going by what my mama taught me long ago, something green should be served with every dinner, so I try to do that. just because.  Green has always been my number one choice and I rarely serve a dinner without some kind of green.



I wasn't suggesting trading in green veggies for white and there's nothing wrong with including something green in every meal (although in some households 30 years ago, that meant an iceberg lettuce salad). But onions, garlic, cauliflower, even white potatoes, have good nutritional value. 

I like this site for looking up and comparing nutritional values: http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php


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## Kayelle (Feb 26, 2015)

GotGarlic said:


> *I wasn't suggesting trading in green veggies for white *and there's nothing wrong with including something green in every meal (although in some households 30 years ago, that meant an iceberg lettuce salad). But onions, garlic, cauliflower, even white potatoes, have good nutritional value.
> 
> I like this site for looking up and comparing nutritional values: The World's Healthiest Foods



No, I knew you weren't. I just rarely serve more than one veggie as a side although I cook with several.
Thanks for that link.


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## Cheryl J (Feb 26, 2015)

larry_stewart said:


> I also came across this a few weeks ago:
> 
> Whole roasted cauliflower - Everyday Dishes
> 
> great idea, needs a little tweeking, but cool presentation.


 
Doesn't that look beautiful??!


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## larry_stewart (Feb 27, 2015)

Cheryl J said:


> Doesn't that look beautiful??!



It really makes a great presentation.
I only made it once, it didnt ' brown up' exactly like the pic, so I have to work on it a bit.  Also, I had problems getting the cheese to adhere to the cauliflower.  Because of its hard, solid texture, only some of it stuck.  I havent made it again, but when I do, these are the things I got to tweak.


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## menumaker (Feb 27, 2015)

Steam or simmer 'till cooked,strain and set aside while you toss some cumin seeds, a few chilli flakes, S&P, some garam masala or a shake of curry powder into the warm pan with a knob of butter or olive oil. Heat through and then return the cauliflower and gently turn in until coated. yum!


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