Creative Cauliflower Recipes

Wisconsin blogger Erin Clarke gives cauliflower "steaks" the chicken Parm treatment in her new book, The Well Plated Cookbook.

This roasted veggie dish is a lunch favorite for Minnesota chef Amy Thielen. It's from her cookbook The New Midwestern Table (clarksonpotter.com).

The details that elevate this recipe from a typical roasted dish are the briny olives and crispy breadcrumbs. Any olive works, but chef Abra Berens, author of Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, uses a bright green Sicilian variety called Castelvetrano.

These mashed potatoes are a staple on the menu of Soul Bowl in Minneapolis. Chef and co-owner Gerard Klass roasts cauliflower to bring nutrition and nutty sweetness, but powdered ranch seasoning adds the real X factor.

Let your imagination roam to India when it comes to toppers for this mildly spicy soup: toasted unsweetened coconut, coarsely chopped cashews, a dollop of yogurt and warm naan bread for dipping. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe in Cincinnati.

A creamy sauce is just the contrast these cruciferous veggies need. Paprika adds boldness to the relatively mild flavors of the cauliflower and broccoli.

Cauliflower "dough" is a tasty way to cut carbs and up vitamin C intake.

Sweet-and-spicy jarred red peppers add festive color and wake-you-up flavor to a veggie standby. When he makes this dish, Andy Schudlich of Michigan's Epicure Catering and Cherry Basket Farm uses a mix of purple and white cauliflower, but all white is just fine!

This sweet and savory side dish to easy make ahead of time. Just reheat in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Mash cauliflower florets with sour cream, butter, garlic salt and pepper for a super-easy side dish.

Sliced into 1-inch slabs, a head of purple cauliflower becomes cauliflower "steaks," a perfect filling for this hot sandwich.

Cauliflower gives hummus more vitamins, less fat and fewer calories than the more-traditional base of chickpeas.

A 10-minute simmer towards the end of cooking helps blend the flavors of ginger, cinnamon and curry powder.

Homemade sauce coats the noodles and veggies in cheesy delight. Red pepper flakes add just enough kick.

Feta and dill add Mediterranean flair to this low-carb main dish.

Cinnamon and curry powder balance Granny Smith apples in this roasted cauliflower mixture.

Pulsing cauliflower in the food processor yields an uncanny, 100-percent-good-for-you alternative to rice. Our version has Middle Eastern-inspired flavorings, but you can make a plain version by sautéing the ground cauliflower in a bit of oil and seasoning with salt.

This is a hearty soup for a chilly day. Garlic and cumin mean a fragrant kitchen as the chowder simmers.

Tossing cauliflower with bread crumbs, Dijon, cheddar, herbs and almonds makes this humble veg holiday-special.

Because cauliflower is in season year-round, this dish can always be made with fresh produce. Even when it's soup weather!