Have you ever asked yourself or your friend how to cook cauliflower on the stove the easy way? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.
Cauliflower is a delicious and nutritious side dish option that pairs well with many different types of meals.
One of the best things about cauliflower is that it is easy to cook on the stove in just a few minutes and it easily takes on the flavor of what you serve it with. So to cook cauliflower, just follow the steps below:
1. Thoroughly rinse cauliflower
2. Remove leaves, stems, and any unwanted pieces
3. Cut cauliflower into florets
4. Add salted water to the pot and boil
5. Carefully set the steamer basket and cauliflower inside the pot
6. Cook the cauliflower to your preference
7. Season, plate, and serve
In this article, we are going to tell you everything you need to know to cook cauliflower on the stove and some of our best tips for serving and enjoying your cauliflower.
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How To Cook Cauliflower On The Stove (Step By Step)
When you make cauliflower on the stove, the best thing to do is to steam the cauliflower.
You can boil it or saute it as well, but for the purposes of this step-by-step guide, we are going to help you with cooking it quickly and easily on the stovetop.Â
Here is our tried and true process for cooking cauliflower on the stove:
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What you will need:
- Cauliflower
- Water
- Salt and pepper
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Medium/large pot
- Steamer basket
Instructions:
1. Thoroughly rinse cauliflower
As with any fresh produce, you should always thoroughly clean your cauliflower before cooking. This is true even if you purchase organic cauliflower or cauliflower from a local farmstand (or your own backyard garden).
This will loosen and remove any dirt or other debris found in the cauliflower that you donât want to cook along with it.
2. Remove leaves, stems, and any unwanted pieces
There are many parts of the cauliflower crown that you donât want to cook, so itâs important to remove any of the less yummy parts before cooking.
You should remove leaves, the thick stem at the base of the crown, and any pieces that look less than desirable to eat.
This will leave you with just the cauliflower that you want to cook.
3. Cut cauliflower into florets
Once you are left with all the âgood partsâ of the cauliflower, cut the crown into smaller florets. The size of the florets can vary depending on how big your cauliflower crown is and your preference.
You can cut the cauliflower up into very small bite-size pieces or leave some slightly larger.
4. Add salted water to the pot and boil
Pour a small amount of water and a pinch of salt into the bottom of your pot. You should use enough water to fully cover the bottom surface of your pot.
The water should be about 1-1.5 inches deep, but it doesnât need to be precise.
Turn your stove on high and allow the water to come to a boil.
5. Carefully set the steamer basket and cauliflower inside the pot
Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and carefully place the steamer basket inside your pot.
Place your cauliflower florets on top of the steamer basket surface. Itâs ok if the cauliflower overlaps in some areas.
6. Cook the cauliflower to your preference
Place the cover on the pot and allow it to steam until the desired tenderness is reached. This can vary based on the size of the florets and how much cauliflower you are cooking.
Usually, the cauliflower will be finished cooking between 5-8 minutes. Check pieces frequently to ensure you donât overcook it.
7. Season, plate, and serve
Once you are happy with your cauliflower, remove it from the heat and carefully remove the cauliflower from the pot.
Allow it to rest on a plate and season with salt and pepper and anything else you wish to add. Enjoy!
The Best Ways to Serve Cauliflower
Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable, so it pairs well with countless different entree options. It doesnât have much flavor on its own, so it tends to take on the flavor of whatever sauce or seasonings you serve it with.
Whether you are serving cauliflower florets as a side to a particular dish or using cauliflower as a substitute for your favorite carb, you truly canât go wrong.
Here are some of our favorite ways to serve cauliflower:
1. Stir fry
Cauliflower is made for stir-fries of all kinds.
It is a dense vegetable that mixes well with other vegetables like peapods, peppers, onions, broccoli, and more in a stir-fry dish.
The cauliflower will soak in the stir-fry sauce that you choose and will make it easy to forget youâre sinking your teeth into a vegetable because it will be so full of flavor.
2. Fish
Cauliflower is a wonderful side dish for any kind of fish.
Most fish dishes are very light, so cauliflower is a great, healthy side to pair with it.
You can season it with the same seasoning that you put on your blackened salmon or drizzle it with the pan sauce for your haddock.
Either way, it is a delicious, filling side for even the most health-conscious.
3. Chicken
If youâre throwing chicken on the grill or making a rich, saucy baked chicken, consider pairing it with steamed cauliflower.
Chicken is another food that tends to really come to life with a marinade or sauce, and we already know the same is true for cauliflower as well.
Cauliflower is a great addition if you want the chicken to be the star of the show, but youâre stumped on a filling, healthy side dish.
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4. Rice alternative
If you havenât already heard of riced cauliflower, you are missing out. With the rise of low carbohydrate diets, many food bloggers and diet-conscious food lovers have realized that cauliflower can actually make a healthy substitute for rice.
All you have to do is prepare your steamed cauliflower as you normally would in the steps above, but once it is cooked you put it in the food processor and pulse it until it becomes the consistency of rice.
Then, you can serve it instead of rice for a lighter take on your favorite meals.
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5. Mashed potato alternative
Another great way to enjoy cauliflower is mashed. You heard that right, you can make mashed cauliflower to replace mashed potatoes.
Simply blend your steamed cauliflower with the milk, butter, and seasoning of your choice to create a low-carb potato replacement.
Many people also mix half mashed cauliflower with half real mashed potatoes to make the consistency and flavor feel more true to traditional mashed potatoes.
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How To Store Leftover Cauliflower
Steamed cauliflower keeps well in the refrigerator, which makes it a favorite of anyone who likes meal preps or just wants to save some leftovers for a rainy day.
To properly store leftover cauliflower, allow it to cool and place it in an airtight container. Cauliflower should last 3-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
To eat, simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop according to your preference.
Is Cauliflower Good For You?
If you are health conscious, it truly doesnât get much better than cauliflower. It is full of water and essential vitamins and minerals that are an essential part of a healthy diet.
Cauliflower is rich in folate, fiber, Vitamin C, and B vitamins. Also, if you are trying to watch your calorie intake, cauliflower is a great food choice.
With only 25 calories in a full cup of cauliflower, you can eat quite a bit of cauliflower and save your calories for other things like a cocktail or dessert.
Why Is Steamed Cauliflower Better Than Boiled Or Roasted?
There are a few different ways you can cook cauliflower but steaming it on the stovetop is usually the preferred method for a few reasons.
In addition to being simple and not requiring much time to do, steaming cauliflower is actually the best way to preserve all the wonderful nutritional benefits.
Other cooking methods like boiling or roasting can destroy some of the nutritional content in the cooking process, so steaming is our preference!
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Conclusion
Cauliflower is a great vegetable to have on hand when you need a quick, healthy side dish to accompany your favorite recipe. In our stovetop method, it is easy to cook in just a few short minutes using minimal ingredients and kitchen tools that you already have on hand.
We love steamed cauliflower on the stove because it is so versatile and goes with just about any dish you can dream up.
It has a mild flavor that complements any other proteins or vegetables that you pair with it and it is remarkably low in calories, making it a healthy, delicious choice for any meal.
References
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/steamed-cauliflower-5178179
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-steamed-cauliflower-3222.html