Cauliflower has been enjoying a brief run in the spotlight as an “it” vegetable. (Sorry, kale!) A lot of its popularity, though, is around using it in very complicated ways that take forever. Read: Making “rice,” which is a brilliant idea but is way more time and labor intensive than just putting a pot of good ol’ brown rice on the stove.
Hence, the popularity of Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower rice...and other packaged cauliflower-based foods like frozen pizza crusts.
RELATED: The 7 Healthiest Frozen Foods at Trader Joe’s
Simple cauliflower recipes? Those are harder to come by. However, plenty of them exist, and you should really consider these easy, delicious ways to incorporate the fresh, nutritious veggie into faster, home-cooked meals.
Here are seven simple cauliflower recipes we love, from the Nutritious Life kitchen and other smart healthy cooks we trust.
7 Simple Cauliflower Recipes
Dijon Cauliflower Mash
Cauliflower mash is a surprisingly delicious, nutrient-dense alternative for mashed potatoes. It may even save you time, since there’s no potato peeling prep involved.
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Five ingredients and all you have to do is mix, toss, and bake—and maybe plan on making more during breaks in the game.
Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Mustard Dressing
Crunchy Radish loves this super simple approach to roasting cauli (and so do we!), with chickpeas for protein and a flavorful mustard dressing.
(Photo: Crunchy Radish)
Cauliflower Steaks
Swap out that meaty steak for this one from Healthyish when you want a meatless meal. It’s incredibly basic, and if you have five extra minutes, go for the coconut-turmeric relish (yum!).
(Photo: Healthyish)
Strawberry Veggie Smoothie
This blend includes vegetables you don’t normally think of throwing in your Nutribullet, like zucchini and cauliflower.
5-Ingredient Baked Cauliflower Arancini
Umm…a way to eat those glorious Italian rice balls called arancini that’s actually healthy? Yes, please. The Well Necessities uses frozen riced cauliflower and other nutritious ingredients like chia seeds to make it happen.
(Photo: The Well Necessities)
Chicken, Chickpea, and Cauliflower Curry
This recipe covers a pile of healthy vegetables with flavorful curry sauce for a hearty, warming meal. Make it completely plant based by leaving out the chicken.