There are lots of vegetables out there perfect for substituting in our recipes in place of meats, breads, other carbs and even things like milk and cheese. There’s one veggie, though, that’s having a real moment: cauliflower! It seems like every day there’s a new recipe using the white, bulbous plant to make dishes healthier. Add on the dishes designed to feature it as the main event, and you’ve got a cauliflower cornucopia! We’ve rounded up our favorites for what should be THE definitive list of the awesome ways to use cauliflower— at least for now. Read on to find your new favorite.
- Cauliflower Fried Rice With Bacon
When is fried rice not fried rice? When you’re making it with cauliflower! The brainchild of Steamy Kitchen helps you cut the bloat and go Paleo with this delicious dish— plus, she adds BACON to it! - Cheesy Cauliflower Dippers
Every good entrée deserves a delicious side of bread, so why not keep the healthy cooking going and make that bread out of cauliflower? Whether you’re eating it as a snack, side or appetizer, these Cheesy Cauliflower Dippers from Super Healthy Kids are sure to be a hit for the whole family. - Cauliflower Biscuits
Want to try another kind of bread? Cooking Light’s Cauliflower Biscuits are the perfect way to keep up traditions this coming holiday season without packing on extra pounds. - Mashed Cauliflower
Next to bread, the most carb-heavy thing on our plate during the holidays is probably mashed potatoes. Why not keep the tradition but avoid the carbs – and the blood sugar spike! – and make Mashed Cauliflower instead, as Money Crashes suggests? It’s totally easy, and you can add Greek yogurt or low-fat cream cheese to make it creamier! - Cauliflower Tots
Our kids might not always like mashed potatoes, but they DO all love tater tots. Sneak some extra vegetables into their diet with this cauliflower version of their favorite from Skinny Taste. They won’t even taste the difference, and you’ll love how healthy they are! - Macaroni and Cheese
Another kid favorite? Mac ‘n’ cheese! Use the idea from Parent Hacks to sneak some veggies into the dish instead of milk. It’ll still be cheesy and creamy, but healthier and with a little less dairy! - Cauliflower Hummus
Bring the cauli-POWER to your next party! Joyful Abode’s recipe for Cauliflower Hummus is a Paleo delight so good, you and your guests will forget that you’re dipping your vegetables into, well, another vegetable. - Cauliflower Sloppy Joes
Yes, it’s possible for a sloppy joe to be kind of healthy! All you need is this recipe from Veggie and the Beast, which slathers cauliflower with buffalo sauce for a vegetarian and soy-free take on the classic dish. - Grilled Cheese
Coming to us from The Iron You via Buzzfeed, this smart switch swaps out the bread for cauliflower, saving us carbs while keeping what’s really important here: the cheese! - Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie
It’s not the meat we’re swapping out here— it’s the potatoes! The traditional shepherd’s pie gets a dose of cauliflower’s healthy power along with some more expected ingredients. Plus, the recipe from Oven Love has options for dairy-free, Paleo, grain-free and GAPS diets! - Cauliflower Fritters
If you can make chips and fries out of potatoes, why not cauliflower?! These Cauliflower Fritters are pretty close, and they’re a delicious snack that make the veggie seem almost indulgent. The easy recipe comes from Cocinerita. - Cauliflower Nachos
Yes, nachos can actually be healthy! Win over even the most chip-addicted of football fans with this recipe from Busy In Brooklyn that tops roasted cauliflower with harissa cheese sauce for nachos like no other. - Cauliflower Hash
Want to try something different? This recipe from An Edible Mosaic combines cauliflower with spices and tops it with a fried egg for a simple, traditional Middle Eastern dish that is Paleo and deceptively delicious. - Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks
You know we just have to end on some bread! Jo Cooks brings us this recipe that makes a whole loaf that’s almost like a pizza— cheesy and delicious. - Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower isn’t just for side dishes, oh no. This veggie deserves to be the main event, and there’s no better way to start than with this roasted cauliflower slathered in a yogurt marinade and spiced up with cumin, curry, chile powder and other spices.
Oh my goodness, I don’t know where to start with this list! They all look too good. Help me out— which one are you going to try first?