• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Oh My Veggies logo

  • Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Main Dishes
    • Vegetarian Appetizers
    • Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes
    • Vegetarian Side Dishes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Sauces, Spreads and Condiments
    • Holiday Recipes
    • From our Readers
  • Cooking Tips & Hints
    • Cooking Tips
    • Plant-Based Nutrition
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Find Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebies!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Find Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebies!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes

    20 Secret Ingredient Cauliflower Recipes

    Published: Mar 29, 2019 · by Kare Raye · Updated: Aug 2, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    You know the old saying... if life gives you cauliflower, make pizza crust.

    What, that's not a saying?! Well, I propose right here and now that it should be.

    We all know cauliflower is a pretty great vegetable, sure. But do you know just how versatile it is? Did you know you can take a head of the stuff and make, yes, a pizza crust? Or a lightened-up version of mashed potatoes? How about hummus? Rice?! Popcorn! Buffalo wings!!

    This incredible cruciferous vegetable isn't only low in carbohydrates (perfect for those eating lower-carb diets); it's utterly packed with nutrients. So the fact that you can transform it into a myriad of other things—usually as as substitute for something that would have been far more calorie-dense—it's a very good thing.

    Here are 20 brilliant cauliflower recipes from around the web that touch upon the infinite possibilities for this one remarkable vegetable.

    Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

    Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

    Description: Spicy cauliflower "wings" dipped in cool ranch sauce? Yes, please. McKel at Nutrition Stripped shares this recipe for game day or any day.

    Get Recipe Now!

    20 Secret Ingredient Cauliflower Recipes

    Cauliflower Pizza Crust

    Cauliflower Pizza Crust

    Description: Cauliflower pizza crust? Yep! Your Lighter Side came up with this inventive pizza crust that took the Internet by storm. That's actually not bread at all—it's cauliflower, cheese, eggs, and seasonings. And it's absolutely delicious.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower Crust Garlic "Breadsticks"

    Cauliflower Crust Garlic

    Description: More cauliflower masquerading as bread! Is there anything it can't do?! An Edible Mosaic brings us all the crispy, cheesy goodness.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower

    Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower

    Description: It might not truly resemble popcorn, but cauliflower "popcorn" is definitely oh-so poppable. This version from Busy in Brooklyn is spiked with smoked paprika for an addictive—yet healthy—snack.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower "Shrimp" Cocktail

    Cauliflower

    Description: Score one for sheer creativity! Cauliflower stands in for shrimp in this "Poor-Man's Cocktail" from Noble Pig.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

    Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

    Description: Chickpeas, schmickpeas. Roasted cauliflower stands in for the popular legume in this creative lighter hummus.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Cheddar Dip

    Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Cheddar Dip

    Description: This cheesy, garlicky spread has a little secret—hidden cauliflower! Gina from Henry Happened roasts the cauliflower and garlic, then blends it with cheese and Greek yogurt for an appetizer that only seems decadent.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower Rice

    Cauliflower Rice

    Description: Looks like actual rice, doesn't it? Well, it's not! Those grains you see are actually 100% cauliflower. Cauliflower rice isn't only delicious, it's really kind of life-changing.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls

    Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls

    Description: The perfect use for cauliflower rice? Burrito bowls! Chickpeas, pico de gallo, fresh corn and guacamole complete this delicious picture from The Roasted Root.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower Tabbouleh

    Cauliflower Tabbouleh

    Description: Okay, we've grasped the sheer brilliance of cauliflower "rice." Here, The Healthy Maven takes it up a notch: cauliflower as a stand in for bulgur in a gorgeous tabbouleh.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

    Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

    Description: Lindsay of Pinch of Yum, author of The Creamy Cauliflower Sauce Cookbook, created this brilliant take on Alfredo sauce—made with cauliflower, garlic, a little butter, and not a speck of cream. Our pasta will never be the same.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Trimmed Down Cheddar and Chive Duchess Potatoes

    Trimmed Down Cheddar and Chive Duchess Potatoes

    Description: Cauliflower makes the perfect stand-in for high-carb potatoes—these lightened-up potatoes are proof positive.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Sour Cream & Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower

    Sour Cream & Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower

    Description: Sour cream and cheddar flavor this creative (and scrumptious!) mashed potato stand-in from All Day I Dream About Food.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Baked Cauli-Tots

    Baked Cauli-Tots

    Description: Here's another example of how delicious and versatile cauliflower can be in place of potatoes. Cupcakes and Kale Chips brings us these crispy baked-not-fried Cauliflower Tots. Yum!

    Get Recipe Now!

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Meyer Lemon Relish

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Meyer Lemon Relish

    Description: Thick slices of cauliflower, seasoned, roasted, and decorated with a tangy citrus relish. Hallelujah! Brooklyn Supper's got the cauliflower steak thing covered.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

    Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

    Description: An entire head of cauliflower, steamed and pureed, goes into this secret-ingredient lighter macaroni and cheese from The Lemon Bowl. That means we can have three helpings, right?

    Get Recipe Now!

    Cauliflower Hummus Burgers

    Cauliflower Hummus Burgers

    Description: Not just a cauliflower veggie burger, but a cauliflower veggie burger with the flavors of hummus, and then topped with a minty tzatziki sauce! Dreamy.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Pulled Cauliflower BBQ Sandwiches

    Pulled Cauliflower BBQ Sandwiches

    Description: Beard & Bonnet provides proof positive that you truly can do anything with cauliflower. In this case, it swims in a tangy barbecue sauce and joins caramelized onions for a seriously scrumptious sky-high sandwich.

    Bloomin' Indian Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower

    Bloomin' Indian Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower

    Description: Yep—a bloomin' cauliflower. How flippin' brilliant is that? Find this gorgeous, pluckable specimen over at An Edible Mosaic.

    Get Recipe Now!

    Vegetarian Firecracker Cauliflower

    Firecracker Cauliflower

    Description: This vegetarian spin on firecracker take-out features crunchy baked cauliflower in place of chicken or shrimp. Serve over rice and drizzle with a sweet and spicy homemade chili sauce for a dish that rivals any restaurant.

    Get Recipe Now!

    « Dark Chocolate Banana Breakfast Muffins
    Easy Vegan Stuffed Peppers »

    Recipe Round-Ups cauliflower

    Kare Raye - author of Kitchen Treaty

    About Kare Raye

    Kare is a home cook, vegetarian, and mom who coexists with her otherwise carnivorous clan. Her blog, Kitchen Treaty, helps mixed-diet families keep the peace.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

      March 04, 2014 at 10:38 am

      I have had the pulled cauliflower bbq sandwiches before and I LOVED them!! You can never go wrong with pizza crust and rice though, too!

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 04, 2014 at 1:30 pm

        I cannot WAIT to try those sandwiches. So creative!

        Reply
    2. dishing up the dirt says

      March 04, 2014 at 10:50 am

      Love love love cauliflower! It's the best "secret" ingredient ever.

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 04, 2014 at 1:28 pm

        Seriously! So many possibilities.

        Reply
    3. Alexis @ Hummusapien says

      March 04, 2014 at 11:52 am

      Mmmm I made those cauli bites with vegan ranch for the superbowl and they were insane!!! YUMYUM.

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 04, 2014 at 1:31 pm

        Every time I look at that photo I drool a little! Or a lot. Or both. 😉

        Reply
    4. Ruta @ The Smart Cookie says

      March 04, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      I love your beautiful website. So pretty and so delicious.

      I had a question about blogging etiquette. When you do a round-up like this, do you have to ask all the authors individually for permission to use their recipes/photos or is it simply OK to give credit to them. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 04, 2014 at 1:26 pm

        Hi Ruta! Thank you for the nice words! In round-ups such as these, we do make sure it's okay with individual bloggers before including their photos, and we link directly to the recipe on their blogs.

        Reply
    5. Julia Mueller says

      March 04, 2014 at 12:35 pm

      This post is amazing, Kare! I seriously eat at least a head of cauliflower every week (it's bad...real, real bad...ohhhhh but it's so good!), and am ALWAYS interested in trying out new cauliflower recipes! Thanks so much for the excellent roundup! I'm drooling. And thanks for including my cauli rice burrito bowls, woop woop!! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 04, 2014 at 1:27 pm

        When I started my cauli-research, I was floored by the sheer creativity! So much you can do with one miraculous veggie. 🙂 Your burrito bowls are GORGEOUS!

        Reply
    6. Connie says

      March 04, 2014 at 1:42 pm

      Great collection! The hubs will only eat well-hidden cauliflower, so these are needed so I can get my fix!

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:39 pm

        I have to do the same with spinach in order to get my husband to eat it. It's not quite as easy to hide, though! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Angie (@angiesrecipess) says

      March 04, 2014 at 2:12 pm

      I am a HUGE fan of cauliflowers! This is a great collection, Kare.

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:39 pm

        It's such an incredible veggie, isn't it?!

        Reply
    8. Samantha @FerraroKitchen says

      March 04, 2014 at 2:52 pm

      I am pretty obsessed with cauliflower! I love how it crisps up in the oven! But I am pretty bummed that you beat me to making cauliflower hummus! How have I never thought of this yet? 🙂

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:40 pm

        I thought the same thing when Kiersten posted that recipe for Cauliflower Hummus a few months ago! Such a brilliant idea. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Amy says

      March 04, 2014 at 3:00 pm

      What great ideas for cauliflower! I never would've thought of making cauliflower into a pizza crust - I think this would be a great way to serve healthy pizza to my kids too! Thanks for the great round up 🙂

      Amy
      http://www.midwestjuicegirl.com

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:41 pm

        That's a good point. My toddler is super picky but will eat most anything if it's got crispy parts. I think I'm going to have to see how she does with cauliflower pizza crust or breadsticks sometime soon!

        Reply
    10. Emma says

      March 04, 2014 at 4:15 pm

      Cauliflower really is the new kale! So many great ideas here. Thanks for sharing.
      Top of my list is the smoked paprika popcorn cauliflower.

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:42 pm

        Doesn't that look incredible?! I've made cauliflower "popcorn" before but when I saw the smoked paprika ... mind blown.

        Reply
    11. Grace @ Earthy Feast says

      March 04, 2014 at 4:52 pm

      Fabulous cauliflower round-up! I have yet to try the magical cauliflower pizza crust trick! What am I waiting for?! These all look amazing! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:42 pm

        Go forth and cauli! 😀

        Reply
    12. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      March 04, 2014 at 7:23 pm

      I've been obsessed with cauliflower lately so the timing for this round-up is perfect!

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:43 pm

        I'm pretty obsessed, too. Such a wonder veggie.

        Reply
    13. Maria Tadic says

      March 04, 2014 at 7:46 pm

      I cannot wait to make that buffalo cauliflower dip. The ONE thing I semi miss about being a meat eater are chicken wings! I have yet to give into any cravings...buuuut now that there is a cauliflower version I will be making these ASAP! I'm so excited!

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:43 pm

        Buffalo cauliflower is incredible! No chicken needed. 😉

        Reply
    14. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says

      March 04, 2014 at 8:14 pm

      I am drooling over this list!! Thanks for the mac and cheese shout out!

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:44 pm

        That mac and cheese looks freakin' incredible! Had to include it for sure. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Joanne says

      March 04, 2014 at 11:45 pm

      I am endlessly amazed at cauli's versatility!! I can't wait to try all of these!

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:44 pm

        I know, right?! Is there anything it can't do? Well, maybe my taxes. I sure *wish* it could do my taxes.

        Reply
    16. Monica says

      March 05, 2014 at 12:43 am

      Perfect timing! I've been developing a cauliflower obsession and now I have a list to work from. Thank you. =) I just made the pizza, it was so good that the guys at work were forced to look at it and hear ALL about it. So good! I did flip the crust halfway through and then broiled each side for a few minutes. That, plus mixing the cheese with half parmesan made it an eat with your hands, fold it half, New York kinda slice.

      Thank you for the steady stream of great recipes and ideas!

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:45 pm

        NY-style cauliflower pizza. I'm totally drooling!

        Reply
    17. Christy@SweetandSavoring says

      March 05, 2014 at 10:28 am

      I've been meaning to try the cauliflower pizza crust forever- thanks for the reminder! I love how creative all these food bloggers are! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:45 pm

        Seriously, there are some incredibly creative and talented folks out there! 🙂

        Reply
    18. Rachael@AnAvocadoADay says

      March 07, 2014 at 11:49 am

      Ohhh cauliflower is my favorite so this is my dream collection!

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 11, 2014 at 5:05 pm

        Isn't it the best?!

        Reply
    19. Kira - HealthAble Old Soul says

      March 08, 2014 at 8:51 pm

      *Cauliflower Crazy* I can't get enough cauliflower! While your sneaking in cauliflower in recipes, it is easy to sneak other stuff too!

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 11, 2014 at 5:05 pm

        Excellent point! I'm all for sneaking in as many veggies as possible. 🙂

        Reply
    20. Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says

      March 11, 2014 at 4:22 pm

      What great recipes for cauliflower! Love the looks of that pizza. I just noticed that you have a book on pro biotic drinks. How do I go about getting a copy? I would love to share this on my blog since I am just getting started learning about this.

      Reply
      • Kare Troughton says

        March 11, 2014 at 5:04 pm

        Hi Alicia, thank you! Delicious Probiotic Drinks was written by fellow Oh My Veggies contributor Julia Mueller. You can find out more/get contact info by visiting her blog, theroastedroot.net. Such a great book!

        Reply
    21. Susan Grandone says

      September 05, 2015 at 6:41 am

      OMG! I just started wheat belly lifestyle and broke up with my beloved "potato" 🙁 and found mashed cauliflower 🙂 I could eat it everyday!!...however had no idea it could be turned into pizza crust!!!!! Okay I think I love you guys!!! 🙂 Can't wait to try it and the other recipes mentioned here!!! My husband actually found this blog!! ha ha!! Thank you...Thank you....Thank you!!!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        September 05, 2015 at 11:10 am

        I hope you like it! The cauliflower pizza crust is really good - it doesn't taste exactly like pizza crust, obviously, but I love it. Just wish it was as easy as buying a crust from the grocery store. 😉

        Reply
    22. Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says

      September 08, 2015 at 1:34 pm

      I love how versatile cauliflower is, and the variety of recipes in this round-up showcases that beautifully! Thanks so much for including me.

      Reply
    23. Amy R Gutman says

      September 16, 2017 at 8:44 pm

      Are there links for these recipes? An earlier comment suggests yes, but I'm not seeing anything. Tks!

      Reply

    Something to say? Leave a comment. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    image of the author

    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
    Learn more here.

    signature of author

    get a free 5 day vegetarian meal plan

    shop our vegetarian and vegan cookbooks

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.

    veg kitchen
    step away from the carbs
    all she cooks
    midlife rambler
    wandertooth logo

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Hook & Porter Media

    6.1K shares