In addition to being a stunner of a vegetable, cauliflower is extremely versatile, inspiring cooks everywhere to experiment with new ways of cooking it (cauliflower rice, anyone?). But good old-fashioned roasting is one of our favorite methods. And if you're not going to cook a head of cauliflower whole, you have to learn how to deconstruct this round, tightly knit vegetable. Don't get intimidated—get excited.
Kitchen Smarts: How to Prep Cauliflower 3 Ways
Vegetables Illustrated
An exciting guide with stunning photos and inspired recipes for everything from your favorite everyday vegetables to more adventurous farmers’ market choices.In this video, part of the “Kitchen Smarts” series on America’s Test Kitchen’s YouTube channel, America’s Test Kitchen books team test cook Joe Gitter demonstrates three different techniques for preparing cauliflower to be roasted. Using common kitchen tools—a chef’s knife and a pair of kitchen shears—we created evenly-sized pieces that brown nicely. Here are some of our findings:
- Slice into “meaty” steaks: After halving the cauliflower, cutting in 1½-inch planks from each side allows for perfect cooking. In the oven, these thick slabs develop a substantial, meaty texture and become nutty, sweet, and caramelized.
- Cut through the core (into wedges): Once you have your halves, slice each one into equal wedges, and then cut those in half for 8 total wedges.
- Use kitchen shears for neater prep: After cutting away the leaves and the stem, turn the cauliflower stem-up and start snipping away the florets. This method gives you more individual florets and allows for easier clean up and less waste.
Watch the Video
Featured Equipment
Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 8” Chef’s Knife
This knife’s “super-sharp” blade was “silent” and “smooth,” retaining its edge after weeks of testing.Kershaw Taskmaster Shears/Shun Multi-Purpose Shears
With a razor-sharp 25-degree angle, the shears’ cutter blade sliced through every kind of food with equal ease.Proteak Edge Grain Teak Cutting Board
Roomy, knife-friendly, and exceptionally durable, this teak slab was worth every penny.Subscribe to the America’s Test Kitchen YouTube channel to get alerted whenever we add a new video. And check out more Kitchen Smarts articles.
What’s your favorite way to cook your cauliflower? Let us know in the comments!