We get it: Cauliflower doesn’t exactly scream comfort food. Especially when it isn’t smothered with cheese or sprinkled with bacon. But hear us out: With a little creativity, cauliflower can be transformed into a truly decadent meal (Nachos! Pizza! Fettuccine! Alfredo!). Don’t believe us? We’ll let the buffalo cauli do the talking. Here, 15 satisfying vegan cauliflower recipes you’ll want to make (and eat) on repeat.
15 Vegan Cauliflower Recipes That Are Surprisingly Decadent
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Published Feb 25, 2020
1. Vegan Cauliflower Gnocchi With Kale-cashew Pesto
A quick TJ’s run is all it takes to bring this quick (we’re talking ten minutes) weeknight gnocchi together. The pillowy, pan-fried bites and nutty pesto taste anything but store-bought.
2. White Bean And Cauliflower Alfredo
The protein-heavy sauce—a combo of cauliflower, white beans, nut milk, shallots and nutmeg—is so creamy you won’t believe it’s dairy-free. The best part? You can pop it into the fridge and indulge for up to a week.
3. Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower Bowls
Five warming spices—turmeric, ginger, paprika, cumin and cayenne—are cooled off by creamy avocado and coconut-milk yogurt in this Indian-inspired recipe.
4. Buffalo Cauliflower And Chickpea Casserole
There’s no doubt about it: Cauliflower was made for the spicy buffalo sauce treatment. But this genius recipe upgrades it into a delicious and nourishing meal. Just fill a pan with veggies, rice, broth and hot sauce, stick it in the oven and invite your carnivore friends over.
5. Kung Pao Cauliflower
Why order takeout when you can get this sticky-sweet cauli on the table in 15 minutes? Sample the garlicky ginger sauce and prepare to be hooked.
6. Vegan Cauliflower Nachos With Walnut Taco “meat”
When nacho cravings strike (and for us, they do often), count on this comforting (but super healthy) sheet-pan dinner to get the job done. Sharing is encouraged but unlikely.
7. Easy Orange Cauliflower
Cauliflower takes on bright, citrusy flavors in this six-ingredient wonder. Coat your florets with an OJ and soy sauce-based glaze and spoon them over a bed of rice or fried noodles.
8. Vegan Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
See ya, potatoes. This rich, velvety mash—complete with four garlic cloves, vegan butter and creamy almond milk—is so dreamy you won’t miss the spuds.
9. Mediterranean Chickpea Cauliflower Tots
These cute little tots pack in tons of Mediterranean flavor, thanks to fresh mint, smoked paprika and lemon.
10. Indian Coconut Butter Cauliflower
Coconut milk jumps in for heavy cream in this tasty “butter” cauliflower. And it’s much easier to whip up than the OG chicken version.
11. Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Corn Chowder
Pureed sweet corn and cashew cream team up in this hearty chowder. Add some warm vegan cornbread to the mix and you’ll never want to leave the house.
12. Cauliflower Parmesan
Chicken parm, but make it vegan. Fry up the breaded cauliflower “cutlets” in a skillet or toss them into the oven until they’re crisp and golden brown. (And don’t skimp on the vegan mozzarella.)
13. Vegan Cauliflower Gratin
With silky chipotle garlic “cheese” and crunchy bread crumbs, this decadent side dish is sure to outshine the main event. (And shh, it’s secretly pretty healthy.)
14. Crispy Baked Cauliflower “wings”
Why wait until game day? Enjoy these garlic-, paprika- and cumin-coated babies any day of the week.
15. Cauliflower Curry With Crispy Shallots
This simple yellow curry is bursting with Thai flavors. And if by some miracle you don’t eat it all in one sitting, it tastes even better on day two.