How To Cook Cauliflower In The Microwave

If you’re looking for simple ways to add more vegetables to your life, read on to find out How To Cook Cauliflower In The Microwave.

Growing up, I wouldn’t touch cauliflower. It may have been because it was always served to me raw with a side of ranch dressing. Today, it’s one of my favorite veggies, raw (skip the ranch) or cooked. However, I think the best ways to enjoy it are roasted and steamed. Both yield different results, and in this recipe, we’ll discuss how to steam it. 

Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to enjoy vegetables, since the steam gently cooks without destroying nutrients. Did you know that the microwave is a great way to steam things? A steaming basket and pot work well, but for quick results, the microwave is the way to go. One thing I love about cauliflower is its mild taste. It’s not a bold vegetable, which means it takes on the flavors you add to it easily and never overpowers anything. Try cauliflower as a healthy choice to add to a stir-fry or fried rice, or enjoy it on its own. In this recipe, the simplicity of salt, pepper, and lemon or lime juice delivers a refreshing, light flavor that pairs well with all kinds of other dishes.

Is Cauliflower Cooked In The Microwave Healthy?

Yes. This cruciferous powerhouse is a good source of vitamins C, K, and B9 (folate), along with minerals such as manganese and potassium. Once steamed, the cauliflower is tossed in a little olive oil (a good source of heart-healthy fats), lemon or lime juice (which adds vitamin C), and salt and pepper. Those who are watching their sodium intake can omit the salt and replace it with garlic powder.

Delicious Ways To Use Steamed Cauliflower

Though I often serve steamed cauliflower simply as a side dish, there are many other delicious ways to use it. Just note that depending on the preparation, you might want to omit the olive oil and/or lemon/lime juice. For example, you could mash it up, mix it with egg, cheese, and spices, and turn it into a pizza crust; use it as a base for cauliflower tater tots; add it to grain bowls; or even blitz it into your hummus (as I often do). But why not think outside the box? Use the cauliflower to make gnocchi sautéed in butter, sage, crushed garlic, and chili. Make a cold cauliflower salad with roasted chickpeas, za’atar, pickled red onions, toasted slivered almonds, and pomegranate seeds. Blitz it in a food processor along with cooked carrot coins, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, turmeric, and onion powder to make a vegan “cheese” sauce.

And my favorite way to jazz it up? Cook it three more minutes or so, until it is fall-apart tender, and purée it into a velvety soup with vegetable stock, fresh thyme, and roasted garlic. Crown with pangrattato (breadcrumbs toasted in oil) and either a drizzle of truffle oil or chili oil.

Serving Suggestions

Microwaved cauliflower makes a great side dish. I love it with a thick, hearty slice of Vegan Meatloaf and some Steamed Potatoes. It’s also lovely in a colorful Mediterranean Bowl or used in a creamy and decadent Cauliflower Cheese Casserole. And why not eat it as a snack, dipped into some zesty Garlic-Parmesan Sauce?

Recipe