How to Grill Cauliflower

Explore this Article

methods

Ingredients

1Grilling Cauliflower Florets

2Making Cauliflower Steaks

Other Sections

Things You'll Need

Related Articles

References

Cauliflower is both nutritious and delicious! This versatile vegetable cooks fantastically on the grill. Either grill the florets or cut the head of cauliflower into steaks and grill them whole. Both options are delicious entrees or sides to a main meal.

Ingredients

Making Cauliflower Steaks

• 1 head of washed cauliflower
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5.7 grams) sea salt
• 1 tsp (2.3 grams) cracked pepper

Serves 4 as a side

Grilling Cauliflower Florets

• 1 head of washed cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5.7 grams) salt
• 1 tsp (2 grams) curry powder
• ½ tsp (1 gram) paprika

Serves 4 as a side

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Grilling Cauliflower Florets

1. 
   1
   Preheat the grill to a medium heat. This temperature allows the cauliflower to cook right through and lightly brown without getting burnt. If your grill has large grates, lay a piece of aluminium foil over the grill to stop the florets from falling through the gaps.

   • Grills typically take 10-15 minutes to heat up.
2. 
   2
   Chop the cauliflower into large 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) florets. Use a sharp knife to cut up the cauliflower into pieces. Try to make the florets similar sizes so that they cook evenly on the grill. Cut the cauliflower on a chopping board to avoid marking the bench top.

   • Dispose of the stalk into the compost or trash.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Drizzle olive oil over the florets and season them with salt and pepper. Slowly pour 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of olive oil over the pieces of cauliflower. Sprinkle 1 tsp (5 grams) of sea salt and 1 tsp (5 grams) of cracked pepper over the cauliflower to bring out the flavour.

   • Use extra-virgin olive oil to receive the maximum health benefits and taste from the oil.
4. 
   4
   Spread the florets out on the grill. Carefully place the cauliflower pieces onto the grill. Use a metal spatula to spread the florets out so that they lie in a single layer. This will help them to cook evenly and quickly.

   • Always be careful when using a grill to avoid burns.
5. 
   5
   Turn the florets over every 2 minutes until they are golden brown. After 2 minutes, use a metal spatula to gently turn the florets over. Continue to turn the florets over every 2 minutes to stop them from burning. Keep the cauliflower on the heat for about 12 minutes or until the florets have turned golden brown.

   • If the florets are charcoaling quickly, turn the heat of the grill down.
   • Ensure that the florets remain in a single layer as this will help them to cook evenly.
6. 
   6
   Serve the cauliflower with your favourite meat and sauce. Grilled cauliflower florets are a great accompaniment to any meat. Drizzle a gravy, cheese sauce, or plum sauce over the cauliflower florets to add extra flavour.

   • Grilled cauliflower is best eaten hot, as it tends to go soggy once it cools down.
   Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Cauliflower Steaks

1. 
   1
   Slice the cauliflower into 4 steaks that are 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. On a chopping board, use a sharp knife to cut from the top of the cauliflower down to the base. Make each cut 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart so that the steaks are thick enough not to dry out on the grill.

   • If your cauliflower is particularly large you may be able to cut 5-6 steaks.
   • If any of the florets fall off the cauliflower as you are chopping the steaks, save them to roast or boil later.
2. 
   2
   Mix the olive oil, salt, curry powder, and paprika in a small bowl. Measure 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil, 1 tsp (5.7 grams) of salt, 1 tsp (2 grams) of curry powder, and ½ tsp (1 gram) of paprika into a bowl. Stir the ingredients with a fork until they are combined. This seasoning mixture will add flavour to the cauliflower steaks.

   • If you don’t like spicy food, don’t add the curry powder.
3. 
   3
   Drizzle the seasoning mixture over the cauliflower steaks. Evenly pour the mixture over the steaks to coat them with the seasoning. The mixture will help the steaks to go crispy and will add plenty of flavour.

   • If it is difficult to pour the mixture from your bowl, use a baking brush to apply the mixture instead.
4. 
   4
   Lay the steaks onto the grill and let them cook on high for 5 minutes. Place the seasoned side of the cauliflower steak face up on the grill. Set the grill to the high setting and set a timer for 5 minutes.

   • Keep an eye on the cauliflower steaks as they grill. If they start smoking, turn the heat down to medium.
5. 
   5
   Flip the steaks over and leave them to cook for another 10 minutes on low. Gently turn the cauliflowers steaks over with a spatula to stop them from falling apart. Turn the heat down to low to stop the steaks from becoming too charcoaled. This extra cooking time helps the steaks to become tender.

   • Set a timer for 10 minutes to remind yourself to remove the steaks from the heat.
6. 
   6
   Serve the steaks with your favourite sauce. These cauliflower steaks are the perfect side to a meat dish or can be eaten on their own as a vegetarian alternative to steak. Serve the steaks with a yoghurt sauce, plum sauce, gravy, or your favourite vegetable sauce.

   • These steaks taste best served immediately and eaten hot.
   Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Things You’ll Need

Grilling Cauliflower Florets

• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Measuring spoons
• Spatula

Making Cauliflower Steaks

• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Small bowl
• Spatula
• Fork
• Measuring spoons