Natural form

A whole cauliflower head showing its dense white curd and broad green leaves.

Shows the reader exactly what an intact cauliflower looks like at purchase — curd color, leaf structure, and overall scale.

Produce

Cauliflower

Versatile white florets — roast, rice, or purée

Mild and nutty when roasted, cauliflower also rices, purées, and even stands in as a low-carb base. The whole head keeps well for a couple of weeks, cold.

Cauliflower is a mild, nutty brassica that has become a kitchen chameleon — roast it whole for a showstopping centerpiece, break it into florets that caramelize sweetly, rice it as a low-carb base, or purée it into a silky alternative to mashed potato. Its pale, dense head soaks up spices and char beautifully, turning from bland-when-boiled to genuinely crave-worthy when given real heat. Endlessly adaptable and a favorite of plant-forward cooking.

Measured in: g
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 14 days

Find it in

Produce

Types & varieties

White

The common creamy-white head; all-purpose

Orange (cheddar)

Beta-carotene-rich, naturally orange; slightly sweeter

Purple

Vivid violet from anthocyanins; mild, fades when boiled

Romanesco

Chartreuse fractal spirals; nuttier, broccoli-leaning

How to choose

Pick a head that's heavy and firm with tightly packed, creamy curds and crisp, fresh green leaves. Avoid heads with brown or black spongy spots, spreading discoloration, or a strong smell. Small brown freckles can be trimmed, but widespread spotting means it's past its best.

How to store and prep

Keep cauliflower in the crisper, loosely bagged, stem-side up to keep moisture off the curds, and use within about a week. To break it down, remove the leaves, cut around the core, and separate into florets; slice the tender core too. For 'rice', pulse florets in a food processor until they're the texture of grains.

Store loosely bagged, up to a week
Cut out the core, then into florets
Pulse to rice; don't over-process to mush

How to cook it well

Boiling makes cauliflower watery and bland; dry heat makes it sing. Roast florets at high heat with oil until the edges are deeply browned and the insides creamy, or roast a whole head slathered in spiced butter or yogurt for drama. Steam-then-pan-fry, or purée cooked cauliflower with butter and a splash of milk for a luscious side.

Common uses

Roasted cauliflower steaks and floretsCauliflower riceAloo gobi and curriesCauliflower cheeseWhole roasted headCauliflower purée/soupBuffalo cauliflowerGratin

Tips & pitfalls

Roast hard — deep browning turns bland cauliflower nutty and sweet
Pat florets dry before roasting so they brown instead of steam
Pulse into 'rice' for a quick low-carb base — sauté briefly to dry it out
A whole roasted head, spiced and basted, makes a stunning centerpiece
Purée with butter and a touch of cream for silky mash

Nutrition

25kcal

Energy

105 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 26%Carbs 66%Fat 8%

Protein

1.9g

4% DV

Carbs

2% DV

Fat

0.3g

0% DV

Fiber

7% DV

Sugars

1.9g

of which

Sodium

30mg

1% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin C54% DV

Folate14% DV

Vitamin K13% DV

Vitamin B611% DV

Potassium6% DV

Riboflavin (B2)5% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Cauliflower, raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Cauliflower
1.3 kg · Mercadona
€2.67
Cauliflower 1 unit
Bonpreu
€2.79
FINDUS Cauliflower
FINDUS · kg · Bonpreu
€2.95
Bonpreu Cauliflower
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€1.60
Microwave Cauliflower Florets
Hacendado · 300 g · Mercadona
€1.60
Organic Cauliflower Km0 1 unit
Bonpreu
€2.69

Good to know

Peak season: Fall through spring; available year-round
Flavor: Mild, nutty, faintly sweet; deepens when roasted
Origin: Mediterranean; a cultivated brassica (Brassica oleracea)
Nutrition: ~25 kcal/100g; vitamin C, K, folate, fiber
How to buy: Heavy, tight, creamy-white head; fresh green leaves; no dark spots

Substitutes