Get ready to turn your Meat-Free Monday into a veggie extravaganza with our creative cauliflower recipes! Whether you’re craving spicy pitas or creamy mac ’n cheese, try these great recipes today!  

Cauliflower bread with avocado slices 

Makes 1 loaf // Cooking time 1 hour 10 minutes 

 
Ingredients 

1 cauliflower
1 cup egg whites (±8 eggs)
2 whole eggs
½ cup coconut flour
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp mixed herbs
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
½ cup cheddar, grated
Avocado, to serve  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease and line a loaf tin.
2. Discard cauliflower leaves. Chop florets into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until it resembles rice.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except the cheddar and avocado, and blend.
4. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, smooth out the top and sprinkle with both cheeses.
5. Bake for 10 minutes at 220°C, then decrease the temperature to 180°C and bake for another 45–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Allow the loaf to cool for 15 minutes, then turn out on to a board to slice. Serve as is or lightly toasted with plenty of avocado.

Recipe & styling: Brita du Plessis
Photography: Kendall-Leigh Nash // HMimages.co.za 

 

Crunchy spiced cauliflower pitas 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients 

½ cup vegetable oil
1½ Tbsp chilli flakes
1 red chilli, chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup breadcrumbs 
1 Tbsp Moroccan spice mix
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup golden syrup 

To serve  

4 pitas, heated 
180g tub hummus
Handful coriander 
¼ red onion, thinly sliced    

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 
2. Carefully heat the oil in a pan over medium heat until smoking. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the chilli flakes and chilli and set aside to infuse. 
3. While the oil is infusing, steam the cauliflower for 4 minutes. 
4. Mix the breadcrumbs and Moroccan spice together.
5. Dip cauliflower into the beaten egg and then into breadcrumbs. Once evenly coated, place on the prepared tray. Bake for about 10 min, until golden brown. 
6. Mix the syrup into the chilli oil. Drizzle half over the crispy cauliflower and toss to coat. Add more if needed.
7. To serve, spread pitas with hummus. Top with crispy cauliflower and drizzle with remaining chilli oil. Garnish with a handful of fresh coriander and sliced red onion.

Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Chanelle Manuel/HMIMAGES.CO.ZA 

 

Cauliflower and coconut soup with chilli oil 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 30 minutes 

 

Ingredients 

1 cauliflower, chopped
⅓ cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 red chillies, seeded and chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
400ml tin coconut cream
Salt and black pepper
Toasted coconut flakes, to garnish  

Method 

1. Set aside a few cauliflower florets for garnishing.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and 1 chopped chili, and fry for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the chopped cauliflower and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Heat a drop of oil in a pan and fry the reserved cauliflower florets for a few minutes, until they are slightly charred.
5. To make the chili oil, place the remaining olive oil and chilies in a pan over medium heat. Fry until chilies are slightly browned. Pour the oil out of the pan and allow to cool down.
6. Purée the soup with a stick blender. Add the coconut cream and season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with charred cauliflower florets, toasted coconut flakes and a drizzle of chili oil.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil & Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

 

Cauliflower Nachos 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 25 minutes

 

Ingredients 

1 large cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp turmeric
Salt and black pepper
400g tin black beans (or corn)
Handful coriander, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, diced
Squeeze lemon juice
½ cup grated Cheddar
¼ cup pickled jalapeños 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Break the cauliflower into florets, then cut into 1 cm-thick slices.
3. Toss with oil, cumin, chilli flakes, turmeric, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until crispy. Put the grill on.
4. For the salsa, combine beans or corn, coriander, tomatoes and onion. Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Place on an ovenproof serving dish. Top with Cheddar and pop under the grill until melted.
6. Serve topped with salsa and jalapeños.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

 

Cauliflower mac and cheese  

Serves 4-6  

Ingredients  

2 Tbsp butter 
2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
3 sprigs each thyme and rosemary 
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets 
2 cups milk 
1 cup cream 
2 cups grated Cheddar 
1 packet (500g) macaroni, cooked
1 punnet vine or cherry tomatoes 
3 slices crusty bread, torn into chunks   

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Heat butter and oil in a pan and sauté the onion until golden. 
3. Add garlic, herbs and ¾ of the cauliflower and fry for 1 minute. 
4. Pour in milk and cream, then simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. 
5. Mash cauliflower to create a sauce and stir through the cheese. 
6. Toss pasta through sauce and transfer into a greased ovenproof dish. 
7. Top with tomatoes and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted.

Words by: Chad January
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine