Instant Pot Recipes with Cauliflower
Cauliflower florets are capable of many things. We can use them as substitutes for other foods and nutritious sides, and all it takes to cook them is some boiling water. Instant Pot recipes with cauliflower make things even easier.
The best way to make cauliflower recipes is by using Instant Pot recipes with cauliflower that are easy and transformative. Instant Pots are counter cooking appliances that use a combination of pressure cooking, steam, and heat to cook food faster without burning or drying it out.
Instant Pot pressure cooking is a quicker way to get the job done. However, it is also an easier way to take plain ingredients like cauliflower and transform them into something entirely different.
There is no better ingredient out there to change entirely. Cauliflower tastes good on its own, but let’s face it: it’s pretty mild in the flavor department. Cauliflower does have texture, though, and that is what we can use to change a possibly less healthy dish into an entirely healthy side dish or even a main dish.
Pressure cooker cauliflower can take on different flavors quickly thanks to its mild natural flavor. That texture also allows us to utilize cauliflower to replace unhealthy ingredients in an otherwise delicious recipe.
We can combine delicious flavors with the tender cauliflower in an easy recipe to make a simple side dish or even a main one everyone enjoys. Cauliflower makes a great substitute, a healthy vegetable, and is the easiest way to put something unique on the dinner table.
Instant Pot Recipes with Cauliflower
One of the biggest reasons people enjoy cauliflower is its nutritional value. There are plenty of healthy Instant Pot recipes we can try. However, most people aren’t too concerned with nutrition data unless they are working toward a goal.
Instead, the most significant deciding factor for dinner tonight is always going to be time. Do we have the time to make a healthy meal tonight? Probably not. How about the time to make something somewhat healthy with fresh ingredients?
Nope, unless we cut this or that out, go to bed later, or wake up earlier. This is why cauliflower Instant Pot recipes make such a huge difference. We can create something as delicious as garlic parmesan cauliflower in under three minutes using an Instant Pot.
You would be surprised how far you can get with a cup of water, some garlic powder, and a head of cauliflower. Of course, some recipes are even more straightforward, like simple Instant Pot cauliflower.
Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan of cauliflower by itself. We need to enhance it in as many ways as possible.
Why Do You Soak Cauliflower Before Cooking?
Not many Instant Pot recipes with cauliflower will have soaking the cauliflower in cool salt water as a part of the directions. You would usually want to do this step if you make steamed cauliflower or place it on a baking sheet to roast it.
Soaking a whole cauliflower head, florets, or slices is an easy way to remove dirt or bugs. Instant Pots won’t get the job done, so it is recommended to soak the cauliflower still. Luckily, it only needs to soak in cold water with salt for about 10 minutes.
Afterward, you can toss the cauliflower into an Instant Pot to make curry cauliflower. Curry is a strong flavor that a lot of people love. However, you can also go with something as simple as Instant Pot mashed cauliflower.
Both options would be great, but cauliflower doesn’t have to remain as it is in order to be delicious. In fact, cauliflower is often used as a substitute for something else with less nutritional value than cooked cauliflower.
The goal is to use it as a substitute for something with a similar texture.
Why is Cauliflower a Good Substitute?
The best Instant Pot recipes with cauliflower are the ones that use cauliflower as a substitute, but why? Cauliflower contains a ton of nutrients, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium. Some of the nutrients will be cooked out during the cooking process.
However, much of it will remain, and the important thing isn’t always what’s there but what isn’t. For example, a whole head of cauliflower has fewer carbs than potatoes but a similar texture when cooked.
There’s no gluten, which makes it fit as a substitute for grains and legumes. And with recipes like Instant Pot loaded mashed cauliflower, why not? Recipes like that might even have cauliflower haters changing their tunes.
The next time you need to make mashed potatoes, try that recipe instead, and don’t tell anyone. See if they can even notice the difference. We can even trick our kids into eating something healthy with recipes like Instant Pot cauliflower mac and cheese!
You may be able to tell that cauliflower is a good substitute for carbs, potatoes, and pasta. Though, potatoes are where cauliflower really excels. You can make an easy side dish that everyone finds familiar and loves but with a more nutritious twist.
Is Cauliflower and Cheese a Side Dish?
Cauliflower and cheese go very well together. Cheese adds a ton of flavor, and cauliflower adds texture. Unfortunately, cauliflower and cheese go so well together that people have started using a cauliflower cheese recipe as a cheese substitute.
Luckily, the best Instant Pot recipes with cauliflower won’t utilize cauliflower cheese. Instead, they will use the good, old-fashioned cheese and cauliflower combination. An easy creamy cauliflower au gratin fits the bill perfectly.
Cheese and cauliflower really are best friends. The only way things can improve is by adding even more cheese. What’s cheesier than cauliflower au gratin? How about a simple cheesy cauliflower Instant Pot recipe?
This is the type of recipe that you may not be able to get away with giving as is to the kids. They will see Instant Pot broccoli, but white. It will be difficult to stop once you open up the world of cauliflower and Instant Pots.
How Long Does Cauliflower Take to Cook?
Instant Pot recipes are amazing because they cook so quickly. We already know how Instant Pots get the job done. However, what can we make in a short time? Cauliflower fried rice is something we can make in an Instant Pot in under half an hour.
This dish is very simple, though it will require a bit more prep time to complete. People often use recipes with cauliflower as meal prep, and cauliflower fried rice is the perfect meal prep side dish.
Another one of the easy Instant Pot recipes with cauliflower is cauliflower soup, and yes, there’s cheese in it. Cauliflower truly is a versatile ingredient that can be used any time of year. The Instant Pot makes it easier to enjoy, and these recipes pack it with flavor.
We can’t possibly skip picking some up the next time we visit the grocery store, primarily when recipes like Instant Pot buffalo chicken and cauliflower exist.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Healthy Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken | You can make another healthy dish as well. Actually, it is more like creating a healthier version of an already amazing dish.
Instant Pot Sausage and Kale Soup Recipe | But you might be ready to venture into more healthy options like kale and sausage soup. Don’t let the name fool you; this one is a keeper.
Instant Pot Pork Chops Recipe | Pork may not be the healthiest protein but it is low carb. In fact, pork chops and even bacon are included in keto diets everywhere.
Healthy Instant Pot Chicken and Veggies Soup | Chicken is definitely a healthier option as well, and it is filled with protein.
Instant Pot Goulash Recipe with Beef | Then we have goulash. Not everything has to be healthy food all of the time, right?