How To Boil Cauliflower

black bowl holding cauliflower on wooden background

5 from 3 votes

READY in LESS THAN 30 MINUTES! Boiling Cauliflower is an essential skill for many recipes. Learn how right here PLUS, in case you didn't know, it's delicious just eaten this way too!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: How to Boil Cauliflower, Cauliflower Recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 89kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
1 quart water or enough water to cover the cauliflower
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp butter melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Remove the florets from the cauliflower and set the stalks aside for some other use.
Place the cauliflower into a medium sized sauce pan and cover with water. Add more water if 1 quart doesn't cover all of the pieces.
Add 1 tbsp of salt to the water. Heat on high for 5-7 minutes until the water is simmering.
Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes, then check the cauliflower by piercing it with a fork. If you are using this cauliflower for another cooked recipe, then the fork should barely pierce the exterior of the cauliflower. If you plan to eat the cauliflower as is, cook it until a fork goes easily through the entire piece (10 minutes or so).
While the cauliflower is cooking, melt butter in a small sauce pan and add the garlic powder and onion powder to the butter, stir well. Turn the heat off when the butter is fully melted.
When cauliflower is cooked the way you want, pour into a colander to drain initially and then place on paper towels to drain on paper towels.
Once drained, place in a bowl and pour the melted butter mixture over the top. Taste and add salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

If you plan to eat right away, then you will want your cauliflower more tender (so that the fork easily goes through the entire piece).
Are you using it in a recipe that will be cooked more? Then only boil it until a fork can pierce the cauliflower but doesn't want to go completely through.
Cauliflower is brittle when raw, it breaks easily and can not be pierced with a fork at all (it will split and crumble).
You will notice that it turns a slightly different color when cooked, a greenish pearly translucent color. This is normal.
Save the water you boiled the cauliflower in if you are making a sauce, it can be used to thin and flavor the sauce.

PRO TIP: The smaller the pieces of cauliflower are, the more quickly they will cook, no matter HOW you are cooking them. Be careful so as not to over cook the cauliflower. Drain it well to remove the extra water.

Nutrition