Bestemor’s (Grandmother’s) Creamy Cauliflower
Can there be anything more dreamy than this creamy cauliflower?
Every year, I visit Norway, and one of the highlights is cooking with my grandma. Today she is showing us how to make a wonderful creamy cauliflower dish. This is definitely a family favorite.
It is so velvety and delicious that we usually have to make a boatload to feed the family.
Why you’ll love this creamy cauliflower recipe
- Rich and creamy texture: This recipe is luxuriously creamy without needing dairy or heavy cream. It’s a truly satisfying and cozy texture.
- Healthier alternative: By using cashews as the base for the sauce, you’re incorporating heart-healthy fats and plant-based protein while reducing saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Nutritious Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a low-calorie, nutrient-packed vegetable high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. It’s a guilt-free and healthy addition to your meal.
- Versatility: Creamy cauliflower can be served as a side dish, a vegetarian main course, or with pasta or roasted vegetables.
- Quick and easy: With relatively straightforward preparation and cooking steps, this recipe is accessible for cooks of all levels.
- Kid-friendly: The creamy texture and mild, comforting flavors make this recipe appealing to children. It’s a great way to encourage them to eat more veggies.
- Satisfying and filling: The richness of the sauce, coupled with the cauliflower, results in a satisfying dish that can stand as a filling main course or complement other dishes on your table.
- Customizable: You can adjust the seasonings, spices, and thickness of the sauce to your taste, allowing you to create a unique version that suits your palate.
Looking for more recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Vegan Potato Kale Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
- Crispy Baked Hash Browns
- Vegan Raspberry Truffles
Ingredients and substitution notes
- Cauliflower: Select a fresh head of cauliflower. To prepare it for this creamy dish, cut it into florets. Ensure the florets are of similar size to ensure even cooking.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is a common choice, but you can use alternative flour like gluten-free options.
- Garlic powder: For a mild, savory garlic flavor to the creamy sauce.
- Onion powder: Contributes a subtle oniony aroma and flavor to the sauce. It enhances the overall taste without the texture of chopped onions.
- Vegetable Bouillon: Adds so much delicious flavor, guys! It’s full of savory goodness you’ll love.
- Olive oil: Avocado oil is a great substitute if you need one.
- Cashews: Cashews are used to create a creamy and dairy-free base for the sauce.
Top tips
- Choose fresh cauliflower: Avoid any heads with brown spots or signs of wilting. Your head of cauliflower should be bright white and firm.
- Uniform florets: Cut the cauliflower into uniform-sized florets to ensure even cooking. This helps them cook at the same rate and achieve a consistent texture.
- Blend thoroughly: When blending the cashew sauce, blend it until it’s silky and free of lumps. This ensures a velvety consistency.
- Adjust the thickness: Depending on your preference, you can adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding more or less water or non-dairy milk during blending.
- Season gradually: When adding spices, garlic powder, onion powder, and vegetable seasoning, do so slowly, tasting as you go. This allows you to control the flavor and avoid over-seasoning.
- Balancing flavors: Achieve a harmonious balance of flavors by adjusting the amounts of lemon juice and seasoning to suit your taste. Lemon juice can brighten the dish, while the seasoning adds depth.
- Reheat gently: If you’re making this dish ahead of time, reheat it gently to avoid scorching or overcooking.
Make ahead of instructions and storage
Make-ahead instructions:
Follow your creamy cauliflower recipe until you have a smooth and creamy consistency. Ensure the cauliflower is fully cooked and seasoned to your liking.
Allow the cauliflower to cool to room temperature. This helps prevent condensation inside the storage container and maintains the texture.
Storage instructions:
This creamy cauliflower can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Keep it in a sealed container to maintain freshness and avoid cross-flavoring with other foods.
When you’re ready to serve, reheat the cauliflower gently in a saucepan on the stovetop. Add a splash of water, non-dairy milk, or vegetable broth if it has thickened or dried out during storage. Stir it as it reheats to maintain the creamy texture.
Before serving, taste the reheated cauliflower and adjust the seasonings, such as salt or any additional ingredients, to match your preference.
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Bestemor’s (Grandmother’s) Creamy Cauliflower
Description
Every year I get to visit Norway, and one of the highlights is cooking with my grandma. Today she is showing us how to make a wonderful creamy cauliflower dish. This is definitely a family favorite. It is so creamy and delicious that we usually have to make a boatload to feed the family.
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 4–5 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable seasoning (Bouillon) (Chicken style seasoning)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup soaked cashews, drained
- 1 tablespoon vegetable seasoning (Bouillon) (Chicken style seasoning)
Instructions
- Break cauliflower into florets, place in a large pot and cover with water. Add some salt for flavor. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. (The cauliflower should still be firm). Drain water and set aside.
- Prepare flour and herb mixture for dipping by adding seasoning to the flour. Feel free to be creative. My grandma usually just adds seasoning until she likes the flavor. Stir well to combine.
- Dip each floret in the flour mixture. Brown in pan with a little oil until all sides of cauliflower florets are brown. Return to large pot.
- Prepare cream. Drained soaked cashews. Place in blender. Add water from drained cauliflower, vegetable seasoning, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the cream over cauliflower in large pot. Bring to a simmer, and let simmer for 5 minutes or so.
Wow, amazing comfort food. I put my cauliflower in the air fryer and browned it that way. I also added a little thickened to the gravy, but it was fabulous. Love your bestemor. She is so cute!
Sounds amazing! I may have to try putting the cauliflower in an air fryer sometime. Thank you for trying my recipe:)