Grilled Cauliflower Recipe: How to Grill Cauliflower

Grilled cauliflower is a preparation of cauliflower that involves cooking this cruciferous vegetable on a hot grill until charred and crispy. In the summertime, when it’s too hot for roasting, grill the florets for a barbecue-friendly interpretation of aloo gobi, or make your favorite vinaigrette recipe and toss the florets into an easy roasted vegetable salad. Grilled cauliflower steak is a low-carb, vegan entrée.

A popular vegetable in the cabbage or Brassicaceae family, cauliflower is an excellent source of nutrients, including calcium, potassium, vitamins B6, C, K, and dietary fiber.

You can grill cauliflower whole or cut it into florets or cross sections. Here’s what to know about each preparation:

1. 1. Grilled cauliflower florets: Cauliflower florets are the flowering stems cut from the head of the cauliflower. Grilled cauliflower florets are a great side dish that takes less time to cook than cauliflower steaks or whole heads. This preparation style ensures that more of the vegetable’s surface area gets charred and caramelized, giving it lots of delicious flavors. To prevent the smaller florets from falling in between the grill grates, use skewers or a grill basket.
2. 2. Grilled cauliflower steaks: A cauliflower steak is a thick-cut cross section from the head of the cauliflower. While cauliflower steak is not related to the popular meat entrée, you can grill these thick slices like a traditional steak, until you get grill marks on both sides of the vegetable.
3. 3. Grilled whole head of cauliflower: A grilled whole head of cauliflower makes for a show-stopping main dish or side dish, with minimal prep work. It will take longer to cook because of the sheer volume of the vegetable, but the result is worth the wait. To speed things up, par-boil or steam the cauliflower before throwing it on the grill.

Cauliflower is a mild-tasting vegetable that benefits from bold flavors. Here are some ideas for how to serve the veggie:

1. 1. Cauliflower steak with salsa verde: Grilled cauliflower steak is the perfect vehicle for bright, flavor-packed sauces such as herby salsa verde, made with parsley, capers, lemon zest, and olive oil. Learn how to make authentic Italian salsa verde with Chef Massimo Bottura’s recipe, or, for an Argentinian twist, try this easy chimichurri recipe.
2. 2. Grilled cauliflower salad: Add grilled cauliflower to salads for an easy side dish. Pair it with Mediterranean flavors like tahini, lemon, garlic, parsley, and mint, which complement the light taste of cauliflower.
3. 3. Spicy cauliflower skewers: Spice up mild cauliflower with hot chili peppers. Try adapting Yotam Ottolenghi’s roasted cauliflower with harissa chili oil for the grill by brushing the spicy oil on skewers of cauliflower florets, onion, and Fresno chilis. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

You can make grilled cauliflower on a charcoal grill, gas grill, or a grill pan inside. Here’s what you need to know:

1. 1. Clean your cauliflower thoroughly. Cauliflower contains many crevices and cracks where dirt and pests can hide, so it’s essential to clean your cauliflower before grilling. Blanching the cauliflower in a pot of salted water is an extra step that can speed up the grilling time and remove any hidden dirt or bugs. Learn how to clean cauliflower.
2. 2. Rotate the cauliflower on the grill to ensure even cooking. The crown (florets) of cauliflower and the stalk have different cook times, so rotating them when grilling is essential. The crown is susceptible to burning and charring quicker than the stalks, which require a longer cook time to reach tenderness. Concentrate your coals to one side of the grill to create a higher temperature zone where you can cook the stalks, leaving the crowns unscathed.
3. 3. Use a grill pan. A stovetop grill pan is a great alternative to outdoor grilling if the weather is bad or you don’t have a grill. If you plan to dress your cauliflower with wet ingredients like olive oil, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar, the pan will catch those delicious juices.