Can You Sous Vide Cauliflower?

When people think of cauliflower, the first thing that comes to mind is its overcooked version: bland, mushy, and completely forgettable. But when you sous vide cauliflower, the seemingly dull veggie transforms into a restaurant-worthy dish, with mouth-melting texture and rich flavor. Additionally, studies suggest that cooking cauliflower sous vide will preserve more antioxidants and vitamins than any other method of cooking, including boiling, steaming, or microwaving.

Sous Vide Cauliflower Steak

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head
• extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• sea salt, to taste
• italian herb seasoning (optional)

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into 1″ thick slices. To ensure that “steak” similarity, cut the slices from the middle of the cauliflower, leaving the floret sides for another dish. Place the cauliflower steaks in a plastic vacuum bag and submerge in a hot water bath. Sous vide at 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius for an hour. Once cooked, take the bag out of your sous vide oven and shock in an ice bath. The sous vide cauliflower steaks should be patted dry with a paper towel and drizzled with a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Sprinkle with italian herb seasoning for an intense aroma. Sear both sides of the steak on a heated pan for a few minutes until they turn to a nice golden color.

Cauliflower Puree Sous Vide (Low Carb “Mashed Potatoes”)

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head, cut into smaller pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• chopped cilantro for garnishing

Instructions

Preheat the water in your sous vide cooker to 185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 degrees Celsius. Chop up your cauliflower head to 2” pieces and mix them with onion, garlic, butter (or oil), and seasoning (salt and pepper). Seal the cauliflower in a zip bag, or a vacuum bag and cook sous vide for about an hour. Once the cauliflower is cooked, immerse it in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Strain the sous vide veggies through a fine-mesh strainer until there’s no more liquid in the mix. Take the drained contents to a food processor, add heavy cream and process until you get a fluffy, creamy puree. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Sous Vide Marinated Asian Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head, chopped to florets
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce
• pepper to taste
• chilly flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into small portions if its florets are too big- the pieces should be circa 2” in size. Mix the chopped cauliflower with soy sauce, fish sauce, and spices (leave out chili flakes/cayenne if you don’t want it to be spicy), and place in a vacuum sealed bag. Preheat your sous vide machine to 185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 degrees Celsius, and cook the cauliflower in its marinade for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Run through ice water once cooked, to ensure the texture stays perfectly tender yet firm once the meal is served.