This Instant Pot Cauliflower turns out perfectly every time – it only cooks for 1 minute! You’ll love the garlic-parmesan seasoning.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Cauliflower – cut down on prep time by using pre-chopped cauliflower florets.
- Olive oil – or any neutral cooking oil such as canola or avocado oil.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed lemon juice is best but bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.
- Garlic – use fresh or jarred minced garlic.
- Parmesan cheese – nutritional yeast is a good dairy-free substitute for parmesan.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to cook cauliflower in the Instant Pot
- Place a trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Add the cauliflower and seasonings.
- Cook on high pressure for 1 minute.
- Toss with parmesan and serve!
How to season cauliflower
Cauliflower is packed with vitamins A and C, and makes a great grain substitute when you need a quick side dish. Add different seasonings to compliment your main dish and take your weeknight meal from blah to brilliant.
Here are some great ways to season your cauliflower:
- Curry – Drizzle oil on cauliflower and add 1 tablespoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and salt and pepper at step 2 in the recipe below and continue as directed.
- Mexican street corn – Omit the seasonings in step 2. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Make this street corn seasoning and spoon it on while the cauliflower is still hot.
- Buffalo – Omit the seasonings in step 2. Drizzle with oil and season with ¼ teaspoon each of garlic powder, paprika and cayenne pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the cauliflower after it is cooked, drain the pot and add the cauliflower back to the pot. Add 2/3 cup hot sauce and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Cauliflower is really good for you and is packed full of nutrients like fibre, vitamin C, vitamin A and antioxidants. It’s also low in carbs which makes it a great low-carb substitute.
You sure can! It’s easy to steam veggies in the Instant Pot. Just pour some water into the bottom of the Instant Pot then add a trivet to the pot. Place the cauliflower on top of the trivet to cook for 1 minute on high pressure.
Because cauliflower’s flavour is so mild to begin with, you can serve it with almost anything. Serve it with hasselback pizza-stuffed chicken, beef tips, turkey breast, pot roast and more!
It’s better to steam cauliflower than to boil it. If you boil it, it’ll lose some of its nutritional value. Since you’re steaming the cauliflower in this recipe, you’ll still get all the good nutritional benefits!
Storing and reheating
Cooked cauliflower will last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days when you store it in an airtight container.
To reheat it, you can add it to a sauce while it cooks or microwave it until it is heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. To reheat it in the oven, cover it with foil and cook for about 10 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
Can you freeze cauliflower?
You can freeze this cauliflower after it is cooked. It will last for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or airtight container.
Let the florets cool completely then put them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Try not to let any of the pieces touch or they’ll stick together. After an hour, you can place them in a freezer-safe container.
To reheat the cauliflower from frozen, put the florets on a prepared baking sheet and cook at 350° Fahrenheit. To keep the cauliflower from drying out, cover the sheet with foil for a few minutes. Or, you can let it thaw in the fridge during the day, then reheat it in the microwave just before serving.
More Instant Pot cauliflower recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing the leftovers.
Instant Pot Cauliflower {Perfect Every Time}
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into large florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch pepper
Instructions
- Add the 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of Instant Pot and then place trivet inside the inner pot.
- Add cauliflower, then drizzle with olive oil & lemon juice, sprinkling garlic, salt and pepper overtop. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal.
- Press the pressure cook button and set to low, then cook for 1 minute. The Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then notify you it's done by beeping.
- Press the Cancel button then do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Carefully remove cauliflower florets from Instant Pot and serve on a large platter, gently tossing with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
