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A simple tutorial for how to cut cauliflower into uniform pieces ideal for even blanching, roasting, or enjoying raw. And, learn our best tips for buying, washing, and storing fresh cauliflower.
Cauliflower in general is a versatile cruciferous vegetable packed with nutrition. It’s an outstanding side dish, snack, or meal prep component. If you add blanching the cauliflower to your skill set, you will open the door to even more possibilities.
Table of Contents
Tutorial notes:
- Uniform size: Cut the cauliflower florets into pieces that are all about the same size so they cook evenly. If you plan to roast the cauliflower, cut into large florets about 1 to 1 ½ inches in size. If you plan to blanch the cauliflower, or if you are making Piggly Wiggly Salad (Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad), you may want to cut the florets into smaller pieces.
- Buying: Available year-round, choose cauliflower that is firm and with minimal brown spots. A whole cauliflower head should feel heavy for its size. You might come across green, orange, and purple varieties of cauliflower too, or Romanesco. They are all great.
- Washing: Fresh cauliflower is susceptible to mold growth, so wash cauliflower only right before you use it.
- Storing: Whole heads of cauliflower should be stored in an open bag in the refrigerator. Store cut cauliflower florets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you plan to freeze cauliflower, I recommend blanching it first and freezing it in an airtight container. Store for up to nine months.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Pull or cut off any leaves from the base of the cauliflower using a sharp knife and discard. Place the head of cauliflower on the cutting board and cut the whole head into quarters straight down from the top of the crown to the stem using a large chef’s knife.
- With a knife, carefully cut out the core from each quarter.
- Use your hands to separate the florets.
- Cut through the stem of larger florets to make smaller florets.
- Continue cutting the florets to your preferred size.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 servings (1 cup cauliflower each). 1 pound of cauliflower yields about 6 cups of raw florets.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Clean and pat cauliflower florets dry with a paper towel and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper and put it in the freezer. Freeze for 1-2 hours. Transfer the frozen cauliflower to freezer bags and freeze for up to 9 months. Remove and use any portion size, or thaw the whole bag overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Dips: Cauliflower is delicious with Dill Dip, stars in delicious Cauliflower Buffalo Dip, and blanched is the perfect dipper for Cheese Fondue.
- Put your cauliflower to work: Warm up with a bowl of Cream of Cauliflower Soup, or grab a slice of Veggie Pizza which has cauliflower florets on a crescent roll pizza crust. Blanch and freeze florets ahead of time for a Vegetable Casserole or utilize fresh for a lemony oven Roasted Cauliflower, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, or a cheesy Cauliflower Gratin side dish for your next holiday meal.
- Cauliflower rice: For a low-carb side dish, learn How to Rice Cauliflower in a food processor or with a box grater.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cauliflower can be eaten raw, blanched, sauteed in olive oil, roasted, or made into a soup. It is absolutely versatile.
After removing the outer leaves from the head of the cauliflower, cut the stem away at an angle from the head using a sharp knife. Place the cauliflower stem-side down onto the cutting board and cut in half. Cut each half into 3/4-inch to 1-inch slabs.
Cauliflower can be cut 2 to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Favorite Cauliflower Recipes
Soup and Stew Recipes
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Vegan Recipes
Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
Appetizer Recipes
Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Vegetable Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower
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How to Cut Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cauliflower florets from 1 head cauliflower (about 12 cups), rinsed and pat dry
Instructions
- Pull off any leaves from the cauliflower, then cut the cauliflower into quarters straight down the middle.
- With a knife, carefully cut out the core from each quarter. Then use your hands to separate the florets.
- Cut through the stem of larger florets to make smaller florets. Continue cutting to your preferred size.
Notes
- Uniform size: Cut the cauliflower florets into pieces that are all about the same size so they cook evenly. If you plan to roast the cauliflower, cut the florets into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. If you plan to blanch the cauliflower, or if you are making Piggly Wiggly Salad (Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad), you may want to cut the florets into smaller pieces.
- Buying: Choose cauliflower that is firm and with minimal brown spots. Cauliflower should feel heavy for its size. You might come across green, orange and purple varieties of cauliflower too, or Romanesco. They are all great.
- Washing: Fresh cauliflower is susceptible to mold growth, so wash cauliflower only right before you will use it.
- Storing: Whole cauliflower should be stored in an open bag in the refrigerator. Store cut cauliflower florets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you plan to freeze cauliflower, I recommend blanching it first and freezing in an airtight container. Store for up to nine months.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.