How to Steam a Whole Head of Cauliflower in the Instant Pot
Published Oct 22, 2019•Updated Sep 16, 2024
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A whole head of Instant Pot Steamed Cauliflower is great for slicing into cauliflower steaks, chopping into florets, or drizzling with sauce for a beautiful vegetarian dish. It’s easy and just takes a few minutes to steam it in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker.
Cauliflower is really having its 15 minutes of fame. Cauliflower rice, cauliflower gnocchi…this vegetable is being transformed into all sorts of things. Frank and I were served a whole head of cauliflower in a rich butter sauce two years ago in Paris that inspired this Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce. (That recipe was the most popular thing I shared on Instagram all of last year!)
How to Make Steamed Cauliflower
The easiest way to get steamed cauliflower that also insures it is tender all the way through to the center, is to steam it in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Rinse and Remove Leaves
Rinse the cauliflower and peel off the outer leaves from the head of cauliflower. (Note: This is optional. If you want to leave a few or all of the leaves intact, you can, just make sure to peel them back and rinse well since dirt can hide behind the leaves.)
Step 2: Add Cauliflower to Instant Pot Rack with Water
Pour water in the bowl of the slow cooker. Place head of cauliflower on the trivet that came with the Instant Pot (or in a steamer basket), stem-side down. Lower it into the Instant Pot.
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Step 3: Steam for 1 Minute
Use the “Steam” button on the Instant Pot set for 1 minute to cook the cauliflower. When done, quick release the pressure.
Step 4: Cool and Use
Remove the head of cauliflower and let it cool slightly. Then serve it however you’d like. Keep it whole, slice into “steaks”, or remove the florets. If you want to use the florets individually, you can just use your hands or a small knife to pop them off, leaving the core in place. Add some sauce or just toss the florets with some salt and pepper.
More Cauliflower Recipes
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How to Steam a Whole Head of Cauliflower in the Instant Pot
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- Pressure Cooker Trivet
Ingredients
- 1 head Cauliflower (16 to 22 oz)
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
- Rinse the cauliflower and peel off the outer leaves from the head of cauliflower. (Note: This is optional. If you want to leave a few or all of the leaves intact, you can, just make sure to peel them back and rinse well since dirt can hide behind the leaves.)
- Pour 2 cups water in the bowl of the Instant Pot.
- Place head of cauliflower on the trivet that came with the Instant Pot (or a steamer basket) stem-side down. Lower it into the Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid.
- Use the “Steam” button on the Instant Pot set for 1 minute to cook the cauliflower.
- When done, immediately quick release the pressure.
- Remove the head of cauliflower and let it cool slightly.
- Serve the cauliflower however you’d like. Keep it whole, slice into “steaks” or remove the florets. If you want to use the florets individually, you can just use your hands or a small knife to remove them, leaving the core in place.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi and thank you for the recipe. Learning to cook lots of things in our instant pot. The recipe produced somewhat crisp cauliflower. We ended up cooking it one more minute and it was softer.
The Instant Pot is a game changer! Glad you enjoyed the cauliflower.
I myself never thought about steaming the whole head! Perfect to use for so many things.
Thank you!
Noreen
So glad you found it helpful! Enjoy!
Easy fast and incredibly tasty! My whole family enjoyed it!
That’s great – I’m so glad!
Hi Jess
I have to say that although I have cooked veg in my Instant Pot before, it’s never occurred to me to cook a whole cauliflower. I tend to cook double quantities for my husband and myself and create a home made ready meal for another day and I think this would be a very useful way to add veg quickly. It’s usually cheaper to get a full cauliflower than a bag of frozen so I’m definitely going to try this. Thank you.