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steam a whole head of cauliflower
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4.32 from 19 votes

How to Steam a Whole Head of Cauliflower

A whole head of steamed cauliflower is great for serving whole, slicing into cauliflower steaks, or chopping and using in other recipes. It’s easy and just takes a few minutes on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: cauliflower recipe, easy side dish, instant pot, steamed vegetable, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $4.75

Ingredients

  • 1 head Cauliflower (1.5-2 pounds total)
  • 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.)

For the stovetop:

  • Place a steamer basket in a large pot (use one that has a lid). Fill the pot with water until it reaches just below the bottom of the steamer. Put the pot on the stove and bring it to a simmer with a few bubbles constantly rising from the bottom.
  • Put the head of cauliflower, stem-side down in the steamer basket and cover with the lid. Steam for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, start checking the cauliflower for doneness every 3 minutes. Remove it from the pot as soon as it is tender (easily pierced with a knife).
  • Let the cauliflower cool slightly and then season it with salt and pepper and serve it however you'd like.

For the Instant Pot:

  • Put the trivet that came with Instant Pot inside the machine. Add water to the pot until it reaches just below the base of the trivet.
  • Put the head of cauliflower, stem-side down on the trivet and close and lock the lid. Use the “Steam” button on the Instant Pot set for 1 minute.
  • When done, immediately quick release the pressure. (Be careful as steam and possibly hot water will come out of the pressure spout.)
  • Let the cauliflower cool slightly and then season it with salt and pepper and serve it however you'd like.

Nutrition

Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg