You’ll Wish You Cooked Cauliflower This Way Sooner

Few vegetables have had a glow-up quite like cauliflower. Once a humble side dish—relegated to the crudité platter or tucked into an earnest vegetable stew—it’s now a full-on culinary all-star. Today you’ll find it in everything from bar food to gluten-free pizza crusts, and even standing in for mashed potatoes. But there’s one game-changing way to prepare this cruciferous veggie that has quickly become my favorite: Crispy Parmesan Bubble Cauliflower.

Cauliflower’s real superpower is its versatility. When cooked and mashed, it has the ability to turn creamy—meaning it’s a great alternative for potatoes. But crank up the heat and it transforms again, developing pleasant nutty flavors and a crispy exterior. It’s also quite good for you, packed with vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, choline and potent antioxidants known as glucosinolates., With all that going for it, it’s no wonder I love experimenting with new cauliflower recipes, including this TikTok-inspired bubble cauliflower, which might just be the most delightful version yet.

Why You Should Make Crispy Parmesan Bubble Cauliflower

This is one of the easiest—and certainly most unique—ways to prepare cauliflower. Simply cook cauliflower florets until very tender, pulse in a food processor, then mix in Parmesan cheese and a handful of other ingredients to form a thick and smooth dough. From there, roll the dough into logs, cut into bite-size pieces and pan-fry until crispy and golden brown.

Your efforts will be rewarded with delicious bites of crispy cauliflower, which is certainly an achievement as cauliflower can turn soggy due to its high water content. The secret lies in the combination of mochiko (sweet rice flour) and potato starch. Together, these starches help bind the processed cauliflower while also promoting deep, even browning during frying. You can typically find potato starch in the baking section of a grocery store, while mochiko may be in the international foods section.

It is also important to squeeze out as much water from the cooked cauliflower as possible. After pulsing, transfer the cauliflower to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel and squeeze firmly. Once the dough is mixed and shaped, pop it into the freezer for about 30 minutes to help it firm up before cooking. You can even make them ahead by freezing the log or the uncooked bites in an airtight container for up to three months.

Other Ways to Elevate Cauliflower

If you too love to experiment with cauliflower, try these unique ways to prepare this versatile veggie:

• Roasted Cauliflower. OK, maybe that doesn’t sound so unique, but have you ever tried whole roasted cauliflower? Many years ago when I worked in the EatingWell test kitchen, we tried a handful of whole-roasted vegetables, which would serve as a vegetarian centerpiece for a holiday meal. Well, whole roasted cauliflower happened to be my favorite of the bunch, and I still love serving it to family and friends.
• Cauliflower Steaks. I’ve never been a fan of substituting vegetables for meat—veggies don’t need to replace anything to shine on their own. That’s exactly why I love cauliflower steaks. Thick slices are cut from the head, often leaving the stem intact to hold the florets together. From there, they can be grilled, roasted or even cooked piccata-style for a truly standout dish.
• Riced Cauliflower. You can grate or pulse cauliflower in a food processor to create tiny, rice-like pieces. When cooked just until tender, they take on a light, fluffy texture remarkably similar to rice. Cauliflower rice is delicious in everything from a pilaf to a stir-fry.
• Cauliflower Chips. Take that cauliflower rice and turn into a snack that rivals a potato chip. Season the riced cauliflower well with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, then portion the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten into a thin disc before roasting until crispy. You can even make the chips in an air fryer.
• Mashed Cauliflower. This method is perhaps one of the reasons the cauliflower garnered so much attention many years ago. It makes for a delicious mash, whether added to potatoes or simply mashed on its own. And since it has a very mellow flavor when steamed or boiled, you can stir in all sorts of additions like pesto or caramelized onions.
• Cauliflower Pizza Crust. This wondrous vegetable can also be turned into a low-carb, gluten-free pizza crust that’s crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.

Our Expert Take

Cauliflower’s mild flavor and incredible versatility make it an ideal vegetable to cook with. But one of the absolute best ways to enjoy it is as Crispy Parmesan Bubble Cauliflower. It’s crispy and delicious, making it a fun twist on the seemingly basic vegetable. Even if cauliflower isn’t usually your thing, the crunch and flavor of these bites might just convert you into a fan.