Steam Cauliflower In Microwave. Let me introduce you to the most delicious and fastest way to cook cauliflower using the microwave and a steamer basket.
Plus, you will love how easy it is to transform into cauliflower with cheese.
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Microwave Cauliflower
If there is a vegetable from childhood that I ate the most it would be cauliflower.
I absolutely loved cauliflower and I would go to my grandad’s allotment and watch the cauliflower grow and then proudly help him remove it from the soil.
The cauliflower would then be made into delicious cauliflower cheese.
Then during my vegetarian teens I would often binge on cauliflower cheese and it became my go to favourite food.
Fast forward many years and cauliflower and cauliflower served with cheese is still on the top of my favourite foods list.
Because I am celebrating all the great things you can cook in the microwave this month, with a big emphasis on steamed vegetables, I wanted to show you how to microwave cauliflower.
But not just microwave cauliflower but microwave cauliflower with cheese for a healthier alternative to cauliflower cheese.
Though of course, you can skip the cheese step and just have yummy, steamed cauliflower in the microwave.
Can You Microwave Cauliflower?
Yes, you can. Microwave cauliflower is amazing and one of those microwave foods that you will want to do time and time again.
Plus, unlike other methods cauliflower in the microwave is so fast and effortless.
I load it into the microwave and then I am amazed with how quick it beeps to tell me I have perfect steamed cauliflower.
Why Cook Cauliflower In Microwave?
Until you try microwave cauliflower you won’t understand just how fast and easy it is. You will struggle to ever go back to your original way of cooking cauliflower.
Microwave cauliflower just requires some quick chopping into florets and then steaming using a microwave friendly steamer basket.
And that is it.
I recommend that you cook cauliflower in the microwave whilst you are cooking your protein in another kitchen gadget. Such as doing an air fryer whole chicken and then having cauliflower to serve with it.
Microwave Cauliflower Florets
For best results when you steam cauliflower in the microwave, I recommend that you chop up a fresh cauliflower into florets.
Aim for a similar size for your cauliflower and this will result in an equal cook.
You can microwave a whole cauliflower but its very time consuming and so much quicker and easier to do florets.
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Microwave Cauliflower Recipe Ingredients
Cauliflower – I recommend for your first time steaming cauliflower in the microwave that you do one whole cauliflower that you have cut into similar sized cauliflower florets.
Water – To steam cauliflower in the microwave you will need a tablespoon of water into the bottom of your steamer basket.
Seasoning – Then for seasoning your cauliflower I recommend you keep it simple with salt and pepper.
Optional – If you would like to cook cauliflower in the microwave with cheese, then I would also recommend Philadelphia lightest, reduced fat butter and some grated reduced fat mature cheddar.
Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this microwave cauliflower recipe it has just been our Panasonic Microwave Oven. We have this one and its wonderful for many types of microwave recipes.
As well as your microwave you will need a good steamer basket that will fit in your microwave. We recommend this one.
How To Steam Cauliflower In The Microwave?
- Liquid. Start by adding a tablespoon of water to the bottom of your steamer basket. This is so that you can perfectly steam your cauliflower florets.
- Prep. Using a vegetable knife chop your whole cauliflower into similar sized cauliflower florets. You don’t want the small pieces of cauliflower turning to mush and the big ones being undercooked. Then load into your steamer basket and season with salt and pepper.
- Microwave. Then place the lid on your steamer and then load your steamer basket into the microwave. Microwave your cauliflower for 6 minutes. Though check from 5 minutes as your microwave might be more powerful than mine.
And I am sure you can see now how easy it is to cook cauliflower in the microwave and why it is a firm favourite of mine for a quick veggie side dish for dinner.
Microwave Cauliflower With Cheese
I am sure what you really, really want, is to transform your steamed cauliflower into yummy cauliflower with cheese!
Well, it is very simple, and we are making a lower calorie version that is perfect for Slimming World or Weight Watchers.
Cauliflower is added to a serving dish and then loaded with reduced fat butter (we used I can’t believe its not butter light version), little spoonful’s of lightest Philadelphia and grated reduced fat mature cheddar.
On my WW personal plan, it worked out at JUST one point for me which is much less than a traditional cauliflower cheese and no carb coma from flour.
Then microwave for an extra 2 minutes until the cheese has melted and its AMAZING.
Or do this and then microwave (without the steamer) for a further minute.
How Long To Steam Cauliflower In Microwave?
The microwave cauliflower time is JUST 6 minutes. This is for perfect fork tender cauliflower. If you want them par boiled for roasting, then I recommend 2 minutes instead.
Also, if you are making microwave cauliflower cheese, then you will need an extra 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
More Microwave Vegetable Recipes
- How To Steam Carrots In Microwave
- How To Steam Broccoli In Microwave
- How To Cook Swede In Microwave
- How To Steam Cabbage In Microwave
- How To Steam Green Beans In Microwave
- Microwave Frozen Broccoli
Plus, we also have a fantastic FREE microwave cooking times chart, and you can receive it for FREE and download it in PDF when you subscribe to the Recipe This Newsletter.
Your microwave cauliflower recipe is below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.
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How To Steam Cauliflower In Microwave
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Cauliflower
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Tsp Light I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
- 1 Tsp Lightest Philadelphia
- 12 g Reduced Fat Mature Cheddar Cheese
Kitchen Gadgets
Instructions
- Place one tablespoon of water in the bottom of your steamer basket.
- Using a vegetable knife chop your whole cauliflower into medium sized cauliflower florets and add to the steamer basket.
- Add your salt and pepper and mix with your hands for an even coating.
- Place the lid on the steamer and then place in the microwave.
- Microwave for 6 minutes. Though check on it at 4 minutes and then when it beeps, do a fork text and then do it for another 2 minutes depending on your microwave wattage.
- Then check they are done by doing a fork test. If not soft enough add a couple of extra minutes.
- Load the cauliflower into a serving dish and add little spoonful’s of the margarine, and 2 cheeses. Then microwave for an extra 2 minutes to melt the cheese before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then save it for later!
The cauliflower turned out amazing, not mushy just right many thanks for the tips, and the microwave steamer is a god send!