What To Do With Leftover Cauliflower Cores

Cauliflower has been having its moment since 2020, according to Health eNews. The source credits its popularity to a low-carb diet trend. The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AMRC) reports that 90% of cauliflower is grown in California, with the market in the U.S. upping its consumption. In fact, AMRC also reveals that Americans ate a little more than three pounds per person of this vegetable in 2020. What makes it so delish?

MasterClass shares cauliflower's ability to keep its shape and texture when it is roasted is one of the many attributes that fans of this veggie love. But crunchy cauliflower has come a long way and is no longer just for dipping into ranch dressing. Its ability to retain flavor and satiate those hunger pangs that can give you a case of the rumbly in the tummy has placed cauliflower on a meteoric rise. MasterClass goes on to explain you can use this vegetable to make a mean cauliflower steak utilizing that thick center core that can often go to waste. That's good news when you consider in the U.S., there is an annual 119 billion pounds of food waste (per Feeding America). But making cauliflower steaks is not all you can do with that cauliflower core.

If you find yourself with leftover cauliflower cores, America's Test Kitchen suggests cutting or chopping them up to cook with the florets and leaves. The site explains that this works well when you are making your favorite soup and stew recipes. But if that doesn't excite your taste buds, AMRC notes ricing cauliflower has become a game changer, giving cauliflower enthusiasts the ability to use the entirety of the cauliflower head.

What exactly is cauliflower rice? As Love and Lemons explains, riced cauliflower is simply a head of cauliflower that has been pulverized in the food processor to resemble rice. The blog explains that riced cauliflower can be a great substitute for those who might be trying to avoid carbohydrate-rich rice. This could also be a great way to get kids to eat their veggies. You could even make a delicious cauliflower rice risotto. 

If you want a little more presentation flare, The Guardian recommends trying its recipe for Merguez-spiced cauliflower with tahini and molasses. The news outlet shares that this recipe calls for the leaves as well as the whole cauliflower head to be roasted in seasonings that are usually reserved for lamb.