Cauliflower Couscous – Posted by Lynda Balslev
The secret to this gluten-free side dish is cauliflower – not as an addition to a salad of couscous grains, but as a replacement. That’s right – it’s all cauliflower, finely chopped to the size of couscous or rice grains, then tumbled with lemon, chiles and fresh herbs. Cauliflower holds its texture beautifully, either raw or, in this case, sautéed, providing a mild, nutty flavor and firm bite that will likely leave your dinner guests stymied and then pleasantly surprised.
Warm Cauliflower Couscous with Lemon and Chiles
Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish
1 medium head cauliflower, about 1 1/4 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 thin scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped
1 sweet “Jimmy Nardello” pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Remove the leaves and core of the cauliflower. Coarsely chop the florets and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the florets are finely chopped, 10 to 12 times.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cauliflower and salt and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, and red chili flakes, Continue to cook until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Exquisite! I love cauliflower couscous and yours sounds/looks fantastic.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love all that is cauliflower and made cauliflower couscous for the first time last winter. Loved it! I love how yours looks!! Hope you guys had a great trip up to Tahoe!!
You are NOT going to believe this: I made cauli-couscous yesterday for our dinner, and it should be on the blog at some point next month (I’ve got way too much stuff waiting to go live) – isn’t that a great dish? I was absolutely amazed by how great it tasted – my seasoning was slightly different,
I will pin your version….
I look forward to seeing your version. It’s my new favorite side dish.
________________________________
fantastic, I also am a big cauli fan, not so much the cous cous.. so I will be making this one for sure!
What a great recipe to add more veggies to my families diet! With all the fantastic flavors I wonder if they will notice the cauliflower?
This is a great idea- I really enjoy cauliflower and am always looking for new ways to eat it, so I am definitely bookmarking this!
great way to eat cauliflower!
I’m always looking for new ways to weave cauliflower into my meal plan, thanks for such a delicious option!
I really love this recipe. Wanted to let you know that I featured it in my monthly round-up of 25 Deliciously Healthy Low-Carb Recipes. I hope a lot of my readers will come over here and try it!
Thank you, Kalyn and thanks for including me in the round-up! – Lynda
________________________________
This recipe caught my eye on your sidebar! I am bookmarking and I can’t wait to pick up a head of cauliflower next shopping trip. You really have a wonderful blog. So inspiring and wonderfully clean food.
Thank you so much! – Lynda
________________________________