Cauliflower sauteed with garlic and butter makes the perfect side dish but is satisfying enough to eat on its own! Tender and crunchy combine with savoury and it’s all so good!
This cauliflower side dish belongs next to Honey Mustard Crusted Prime Rib Roast!
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I’m a big believer in the power of side dishes. They may look like a secondary character when the table is set, but they add so much to the tastes, textures and all round enjoyment of a meal!
That’s why it’s so important to have a few fantastic side dish recipes up our sleeve. And this Garlic Butter Cauliflower is one of the best!
This dish takes humble cauliflower and packs it with flavour and texture. This sautéed cauliflower recipe with buttery, garlicky breadcrumbs marries satisfying crunch and heaps of savoury goodness. What’s not to love???
Why you’ll love it
Cauliflower can sometimes seem a bit boring but actually it is a wonderful blank slate for all sorts of interesting flavours. This is my mother’s recipe, which I grew up eating often.
She loved cauliflower decades before it was discovered by the rest of the world. This recipe is so simple that to me it never seemed like a real recipe.
That is why it took me years to share it. Upon reflection though I realised these no-recipes are the best kind, both easy and accessible.
Cauliflower on its own can be pretty plain, but it is very good at absorbing the flavours around it. In this case, it benefits from the taste of the butter and sharpness of the garlic.
I’ve also played around with the texture. Usually sautéed cauliflower is just soft and nothing more. But the Panko breadcrumbs add a delightful crunch that makes this side dish a pleasure to eat!
This simple approach to preparing vegetables is valuable as a way to get wholesome food and balanced meals on the table without a lot of stress. Easy but still delicious, and neutral enough to pair with a huge variety of meals.
Recipe tips and notes
- Prepare the cauliflower by cutting the florets off the stem with a knife. Do your best to get them into similar sizes so they cook at the same paste and absorb the other flavours equally.
- Remove the cauliflower from the steam basket before they get mushy. It will cook further in the frying pan.
- Set a skillet on medium-high heat, which is a good temperature for allowing vegetables to get a bit of crisp on the outside while remaining tender inside. A higher temperature is less forgiving, though, so keep an eye on the florets while they are on the pan.
- You want all sides of the florets to have some time on the pan, so stir regularly so they cook evenly, and use a large skillet so they are in a single layer.
- I’ve used butter here because of the flavour it brings to the cauliflower, and because it has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil.
- Sauté the cauliflower in butter until golden and only then add the garlic. If given too much time in the pan, it will burn and turn bitter.
- Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs right before serving to preserve their crispness.
Serving suggestions
A side dish like this will stand up to the boldest flavours, making it a great side to serve next to red meat. Try this with a beef roast, a hearty steak pie or tender steak to really see it shine.
But it will also pair well with white meat like chicken. I love to serve it with a roast chicken for a weekday meal or add it to a festive table with roast turkey.
It’s a very versatile side so will work in all sorts of combinations I haven’t even thought of! Whatever your protein of choice, this will be a good option on the side!
If you want to make a little change to the recipe, try grated fresh This is an affiliate link.parmesan cheese! Also you can add a little more finely chopped fresh parsley along with the breadcrumbs before serving. They can act as a garnish as well as adding a hint of freshness to the dish.
Storage and leftovers
Leftovers can be stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container.
If you have one, an This is an affiliate link.air fryer will be the best way to heat them back up. It should take no longer than 5 minutes, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
Otherwise, use an oven set to 180C/350F for 5-7 minutes or until it is hot throughout. Or use a microwave, which is the simplest but will leave the cauliflower florets a bit soggy.
Garlic Butter Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower separated into equal size florets
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
- salt to taste
For the breadcrumbs
- 30 g / ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the breadcrumbs by melting butter in a frying pan. Next add the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and chopped parsley, cook until the breadcrumbs are slightly toasted. Take off the pan immediately or they will continue cooking and burn. Set aside till needed.
- Separate a head of cauliflower into equal sized florets. Steam in steam basket for 7-10 minutes until softened but still retained its bite.
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, then add the steamed cauliflower with a pinch of salt and sauté in a pan until golden, turning the florets to ensure all sides are browned. At the end add minced garlic clove and cook for 30 seconds, stir to coat the cauliflower with the garlic. Add more salt if needed and take off the heat. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs right before serving to avoid them going soggy.
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