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Smashed Sauteed Cauliflower is a unique recipe combining a few different cooking techniques that create the most delicious dish! Tender cauliflower is smashed gently with golden and sweet caramelized onions and garlic then topped with a crunchy, toasted pangrattato breadcrumb mixture made with lemon, herbs and pecorino cheese. A taste and texture sensation!
As the granddaughter of Sicilian immigrants, I was fortunate to grow up with the delicious flavors and dishes representative of that sunny Mediterranean island. Vegetables of all kinds were abundant at our meals. Smashed cauliflower (read: overcooked) was one of the staples and it was often paired with lots of deeply caramelized onions and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs.
Cauliflower (“cavolfiore” in Italian) is a favorite vegetable in Sicily and a key ingredient in many Sicilian dishes. In fact, the Mediterranean island is known for lots of different varieties of it including purple “violet” and green “romanesco” cauliflower. I used regular white cauliflower here, but definitely make this recipe with other varieties if you can get your hands on them. Here’s a primer on different varieties of this versatile vegetable.
And, toasted, golden breadcrumbs, known as pangrattato in Italy, are a staple topping in many southern Italian dishes, like this Spaghetti with Breadcrumbs and Anchovies and this Baked Artichoke Hearts Oreganata. A big part of cucina povera, leftover breadcrumbs were used originally used as toppings when expensive cheeses were out of reach.
For a few other recipes inspired by the flavors of la cucina Siciliana, check out Eggplant “Meatballs”, Pesto Trapanese, Pasta with Tuna Sauce, Pasta alla Norma, Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant, Cucuzza Soup, Escarole with Pine Nuts and Raisins and Ricotta Cheesecake with Almonds and Orange.
This Sautéed Cauliflower is the one my mom made for us time and time again. Like in this Pasta with Cauliflower recipe, overcooking the cauliflower a bit until it is tender enough to be smashed with a fork is key. When combined with golden and sweet, caramelized onions and topped with crunchy, seasoned breadcrumbs, it becomes and amazingly unique cauliflower side dish that is, in fact, a great alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.
And, while roasted cauliflower recipes are all the rage these days, I hope you find that this sautéed cauliflower with breadcrumbs is a refreshing and comforting alternative.
Not to mention that not only is this recipe a great side dish in its own right, it also can immediately be turned into the most delicious pasta! Add this recipe as is to one pound cooked pasta along with some pasta water and use the pangrattato breadcrumbs as the topping. You will love it! My suggestion? Make a double batch and set aside half to make with pasta a couple days later. Mangia bene!
Toasted pangrattato breadcrumbs are used as a topping in St. Joseph’s Pasta, Pasta Con Sarde and Crab Stuffed Mushroom Soup.
Ingredients
To make this smashed cauliflower recipe, we’ll need:
- Cauliflower: Choose cauliflower with florets that are tightly packed together, firm to touch, and do not have any greyness in color. Cauliflower leaves should be lively and not wilted or floppy. Also, any variety of cauliflower will work in this recipe, whether it’s white, green, yellow, purple or even Italian pointy Romanesco cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower can also be used.
- Onions and Garlic: Onions and garlic generally act as important flavor builders in whatever dish they are in, as they do here. But, the fact that we are properly caramelizing the onions until they are tender and a rich, golden brown means that the onions are also contributing a significant richness and high level of umami (i.e., savoriness) to the finished recipe. Simply fantastic!
- Butter: Butter is used to cook the onions as it’s a better conductor for proper caramelization. However, you can substitute it with either extra-virgin olive oil or garlic oil.
- Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for making the toasted, flavored breadcrumbs.
- Breadcrumbs, Pecorino Cheese, Parsley, Lemon Zest: These ingredients make up the delicious and crunchy pangrattato topping for this Sicilian-style cauliflower recipe. You can leave these crispy breadcrumbs out, but why would you want to???
How to Prepare Sauteed Cauliflower
Making this sauteed cauliflower recipe is easy and mostly requires a bit of time to caramelize the onions properly. Here are the steps:
- Gather and prep all ingredient. Then, make the pangrattato topping. Heat oil in small skillet over medium-low heat. Then, add breadcrumbs, pecorino, parsley, lemon zest, salt and black pepper and cook until breadcrumbs are toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside, uncovered, at room temperature.
- PRO-TIP: You can make the breadcrumb topping 3 to 4 hours in advance and hold it, uncovered, at room temperature.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Then, caramelize the onions with the garlic in butter. (See Frequently Asked Questions below for more on caramelization.)
- PRO-TIP: Caramelizing the onions is key and makes a world of difference to this recipe. Take the time to do it. (Plus, your kitchen will smell amazing!)
- When water comes to a boil, add a good pinch of salt then the cauliflower florets and stir. Cook for a few minutes until the cauliflower is soft enough to mash with a fork. You can test this by squeezing a floret with tongs while it’s still in the pot.
- Once it’s tender, drain the cooked cauliflower completely in a colander.
- Transfer drained cauliflower to the caramelized onion mixture and mix. Increase the heat to brown the cauliflower a bit, while gently smashing and breaking it down into big chunks. Be sure to mix until the cauliflower and caramelized onion mixture are well combined. At this point, season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- PRO-TIP: I like to use a potato masher for the smashing, but a large fork will do.
- Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, top with a healthy amount of the lemon herb breadcrumbs and put the remainder breadcrumbs in a small bowl to be passed around the table. Note that you can mix some of the breadcrumbs into the cauliflower itself for a heartier texture. Serve immediately. That’s it!
More Italian-Inspired Vegetables
- Sautéed Escarole, Sicilian-Style
- Sautéed Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
- Baked Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Breadcrumbs
- Marinated Grilled Eggplant
- Pesto Roasted Vegetables
- Ciambotta ~ Italian Vegetable Stew
- Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
- Roasted Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar
- Roasted Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs
- Sauteed Bell Peppers with Olives and Capers
Frequently Asked Questions about Sauteed Cauliflower
When shopping for cauliflower, be sure that the florets are tightly packed together, firm to touch, and do not have any greyness in color. Cauliflower leaves should be lively and not wilted or floppy.
Store cauliflower heads in the crisper section of your refrigerator for up to five days after purchasing it.
To cut a cauliflower head into florets, start by pulling off the leaves and cutting the cauliflower into quarters, from the top of the crown through the stem. Then, just lay the quarters on the cutting board and remove the florets from the core with angled knife cuts. Try to keep the florets into somewhat uniform sizes so that they cook evenly. Discard the thick core.
Caramelized onions and sautéed onions are different. Sautéed onions are cooked fairly quickly until they’re translucent and pale white. Caramelized onions, on the other hand, are cooked for a longer amount of time in fat until the natural sugars in the onion start to brown (i.e., caramelize). This results in a sweeter, deeper flavor.
The level and depth of caramel color (brownness) just depends on how long you cook the onions and at what temperature. For example, when making a dish like French onion soup, a very deep caramelization and long cooking time, often at a low heat, are required.
For this recipe, the onions only need to be a medium dark brown color. Melt butter in pan over medium-low heat then add the onions. First, sweat the onions a bit by covering the pan to keep the onions moist and slow the browning (2 to 3 minutes). Stir once or twice during this process.
Then, once the onions are soft and translucent, uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the onions on the bottom of the pan start to brown. Add a sprinkle of water to moisten and loosen the onions and deglaze the pan if the onions begin to look dry and/or stick to the pan.
Lower the heat and continue to cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the onions are limp and have turned a medium golden brown. Here’s some more information on the caramelization process if you’re interested!
TOP TIPS FOR SMASHED SAUTEED CAULIFLOWER
- Cauliflower: Choose cauliflower with florets that are tightly packed together, firm to touch, and do not have any greyness in color. Cauliflower leaves should be lively and not wilted or floppy. Also, any variety of cauliflower will work in this recipe, whether it’s white, green, yellow, purple or even Italian pointy Romanesco broccoli. Frozen cauliflower can also be used.
- Prep Cauliflower in Advance: To save time when cooking, store the prepped cauliflower florets in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 days prior to cooking it.
- Onions: Caramelizing the onions is key and makes a world of difference to this Italian cauliflower recipe. Take the time to do it. See Frequently Asked Questions above for more about this process.
- Recipe Substitutions: You can actually make this smashed cauliflower recipe exactly the same with broccoli! Also, grated parmesan cheese can be used in place of pecorino cheese in the bread crumbs recipe.
- Recipe Variations: Try out these other recipe ideas:
- Smash the cauliflower all the way to make MASHED cauliflower.
- Use olive oil instead of butter and leave the breadcrumbs out out for a more simple, basic, dairy free and gluten free version of Italian cauliflower.
- Add 2-4 anchovy filets to the pan towards the end of the caramelization process for a punch of brininess and umani.
- Add some raisins and pine nuts to the bread crumb mixture–a bit like this Sautéed Escarole recipe. Olives and capers would also work!
- Turn this into a delicious pasta! Add sauteed cauliflower as is to one pound cooked pasta along with some pasta water and use the pangrattato breadcrumbs as the topping. You will love it!
- Serving Suggestions: Sauteed Cauliflower is a versatile side dish that pairs with lots of entrées. Some of my favorites are Roasted Turkey Breast, Baked Chicken Cutlets, Roasted Italian Sausage or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I also love including this dish on holiday menus, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Leftovers: Store sauteed cauliflower leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet with a small amount of water until heated through. And, by the way, leftovers are EXCELLENT tossed with some cooked pasta and topped with more pecorino cheese and some olio santo chili oil!
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried Sautéed Italian Cauliflower, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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Smashed Sauteed Cauliflower with Pangrattato (Breadcrumbs)
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
- Large Skillet (or Dutch Oven)
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (about 2½ pounds whole or about 1¾ pounds florets)
- Salt for boiling water
- 2 Tbsp butter (can use extra virgin olive oil or garlic oil)
- 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, thin julienne slice (roughly 3 cups sliced)
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- To taste salt and black pepper
For the Pecorino Lemon Herb Pangrattato (Breadcrumbs):
- 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup plain fine breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Zest of one lemon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Then cut the cauliflower down into florets that or more-or-less the same size. Start by pulling off the leaves and cutting the cauliflower into quarters, from the top of the crown through the stem. Then, just lay the quarters on the cutting board and remove the florets from the core with angled knife cuts. Discard the thick core.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)1 head cauliflower
- Next, make the lemon pecorino herb breadcrumbs (pangrattato). Heat oil in small skillet over medium-low heat. Then, add the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt and black pepper and cook until breadcrumbs are toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside, uncovered, at room temperature.1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ⅓ cup plain fine breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, Zest of one lemon, ¼ tsp salt, Pinch black pepper
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, start caramelizing the onions and garlic. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat then add the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.First, sweat the onions a bit by covering the pan to keep the onions moist and slow the browning (2 to 3 minutes). Stir once or twice during this process.2 Tbsp butter, 1 large yellow or Spanish onion,, 2 Tbsp chopped garlic, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Then, once the onions are soft and translucent, uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the onions on the bottom of the pan start to brown. Add a sprinkle of water to moisten and loosen the onions and deglaze the pan if the onions begin to look dry and/or stick to the pan. Lower the heat and continue to cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the onions are limp and have turned a medium golden brown. Note that the caramelization process will take a bit of time (about 15 minutes), but the result is worth it! (See Frequently Asked Questions above for more on caramelization.)
- When the water comes to a boil, add a good pinch of salt then the cauliflower florets and stir. Cook for a few minutes until the cauliflower is soft enough to mash with a fork. You can test this by squeezing a floret with tongs while it’s still in the pot.
- Once it’s tender, drain the cooked cauliflower completely in a colander.
- Then, transfer drained cauliflower to the caramelized onion mixture and mix. Increase the heat to brown the cauliflower a bit (2 to 3 minutes), while gently smashing and breaking it down into big chunks. I like to use a potato masher for this, but a large fork will do. Note that you are not completely mashing the cauliflower but rather “smashing” it a bit to break down big floret chunks. Having said this, leave the mixture as chunky as you prefer.
- Be sure to mix until the cauliflower and caramelized onion mixture are well combined. At this point, season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
- Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, top with a healthy amount of the lemon herb breadcrumbs and put the remainder breadcrumbs in a small bowl to be passed around the table. Note that you can mix some of the breadcrumbs into the cauliflower itself for a heartier texture. Serve immediately. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- You can easily double this recipe (and I usually do).
- You can make the breadcrumb topping 3 to 4 hours in advance and hold it, uncovered, at room temperature.
- To save time when cooking, store the prepped cauliflower florets in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 days prior to cooking it.
- Store cauliflower heads in the crisper section of your refrigerator for up to five days after purchasing it.
- Caramelizing the onions is key and makes a world of difference to this recipe. Take the time to do it. See Frequently Asked Questions above for more about this process.
- You can actually make this smashed cauliflower recipe exactly the same with broccoli! Also, parmesan cheese can be used in place of pecorino cheese in the bread crumbs recipe.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet with a small amount of water until heated through.
- And, by the way, leftovers are EXCELLENT tossed with some cooked pasta and topped with more pecorino cheese and some olio santo chili oil!
I have two big heads of cauliflower in my garden, ready to pick. This looks perfect for at least one of them!
Enjoy your homegrown cauliflower and enjoy this recipe! You may even want to double the batch and make the leftovers with pasta in a few days-so good!