"Come Inside" Vegan Braised Cauliflower {Recipe & Video}

Cauliflower can be pretty boring, so I scoured the internet for a variety of quality vegan cauliflower recipes. There were some decent ones, but I figured I could do better.

I decided to give whole cauliflower head the meat treatment and go all out with a rich, flavorful braising liquid as if I were cooking braised short ribs.

This braised cauliflower recipe will make non-Vegans wanna be vegan. The cauliflower is well seasoned inside and out making it a great meatless Monday option.

Beats and Eats (music to pair with braised cauliflower)

I wanted to make a vegan cauliflower recipe that makes cauliflower sexy so it requires a sexy sensual song like 90's group Intro's track "Come Inside." The group's harmonies elevate the song and make it stand out among the many similar songs from the era. The braising sauce plays the same role here.

Braised Cauliflower Ingredients

• Whole Cauliflower Head
• Coconut Oil
• Yellow Onion
• Scotch Bonnets
• Bay Leaf
• Whole Allspice Berries
• Leeks
• Fresh ginger
• Garlic Cloves
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• White Wine
• Coconut Milk
• Vegetable Stock
• Fresh Thyme

How To Make Vegan Braised Cauliflower

1. Heat a dutch-oven on medium heat on the stovetop. Also pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add oil once the dutch oven is hot enough. Brown the cauliflower on both sides. Plan for 3-4 minutes per side.
3. Remove the cauliflower and add the onions and whole scotch bonnet.
4. Reduce heat to low. Add allspice berries, leeks, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring a few times. Add the ginger and cook another minute.
5. Add the white wine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and allow the alcohol cook off. Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock, and fresh thyme. Stir well then add the cauliflower back.
6. Place everything into the oven covered and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Change oven settings to "broil" and set temp to 450 degrees F. Remove the lid from the dutch oven and cook for five minutes. Baste the cauliflower head in the sauce by spooning it over the top a few times covering most if not all of the head in the sauce.

Cooking Considerations for Braising Vegan Cauliflower

Cut as much of the stem off as you can in order to sit the cauliflower flat in the pot.

Keep the scotch bonnet chili whole and cut slits into the sides vs chopping the chili up. This allows you to control for heat while still enjoying the fruity flavor of the peppers. This isn't a dish where you want a lot of heat as it stands to overpower the other flavors.

Choose a cauliflower head that is firm. Make sure there are no dark spots. Run your hands over the cauliflower checking for soft spots. Softness is a sign of spoilage so move on if you experience any.

I was really on a coconut vibe so I used coconut oil and coconut milk to add that flavor profile because I wanted a tropical Caribbean vibe.

If your broth is still liquid-y after cooking, remove the cauliflower and reduce the broth down to concentrate the flavors even more and then use as a sauce. It can be a dipping sauce or you can top the cauliflower with it.

Keep this a completely vegan weeknight dinner. Add vegan sides like roasted broccolini, vegan collard greens, and blackeyed pea falafel.

For a more detailed tutorial on cooking whole cauliflower heads try this whole cauliflower cooking 101.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Braising Whole Cauliflower

Do I Have To Use Yellow Cauliflower in this Recipe?

No, color doesn't matter. Yellow, White, Purple are all the same flavor and texture wise.

What temperature do you roast whole cauliflower?

This is a relatively short cooking time, so you're cooking primarily at 350 degrees F. There is a 5 minute portion where the temperature is elevated to 450 degrees F.

How long does it take to cook whole cauliflower head?

Roasting in the oven should require no more than 30 minutes cooktime total. There is little prep outside of chopping a few vegetables. At 30 minutes or less you can definitely enjoy this as a weeknight dinner. It's great for vegans and non-vegans who want to enjoy a meatless dish.

For similar cauliflower recipes, try these:

2-Step Roasted Purple Cauliflower

Smoked Cauliflower Head

BBQ Cauliflower w/ Alabama White Sauce

Jerk Roasted Whole Cauliflower

Oven Roasted Broccoli Head

Braised Whole Cauliflower with Coconut Sauce

Great vegan cauliflower recipe featuring whole cauliflower head braised like beef short ribs in a coconut milk and wine based sauce.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 people

Calories:

Author: Marwin Brown

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 whole Cauliflower Head
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• ▢ 1 medium Yellow Onion sliced
• ▢ 2 whole Scotch Bonnets
• ▢ 1 whole Bay Leaf
• ▢ 4-5 whole Allspice Berries
• ▢ 2 Leeks white parts sliced
• ▢ ¼ inch Fresh ginger diced
• ▢ 4-5 cloves Garlic diced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ ½ cup White Wine
• ▢ 14 oz Canned Coconut Milk
• ▢ 2 cups Vegetable Stock
• ▢ 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme

Instructions

• Heat a dutch-oven on medium heat on the stovetop. Also pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add oil once the dutch oven is hot enough. Brown the cauliflower on both sides. Plan for 3-4 minutes per side.
• Remove the cauliflower and add the onions and whole scotch bonnet.
• Reduce heat to low. Add allspice berries, leeks, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring a few times. Add the ginger and cook another minute.
• Add the white wine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and allow the alcohol cook off. Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock, and fresh thyme. Stir well then add the cauliflower back.
• Place everything into the oven covered and bake for 20 minutes.
• Change oven settings to "broil" and set temp to 450 degrees F. Remove the lid from the dutch oven and cook for five minutes. Baste the cauliflower head in the sauce by spooning it over the top a few times covering most if not all of the head in the sauce.

Video

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