This delicious recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Sauce is so easy, versatile, naturally gluten-free, and vegan-friendly. Use it in rice recipes, dairy-free mac and cheese, or pasta dishes like my recipe for pasta primavera.
Cauliflower seems to be all the rage nowadays…
Apparently, you can make just about anything with cauliflower.
- Cauliflower rice
- Pizza crusts
- Tortillas
- Cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Tater tots
- Breadsticks
- Hummus
- Muffins
- Even cauliflower brownies…
And I happily ignore them all because I. Hate. Cauliflower.
Then one day, while browsing a few of my favorite blogs, I stumbled across a recipe that used cauliflower as a sauce.
Again, I ignored it.
But my head couldn’t quite shake the idea of turning cauliflower into a sauce. I already hide beans and all sorts of odd vegetables in my spaghetti sauce, so the concept of hiding cauliflower wasn’t foreign.
In fact, it sounded kinda fun. An intriguing challenge in a way. I could take this awful vegetable, add some parmesan cheese and seasoning, and trick myself into thinking it was something delicious…
Which would be a feat considering I loathe the vegetable, remember?
Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
My first experiment was a garlic rice dish. I made the cauliflower sauce, mixed it up with fresh rice, and sprinkled it with dried garlic, salt, and black pepper. I added a little bit of shredded cheese too because cheese is awesome and cauliflower isn’t.
The end result was a creamy rice dish that could have been passed off as “cheesy rice,” except that it was cauliflower that gave it that texture and flavor, not cheese.
Cauliflower sauce tastes like cheese? Say what?!
Ok, so it’s not exactly like cheese. But it’s pretty close when you season it up and mix it with other stuff like nutritional yeast.
By itself, it tastes like pureed cauliflower. Not cheese. Just a heads up if you hate cauliflower too.
Now that I know the awesomeness of cauliflower disguised as cheese sauce, I’m always looking for ways to use it for dinner. Because eating more vegetables is a good thing. And cauliflower is CHEAP!
Here’s What You Need for Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
Supplies
How to Make Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
With only one ingredient, this is the easiest recipe ever!
Step 1. Chop the cauliflower and stems.
Step 2. Steam for 5-10 minutes in a steaming basket.
Step 3. Puree cauliflower in a blender (like this one) or a food processor (like this one).
Step 4. Divide into 1 cup portions and freeze if not using immediately.
Recipe Tips
- In my opinion, it’s wise to make this sauce thick because you can always thin it out later with milk, vegetable broth, chicken stock, or water. By itself, this sauce is pretty bland, so expect to add seasonings of some sort, even if it’s just salt and pepper with a little olive oil.
- Don’t worry if you don’t have a steaming basket. Just bring a pot of water to a boil, add the cauliflower, lower to medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, and remove with a slotted spoon. Voila!
White Cauliflower Sauce Questions
Is creamy cauliflower sauce healthy?
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, also called a Brassica. The u003ca href=u0022https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/cruciferous-vegetablesu0022u003eLinus Pauling Institute at Oregon State Universityu003c/au003e, says that cruciferous vegetables contain a variety of phytochemicals and nutrients that contribute to and promote health. Even more reason to make this creamy cauliflower goodness! YUM!
What is cauliflower sauce made of?
This creamy cauliflower sauce consists of a head of cauliflower. That’s it!
Is creamy cauliflower sauce vegan and gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is a basic steamed and pureed vegetable sauce that can be seasoned and tailored to any vegan and gluten-free recipe.
How to Use Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
The best part – each serving can be flavored to suit whatever you’re cooking. You can buy one head of cauliflower and potentially end up with different flavored meals:
- I use it as the base for my Pasta Primavera. A perfect way to eat up all those summer veggies!
- Roasted garlic, butter, salt, and pepper for roasted garlic cauliflower Alfredo sauce
- Garlic and dried Italian seasoning for Italian dishes
- Cumin and taco seasoning for Tex-Mex meals (make your own taco seasoning with this recipe!)
- Season with the dried herbs from this Greek salad dressing for a creamy Greek-inspired sauce
Think of all the dairy-free dishes you can make that usually call for heavy cream or lots of cheese – Now you can sneak in one cup of this creamy cauliflower sauce instead!
- cheddar cheese sauce for vegetables
- cheesy enchilada sauce
- white sauce on pizza
- macaroni and cheese
- cheese dip for nachos and vegetables
- in casseroles, quiches, frittatas or stratas
More Ways to Prepare Cauliflower & Veggies
- How to Freeze Cauliflower Rice
- Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables
- Rich and Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- Carrot and Sweet Potato Fritters
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Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
This delicious recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Sauce is so easy, versatile, naturally gluten-free, and vegan-friendly. Use it in rice recipes, dairy-free mac and cheese, or pasta dishes like my recipe for pasta primavera.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 cups 1x
- Category: Sauces/Condiments
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
- Meanwhile, chop the cauliflower into quarters. Chop off the florets and cut the stems into approximately 1″ pieces so that the cauliflower cooks uniformly.
- Place chopped cauliflower into a steaming basket and steam for 5-10 minutes, until the stems can be easily poked through with a fork.
- Remove cauliflower from the basket, and place it in a blender or food processor. Puree the cauliflower until it is smooth, adding water only if necessary.
- Divide into one cup portions and freeze if not using immediately.
Notes
- In my opinion, it’s wise to make this sauce thick because you can always thin it out later with milk, vegetable broth, chicken stock, or water. By itself, this sauce is pretty bland, so expect to add seasonings of some sort, even if it’s just salt and pepper with a little olive oil.
- Don’t worry if you don’t have a steaming basket. Just bring a pot of water to a boil, add the cauliflower, lower to medium-low heat for 5-10 mins, and remove with a slotted spoon. Voila!
Nutrition
- Calories: 11
Amazing! I’m going to try it, only because you said you also hate cauliflower. My necessary heart-healthy diet is sadly missing alfredo and mac ‘n cheese. Whoopeee!!!
I hope you like it, Brenda! ♥
I once thinned out this sauce to use as the base for a creamy potato chowder. It tasted wonderful, but the amount in an entree serving of hearty soup (I’m estimating 11/2 to 2 cups, not including the other soup fillings), packs A LOT of concentrated fiber. I’m someone who routinely consumes roughage and legumes, and even my stomach was walloped! My advice: delicious and versatile, but consumer in appropriate amounts!
HI do you know what ingredients to add to make the cauliflower sauce taste more like sour cream?
My only guess would be sour cream Jasmine! 😉
I cannot have any dairy products so I’m very grateful for this totally do-able alternative! And I love cauliflower! Thanks!!
You’re welcome!
Tried this tonight using my immersion blender and it came out more like mashed potatoes than a creamy sauce. Maybe I just need to use the upright blender for this one?
I would add one teaspoon of the hot water you steamed the cauliflower in at a time until the consistency is more creamy to your liking. You could also use a tiny bit of milk or butter depending on your preferences.
Thank you Josephine!
I actually added probably several CUPS of the cooking water to it and it was still very mashed potato-y, LOL! I guess I will definitely put it in my blender next time.
Cheese is awesome.
Cauliflower isn’t.
Oh my lords, I’m going to try this just because you made me laugh! I am a cauliflower lover so I know I will love it. I love the suggestion to use it in chicken pot pies. I’ve been craving those and I need to hurry before the heat and humidity hit! Thank you so much!
I added about 1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese, 3 T butter, salt & pepper and some dried Italian seasoning to the recipe. I used it over pasta and cooked veggies – you couldn’t tell it wasn’t alfredo sauce. Even just the plain sauce – didn’t taste like cauliflower at all. I’ve also used it as the sauce for chicken pot pie. Delicious recipe – will use over & over!
I’m so glad you liked it Sally! What a great way to get some extra veggies into a meal, and an easy way to cut back on the cheese! 😉
I discovered that I still had some turkey in the freezer from thanksgiving (!). So I used this cauliflower sauce as part of an experimental sub for “cream of” soup in turkey noodle casserole. Tasted pretty good before I put it in the oven, I think it will be a hit! Thanks for the idea 🙂
So, how do you make it taste like cheese? Spice-wise? Can you?
By itself, you cannot (at least, not that I’m aware of). However, in most casserole-type dishes you can EASILY swap half the cheese for 1/4-1/2 cup of this and no one will even notice. You get the ‘creamy’ effect of cheese, with the little bit of real cheese adding the flavor.
Try adding some nutritional yeast for a parmesan like flavor
I just used this mixed with dry curd cottage cheese, provolone, some italian seasoning and an egg as my lasagna cheese! Yummy and healthier? YES!
Also, the secret to cheap cauliflower sauce for those of us not in California…buy a bag of frozen and steam! It works just as well I promise!
Oh my, that sounds pretty good! Thank you for the tip on cheap cauliflower – I hadn’t even thought of that!
You’re most welcome!
I sort of do this – I puree the steamed cauliflower and then divide the puree into an ice cube tray and place in freezer. Later I pop the cubes into a ziploc bag. I melt the cubes and mix into any kind of meat – meatloaf, turkey meatballs or spaghetti sauce when I’m cooking. I’ve never tried going with a whole cup serving – hmmm. I’m afraid my family might figure it out if I go too heavy. BUT the baked ziti recipe looks like a possibility!
If you go too heavy, they will because it still tastes like cauliflower! However, your idea of a cube here or there is brilliant. I’m trying it out with macaroni and cheese this week. MMM!!!
I’m skeptical. Ugh, colliflower? Really? But my son is autistic and dreadfully allergic to pasteurized milk products. Raw milk he’s fine with. So the poor boy has never enjoyed a casserole dish, or a creamy cheese sauce in his life. But, the allergy does not extend to vegetables, sooooo, maybe we can open up anew world for this child. I would love to make casseroles again! Alright. I’ll give it a try, and thank you for expanding my world with this post!
You’re welcome Cristy – have you made it yet? How did it go over?
I don’t know where you live ??????? but cauliflower is not cheap in Jan in Mpls. It’s waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than that.
I purchase it often and sometimes have to close my eyes when grabbing it because I cannot believe the steep price.
I live in California Trisha, but the good news is when you find it at the lowest price of the season, you can pick up extras, blend them up and freeze them for when the price blinds you! 😉
Have you tried freezing the cauliflower sauce, or anything made with it?
Yes, I make one big batch at one time, then freeze it in three portions. I then thaw what I need and cook with it. This pasta primavera was made with a frozen portion: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/01/recipe-pasta-primavera-creamy-cauliflower-sauce/
and I’m making another dish tonight!
I have that spatula! I’m skeptical but since you wowed me with your smoothies, I should probably try this too. 🙂
Red rocks! And so does cauliflower sauce!
Another great post! Thank you.
Thank you, and you’re welcome!