Sous vide cauliflower, cooked whole, is perfectly cooked from edge to edge and finished off in the oven under a broiler or in an air fryer for a roasted outer crust.
Now that you have your sous vide circulator out make up a batch of sous vide hollandaise to pour over your head of sous vide cauliflower. In addition, you can make sous vide asparagus and cook it alongside your cauliflower. Just make note of the time difference.
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By cooking a whole cauliflower in a water bath in a bag, with the temperature precision of the circulator, the cauliflower is cooked to a precise temperature ensuring that the outer flouters are the same doneness as the inner stem.
Ingredients needed:
- Cauliflower – whole, leaves removed
- Mayonnaise – for getting a crust on the head post-cook
- Seasoning – Paprika, salt and pepper
Materials needed:
- Sous vide circulator – I use a Joule by Breville but Anova is another very popular brand.
- Gallon size freezer bag – alternatively a sous vide vacuum bag and vacuum sealer could be used
- Weights – something to weigh down the bag in the bath, such as butter knives
- Sheet pan – for roasting the final product
- Air Fryer – if not broiling finish the cauliflower in the air fryer
How to sous vide a cauliflower head
- First, remove the leaves and the stem of the cauliflower. Leave the flouters intact.
- Place the cauliflower in a gallon-sized freezer bag along with enough butterknives or spoons to help keep the cauliflower submerged.
- Use the Archimedes principle (water displacement method) to remove the air from the bag before sealing it. I found that if I push the bag down, cauliflower first, knives on top the air pushes out easier.
- Set the water to 185 and allow the water to come to temp. (I heat the water after the cauliflower is in the water bath because it is safer pushing the cauliflower in the water)
- Set the timer for 45 minutes.
- Once the time is up, remove the cauliflower from the sous vide and then from the bag.
- Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan and brush a thin layer of mayonnaise over the outside of the cauliflower and liberally sprinkle with seasoning.
- Broil for 5-9 minutes or until the outside of the cauliflower takes on color.
- Slice and serve with your favorite sauces.
More Sous Vide Vegetable Recipes:
Sous vide potatoes with rosemary | Sous vide asparagus | Sous Vide Pickled Onions | Sous vide Pickled Vegetables | Sous Vide Cauliflower
Questions and answers about this recipe:
Cauliflower naturally has water in it as a vegetable. When the vegetable is heated, the cells of the vegetable will release the air and the water as it cooks. This is why you need to weigh down the cauliflower when you first place it in the water bath.
Yes you can! But keep in mind that the cauliflower still has air and water in it and will need to be weighed down. If you are not comfortable putting several butter knives or spoons in the bag, be sure to find another way of keeping the bag submerged such as a plate weighed down.
Follow the instructions up until placing it in the oven to broil. Heat the air fryer to 390 and then cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on your desired depth of color and crispness. 
I am a fan of the air fryer method of finishing the cauliflower because it is more consistent in browning. The broil method is more traditional for browning but a bit more unpredictable. (air fryer results on the right of the photo)
Sous Vide Cauliflower – Whole
Equipment
- Weights – something to weigh down the bag in the bath, such as butter knives
- Gallon size freezer bag – alternatively a sous vide vacuum bag and vacuum sealer could be used
- Air Fryer – if not broiling finish the cauliflower in the air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 head Cauliflower – whole leaves removed
- 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Seasoning paprika, salt and pepper
Instructions
- First, remove the leaves and the stem of the cauliflower. Leave the flouters intact.
- Place the cauliflower in a gallon-sized freezer bag along with enough butterknives or spoons to help keep the cauliflower submerged.
- Use the Archimedes principle (water displacement method) to remove the air from the bag before sealing it. I found that if I push the bag down, cauliflower first, knives on top the air pushes out easier.
- Set the water to 185 and allow the water to come to temp. (I heat the water after the cauliflower is in the water bath because it is safer pushing the cauliflower in the water)
- Set the timer for 45 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the cauliflower from the sous vide and then from the bag.
- Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan and brush a thin layer of mayonnaise over the outside of the cauliflower and liberally sprinkle with seasoning.
- Broil for 5-9 minutes or until the outside of the cauliflower takes on color.
- Slice and serve with your favorite sauces.
Notes
Nutrition
Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 12 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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