Cauliflower is one of those veggies that I don't often think about with the exception of a few recipes. So when I need it, I don't necessarily need a full head. Not wanting anything to go to waste, I will either plan another cauliflower dish the same week or I will freeze the leftovers for use later. Freezing cauliflower is super simple!
Whether I have a surplus of fresh cauliflower in summer or bits of extras throughout the year, I like to blanch and flash-freeze it for use in future recipes. Once frozen it can be added to the freezer-safe zip loc bag that I already have going in the freezer, allowing me to remove as many or as few as I'd like each time I'm needing it for a recipe.
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Freezing Cauliflower
Wash your cauliflower, checking for worms. (see below)
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Cut as desired (I usually cut mine down into smaller florets).
To steam blanch: Bring a small amount of water to a boil in your steamer pan (I LOVE this one - it fits in any pan, folds up for easy storage and is inexpensive!) Once water is boiling, add cauliflower to steamer, replace lid, and steam for 5 minutes. Drain.
To boil blanche: Bring 2-4 cups water to boil in saucepan (depending on how much cauliflower you have to process). Add the cauliflower, return to boil, cover, and boil 3 minutes. Drain.
Prepare a baking sheet with freezer paper. Place drained/dried cauliflower on freezer paper lined tray and place in freezer. Freeze 1-2 hours (or more).
Related Post: Freezing Bell Peppers
Transfer frozen florets to a freezer-safe bag. Remove as much air as possible, label, and store in freezer.
You can now pull what you need throughout the year and/or add frozen florets to the bag as you freeze them.
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