You don’t like waste in the kitchen. We neither. This is why we have put together a new anti-waste article for you. Today, we give you some simple and practical ideas on the question: What to do with cauliflower leaves? Enough to take full advantage of the many benefits of this delicious and healthy part of the popular leafy vegetable.
A new dose of anti-waste inspiration on the horizon
What to do with cauliflower leaves?
Surprisingly, there are lots of ways to use it. In fact, they can be integrated into different cooking recipes. Among the most popular options: salads, roast vegetables, soup, pesto and many other culinary solutions. Below, we share our 3 favorites with you.
A rich source of vitamins and antioxidants
Cauliflower Leaf Soup
This vegetable soup recipe is very easy to prepare. Roasting cauliflower leaves in the oven makes everything taste amazing.
Ingredients :
- carrot – 1
- onion – 1
- red pepper – 1
- celery – 1
- potato – 1
- a few florets of broccoli or cauliflower
- cauliflower stems and leaves
- garlic clove – 1
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- fresh herbs of your choice
Preparation :
- Wash the cauliflower leaves and stems. Place them on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Add a clove of garlic, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 200° for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash and cut the carrot, onion, red pepper, celery, broccoli and potato into pieces.
- Transfer the cut vegetables to a saucepan and cover them with water or vegetable stock. Boil the water.
- Remove the cauliflower leaves from the oven. In a food processor, combine the leaves and roasted garlic with any fresh herbs of your choice.
- Add the soup mixture, mix well and simmer over low heat for ten minutes.
Easy vegetable soup recipe
Easy spinach gratin recipe
In previous articles, we revealed our incredible gratin recipes, such as zucchini gratin. And now, we present to you another, simple and delicious, to make in just a few steps.
Ingredients :
- leaves of 2 cauliflowers
- spinach – 200 g
- grated cheddar – 150 g
- milk – 500 ml
- butter – 50 g
- all-purpose flour – 50 g
- breadcrumbs – 40 g
- Dijon mustard – 1 tbsp. tsp
Preparation :
- Wash and cut the cauliflower leaves and spinach.
- Dip them in boiling water for about 3 minutes.
- Drain the leaves and place them on a baking sheet.
- Now melt the butter. Add the flour and mix for 30 seconds.
- Then pour in the milk little by little, stirring constantly.
- Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Let the sauce simmer for one to two minutes.
- Then add the mustard and ½ the grated cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything well.
- Finally, spread the cheese sauce over the cauliflower leaves.
- Spread the rest of the cheddar and the breadcrumbs evenly over everything.
- Bake for a few minutes (about 6).
Simple meal idea with few ingredients
Homemade pesto
Do you like the fresh taste of homemade pesto? In this case you may like this variation with cauliflower leaves.
Ingredients :
- garlic cloves – 4
- basil leaves and fresh parsley, chopped – 4. tbsp. to s.
- pine nuts – 40 g
- leaves of 1 to 2 cauliflowers, cut into pieces
- salt and black pepper
- grated lemon zest – 1 tbsp. to c.
- fresh lemon juice – 1 tsp. to s.
- grated cheddar – 30 g
- olive oil – 100 ml
Preparation :
- In a blender, add the garlic, pine nuts, cauliflower leaves, salt and pepper. Mix.
- Then add the lemon zest and juice. Add the cheddar and fresh herbs. Mix.
- Gradually add the olive oil.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for about 7 days.
Diversify the classic pesto recipe by experimenting with other ingredients!
Can you eat cauliflower leaves raw?
You can eat the leaves raw without problems. They are completely edible. The easiest way to enjoy them is to add them to a salad. Fans of healthy and gluten-free diets also eat them with different types of dips.
This part of the vegetable is also edible
What are the benefits of cauliflower leaves?
In addition to their taste qualities, the leaves of this vegetable actually represent different virtues for our body. Above all, they are appreciated for their high iron content. Added to this is a rich collection of natural antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber and vitamins.
You don’t have the possibility or the time to start eating cauliflower leaves directly? Logically, you can save them for later. As with most foods, you have two options on this. The first variation – put them in an airtight bag in the fridge. For prolonged storage, you will need to blanch them. Dip the leaves in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, then shock them in ice water. Finally, squeeze the leaves well, put them in airtight bags and store in the freezer for months.
