Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a white vegetable with a bumpy top that looks like a cloud or a brain. It grows on a thick stem with big green leaves. Cauliflower is related to broccoli, cabbage, and kale. People cook it in many different ways and use it as a healthy swap for rice or pizza crust.

The Cauliflower Plant

Cauliflower grows from a single seed into a large plant. The white part we eat is called the curd or head. Leaves grow around it to protect it from the sun. Without the leaves, the head would turn yellow. Most cauliflower is white, but it can also be orange, purple, or green.

Eating Cauliflower

Cauliflower has a mild taste that goes well with many foods. It can be eaten raw with dip or cooked in lots of ways. People roast it, steam it, and even mash it like potatoes. Some cooks turn it into rice by chopping it into tiny pieces. It is also used to make gluten-free pizza crust.

Fun Facts

• Purple cauliflower gets its color from the same thing that makes red cabbage purple.
• A writer named Mark Twain once called cauliflower 'cabbage with a college education.'
• China grows more cauliflower than any other country.

Did You Know?

Romanesco is a cool cousin of cauliflower. It is light green and has spiral shapes that look like pointy towers.