Ina Garten's Cauliflower Toasts Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Broil

by: Food52

October1,2018

4.3

27 Ratings

  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 35 minutes
  • Serves 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Cauliflower is, in my opinion, a highly underappreciated vegetable. Roasting brings out its flavor. Lots of Gruyère and prosciutto add flavor and texture. Always cut cauliflower from the stem end, not the top. You’ll keep the florets intact and avoid getting cauliflower crumbles all over your counter.

Helpful tools for this recipe:
- Kosterina Green Olive Oil
- Global Classic Knife Collection
- Five Two Double-Sided Bamboo Cutting Board

Recipes and photographs reprinted from Cook Like a Pro: Recipes & Tips for Home Cooks. Copyright © 2018 by Ina Garten. Photographs by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. —Food52

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1 small head cauliflower (2 pounds)
  • 4 tablespoonsgood olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 ouncesItalian mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
  • 6 ouncesGruyère cheese, grated
  • 4 ouncesthinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
  • 1/4 teaspoonground nutmeg
  • 6 large slices country-style bread
  • Paprika
  • Freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoonsminced fresh chives
  • Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Turn the cauliflower upside down on a cutting board. Cut off and discard most but not all of the stems, then cut the florets into small, 1/2-inch clusters. Place the florets on a sheet pan, toss them with the olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper, and spread them out in a single layer. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing two or three times, until the florets are tender and randomly browned. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  3. Set the oven to broil and arrange a rack 6 inches below the heat.
  4. Transfer the florets to a large mixing bowl and add the mascarpone, stirring to coat the florets evenly. Stir in the Gruyère, prosciutto, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  5. Toast the bread in a toaster until lightly browned, and place in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil. Mound the cauliflower mixture evenly on each toast and dust with paprika. Broil the toasts for 2 to 4 minutes, until browned and bubbling. (Watch them carefully!) Transfer to plates and sprinkle with Parmesan, the chives, and sea salt. Serve hot.

Tags:

  • Toast
  • American
  • Prosciutto
  • Cauliflower
  • Chive
  • Paprika
  • Nutmeg
  • Sheet Pan
  • Roast
  • Broil
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • karin.anderson.52

  • MBE

  • Michelle

  • Joelle Bradley

  • Mandy Sunde

23 Reviews

Ro R. February 17, 2024

Hmm, my high hopes for this one were not realized. Noting that I did not add prosciutto to keep this vegetarian, otherwise I would have rated this even lower. This is an incredibly fatty meal, and not in a good way. Even though I increased the spicing, it was bland, as the spicing just vanished (the ham would improve that somewhat). Half the marscapone would be ample for this recipe, perhaps cut with something less fatty like yogurt or sour cream to add some more moisture. It was really a waste of a good cauliflower; there are many rice and cauliflower bakes that are tastier and 1000% healthier than this recipe. I recommend not wasting the money on high priced ingredients that are not well shown off by this recipe. Save your marscapone to make a tiramisu instead.

Chef N. January 25, 2024

This was a great first bite, I put it on some hearty ciabatta rolls, however it was way salty and I love salt. I feel like we stumbled on Ina's drunk night recipe and I love her for it. But I wish I had skipped the added salt. It only needed the salt on the cauli.

Nellie D. November 16, 2023

I only used one teaspoon of salt and left out half the gruyere and it was still too salty. Otherwise very good!

Kiki September 8, 2023

This was delicious! Because I don’t eat meat, I substituted the prosciutto for caramelized onions, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. YUM! Thank you for sharing!

Ashley July 28, 2023

Italian mascarpone cheese and Gruyère cheese are really expensive for me to eat this on the regular. Are there any substitutes to these cheese that give this toast similar taste/texture?

Mandy S. July 28, 2023

I would say Ricotta or cream cheese for marscapone, but it won't have the same silky texture. For gruyere I would say swiss is doable or a harder sharper white cheese. Hope this helps, it is really is a good recipe.

Trevor M. September 30, 2023

Sour cream was an amazing g sub for macaroons, where I live, fancy cheeses are hard to find, ricotta and macaroons were not an option and cream cheese was too sweet for me for this purpose.

karin.anderson.52 July 22, 2023

Very nice! I omitted the salt in the cauliflower-cheese mixture, and skipped the sea salt topping. With the cheese and prosciutto the toast are are definitely salty enough. I will make them again.

MBE March 4, 2022

So indeed the leftovers made a great pasta dish! Cooked some rigatoni, added some leftover cubed chicken breast and a bit of heavy cream. Baked until hot and bubbly and served it with steamed broccoli because I was

MBE February 25, 2022

Yum! The only thing I would question is the additional tsp of salt added to the mascarpone mixture considering the salt from the cauliflower, cheese and prosciutto. I made sourdough no knead bread that was perfect. Also used a bit of crème fraiche, cream cheese and mascarpone (using up dribs and drabs) and substituted sharp white cheddar for the Gruyere. Cooking for two so made a full batch of the cauliflower then half of it with the other ingredients. Didn't need all of that either, so now I have leftovers to play with!! I'm thinking pasta.

sharskee January 11, 2021

Really delicious! I didn't have gruyere and used white cheddar and skipped the prosciutto since I'm vegetarian. Would make again. would also be good cut into smaller pieces and served as an appetizer.

brushjl October 26, 2020

this is why I am not a chef, would never have dreamed of this exquisite combination. just superb.

Michelle August 18, 2020

This was amazing! I will be making this again

Joelle B. June 28, 2020

We had beautiful home made bagels. We sliced each into three toasts. Very delicious, but really dry. Need some creamier sauce. What could that be that is really easy? Whipping cream? Sour cream? Ideas please

Karen H. August 9, 2020

I would add a little more mascarpone, and maybe stir in a little cream or sour cream, like you suggest...and because you are adding bland ingredients, bump up the flavorings in the recipe (pepper flakes, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and chives).

Joelle B. August 10, 2020

Thanks Karen!

Jacque January 7, 2022

??? Cream cheese.

Mandy S. October 11, 2018

This was so tasty!! Easy to make and so savory, nutty, and cheesy.

Lisa October 7, 2018

How about this topping on fresh pizza dough? Takes a little longer, but worth it, I think.

Juliebell October 7, 2018

Great idea! I was wondering about rye or sourdough toast.

alw2276 February 14, 2021

Great idea! I was going quesadilla with it. Seems very versatile.

alw2276 February 14, 2021

Rye sounds good

[emailprotected] June 7, 2023

On garlic naan?! 😍

Ina Garten's Cauliflower Toasts Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Ina Garten's Cauliflower Toasts Recipe on Food52? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Why is my roasted cauliflower mushy? ›

First, take care not to overcrowd your pan; if the cauliflower is packed in rim-to-rim, the moisture will not be able to escape as the florets cook, which will result in soft steamed cauliflower instead of roasted. Next, don't be overly generous with the oil — a light coating is what we're after here.

What does vinegar do to cauliflower? ›

Adding vinegar to the cooking water when cooking cauliflower is a common technique that can help to reduce the strong sulfur smell that cauliflower can sometimes give off while cooking. The vinegar can help to neutralize the sulfur compounds in the cauliflower, resulting in a milder aroma and flavor.

Should you rinse cauliflower before cooking? ›

The separated florets have to be washed properly under a tap. This removes dirt and large parasites such as worms. The next step is cleaning the cauliflower in mildly warm water in which a little salt was dissolved. This process – which should last 10-20 minutes - destroys several microbes and large parasites.

What brings out the Flavour of cauliflower? ›

This is true of any vegetable — boiling it will give you a flavor closer to the raw flavor, which means more bitterness and more astringency. Caramelizing it will bring out its hidden sweetness. This light, vibrant roasted cauliflower salad is a recipe I developed for the fall menu at Duo.

Why does cooked cauliflower hurt my stomach? ›

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower contain high levels of insoluble fiber, which can quickly lead to digestive upset, especially when consumed raw. Symptoms can include bloating, gas and cramping.

Why is my cauliflower not getting crispy? ›

Cauliflower has a very high water content, so it won't get crispy if you bake the florets crowded together. "Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay.

How long to soak cauliflower in vinegar water? ›

Produce with rough outer skin: Items such as broccoli, potatoes and cauliflower are a little harder to clean. Soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water for 1 minute. For heads of cabbage or lettuce, it's best to separate the leaves first.

Is it worth marinating cauliflower? ›

Mildly Marinated Cauliflower is the perfect balance of pickling spices. There's a sweet tang that children will love and don't hesitate to add it to salads.

What will adding lemon juice to the water for cooking cauliflower do? ›

Cauliflower should be cooked quartered, or cut into florets at the base of the stem. In kitchen lore, lemon juice, milk, flour and vinegar have all been recommended as additions to cauliflower cooking water, presumably to keep it white.

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