Have you seen the vivid purple cauliflower that has been popping up in grocery stores and farmer's market over the last decade? Have you ever wondered if it tastes any different than it's white counterpart?
Is there a difference between purple and white cauliflower? Besides the color, there is no major difference between the different colors of cauliflower.
I have no problem admitting my basis for odd colored foods.
Particularly purple ones - purple carrots, purple Brussels sprouts, purple snow peas, purple potatoes and of course purple cauliflower.
Out of all of those I think purple cauliflower may be the prettiest (the potatoes come in a close second).
I was specially inspired when I spotted a huge head of bright, vivid purple cauliflower at my local farmer's market going for just 3 dollars.
Jackpot!
It was enough to serve my wife and I as a side dish for 2 nights and that was just using half of it.
My daughter also loves purple cauliflower.
Does It Taste Purple?
It's purple, does it taste like purple?
Many of us grew up on purple iced treats on a stick that tasted well purple (some kind of fake grape flavor). Rest assured purple cauliflower does not taste like grape.
It's breathtaking purple color is all natural too unlike that other purple stuff. No GMO either,
To answer the question that brought you here - my eyes may say that purple cauliflower should taste different but my tongue has never agreed.
I have never dedicated a significant different in purple cauliflower. The purple cauliflower I have bought at the farmer's market has been superior in quality to the store bought I have purchased in the past.
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How to Cook It
By far I believe the only way to cook cauliflower is to roast it (UPDATE - I will also say putting it in the air fryer is also a great option. Cauliflower needs a longer cooking time than it's cousin broccoli to really reach it's full potential.
I like to use a lot of strong spices - cumin seeds, smoked paprika, ground mustard, and freshly cracked black pepper. The cauliflower really absorbs the flavor of the spice as it cooks.
A couple other options are cheesy roasted cauliflower, like Alton Brown’s Cauliflower Say Cheese or my Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini (as seen in photo above).
The texture is so much better roasted than boiled. I would only boil cauliflower now if I was going to puree it for a mash or sauce. Boiled cauliflower tends to water log and taste bland - neither is what you want.
Can You Eat it Raw?
Absolutely.
What a way to liven up a veg tray. Try a combination colored cauliflower like purple, green, white, or orange if you really want to knock your next guest's socks off with a rainbow of colors.
Where to Buy
My favorite place is to get it at the local farmer's market. For me that has been Michigan and Ohio.
If you want to get it at the grocery store, I have seen it at stores like Whole Foods Market, Meijer, Kroger to name a few.
Let us know 1) where you have found purple cauliflower and 2) how you have cooked purple cauliflower before - by leaving a comment below.
Valerie
How do I freeze the purple cauliflower? Do I blanch them first?
Eric Samuelson
You don't need to do that. I would just cut it into bite sized pieces and then freeze.