Cauliflower risotto

This recipe was a complete happy accident. Like one of those times you’re in the kitchen throwing things into a skillet and praying for the best while simultaneously hoping that if you have to order take out, the wait won’t be too long because you’re starving. Thank goodness this one turned out well! I don’t think I would’ve had the patience to wait for someone to bring me food.

I started just thinking I would throw a ton of stuff into the skillet with the cauliflower working as a base to hold everything together, but as I got going, I realized it was starting to resemble risotto. To be clear, I was completely ok with that because I LOVE risotto, but if you’ve never cooked it, it’s not the funnest thing to cook. There’s a lot of slow adding of liquid and constant stirring, it can take forever and requires SO much patience. In other words, it’s not the dish to make when you’re hungry and want food NOW.

This take on risotto ended up being super filling, surprisingly delicious and a complete crowd pleaser at my house which means it’s now a regular in the rotation.

The key with it, as with any cauliflower dish is to not be afraid of seasoning the cauliflower. Cauliflower will absorb whatever spices and stuff you toss into the pot, so don’t be shy. The more seasoning, the better.

cauliflower risotto

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4 people

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 head of cauliflower, chopped to resemble rice

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of butter or ghee

1 bunch of spinach, chopped

1/2 cup of chicken broth

2 tablespoons of cream cheese (optional)

Take your cauliflower, and chop it either roughly with your knife to resemble rice or if you’re lazy like me, in your food processor under the chop setting. Set aside.

Grab your large skillet and heat over medium. Add in your olive oil, onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Add in your mushrooms and saute for an additional 3 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add the cauliflower to the skillet and mix until everything is well combined. After everything is well mixed, put in all of your spices and mix it up again.

Then add in your ghee or butter, combining everything until the ghee or butter is melted. Put your chicken broth in the skillet, along with the skillet, give everything a good stir and then cover for 5 to 10 minutes or until the liquid is completely absorbed. Uncover, add in the cream cheese if you’re using it, and serve immediately! Enjoy!