We call it Fried Cauliflower Italian Style because my mom always took a simple ingredient and made it in to something special. Cauliflower in a simple egg batter that's similar to a tempura batter, but better.
It's funny how the simplest ingredients always made the best side dishes at the family table.
Try some of my other simple side dishes that are both simple and delicious like my Mom's Italian Potato and Tomato Salad, my Black Olive and Rosemary Focaccia or my Carciofi Ripieni Italian Stuffed Artichokes.
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Here's Why You'll Love this Dish
- easy to make
- simple ingredients you have in your pantry
- versatile
- kid friendly
Like pasta? Try some of my pasta dishes like Penne Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce, Tagliatelle with Traditional Bolognese Sauce or my Ground Veal Ragu.
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Ingredients
To make Fried cauliflower you'll need cauliflower, water, salt, eggs, baking powder, garlic, parsley, parmesan, and flour.
See recipe card for full details.
How to Make Italian Style Fried Cauliflower
Trim stem from Cauliflower. Parboil cauliflower for 5 minutes, do not cook fully, just until slightly soft.
Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Dry off with a kitchen towel.
Place eggs in a medium bowl and beat. Using a whisk add cheese, salt, parsley and a little bit of the flour at a time. Add baking powder and mix well. You'll want a batter that is not too thick but thick enough to adhere to the cauliflower but not drip off. Add more flour if needed.
Place half of the cauliflower in the batter and mix to cover all the cauliflower with the batter.
In a pan, sauté garlic until fragrant then remove. You can test the oil heat by placing a little batter in the pan to see if it is ready. Fry the battered cauliflower until golden then flip with a fork or tongs. Work in batches so that the oil is not sitting over the heat. Be sure to fry all sides.
Storage:
Top Tips
For the batter, you want it to be thick that it will coat the florets but runny enough that any excess will fall off.
To speed up the process of battering the cauliflower, try placing a few in the batter at a time and roll them around to full cover wiping excess batter off.
If the batter is too thick add a few drops of water and if the batter is to thin add a bit of flour.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ideas for variations or substitutes:
- Broccoli - swap in broccoli for the cauliflower
- Gluten Free - use gluten free flour to make this gluten free
- Vegan - make it vegan by using an egg substitute
The perfect recipe isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
Blanching cauliflower in boiling water can help soften it and reduce the frying time.
All you need is 2 to 3 minutes to blanch cauliflower. Remove from boiling water and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking proceess.
Other Main Dishes
Recipe Details
Italian Style Fried Cauliflower
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caEquipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb cauliflower
- salt and pepper
Batter
- 3 eggs
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped (two sprigs)
- ½ cup flour or more depending on egg size
- ½ tsp baking powder
- clove garlic optional
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Trim stem from Cauliflower. Parboil cauliflower for 5 minutes, do not cook fully, just until slightly soft. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Dry off with a kitchen towel.
- Place eggs in a medium bowl and beat. Using a whisk add cheese, salt, parsley and a little bit of the flour at a time. Add baking powder and mix well. You'll want a batter that is not too thick but thick enough to adhere to the cauliflower but not drip off. Add more flour if needed.
- Place half of the cauliflower in the batter and mix to cover all the cauliflower with the batter.
- In a pan, sauté garlic until fragrant then remove. You can test the oil heat by placing a little batter in the pan to see if it is ready. Fry the battered cauliflower until golden then flip with a fork or tongs. Work in batches so that the oil is not sitting over the heat. Be sure to fry all sides.
- Repeat the process with any remaining cauliflower.
- Transfer cooked cauliflower to a plate lined with paper towel so that excess oil is absorbed.
Notes
Top Tips
For the batter, you want it to be thick that it will coat the florets but runny enough that any excess will fall off. To speed up the process of battering the cauliflower, try placing a few in the batter at a time and roll them around to full cover wiping excess batter off. If the batter is too thick add a few drops of water and if the batter is to thin add a bit of flour.Nutrition
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Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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