Ninja Foodi Cauliflower
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Make fork tender cauliflower or freshly sliced cauliflower steaks with easy, no fuss, no mess pressure cooking!
The Ninja Foodi “all in one” makes for an easy 3 minute pressure cooker time with a delicious air frying finish – smother in cheese sauce, add some Everything Bagel Seasoning, or simply eat right off the fork for a healthy, perfectly done side dish any time.
The Ninja Foodi, my favorite pressure cooker, is a slow cooker, steamer, pressure cooker, air fryer all in one, and it’s fantastic.
You can take whole heads of artichokes, cauliflower, broccoli and enjoy fresh, delicious veggies in nearly no time, with no work at all. Let’s get started!
Why the Pressure Cooker Rules Cauliflower!
For the longest time, I kept seeing people roast cauliflower in the oven. It’s such an intriguing thing to get whole raw veggies without any prep, and throw them in the oven for a side dish.
It doesn’t need a holiday or a special meal to make up this simple cauliflower side dish. I like to make cauliflower and enjoy a savory and healthy lunch.
The problem with large veggies, like heads of cauliflower, is that it takes FOREVER. Or at least it seems like it does. Who wants to wait 50 minutes to an hour to steam or roast through a big thick head of cauliflower?
This is why I wanted to share my trick to getting the same results as an oven-baked version but in half the time with a pressure cooker.
Ingredients
Here are the 3 Ingredients needed for perfectly a Roasted Cauliflower recipe in a Ninja Foodi!
- Medium Cauliflower Head
- Olive Oil –either spritz or baste.
- Seasoning –like garlic salt, Everything Bagel Seasoning
How to use the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker for Cauliflower
This tender roasted recipe was completed in a 6.5 quart Ninja Foodi 9-1 cooker.
To get started, add one cup of water to the gray ceramic bowl of the pressure cooker.
- Add black Air Crisp Basket.
- Insert a whole head of Cauliflower.
- Add pressure cooker lid and SEAL VENT.
- Pressure cook Cauliflower on LOW for 3 minutes. You may wonder why only 3 minutes – the pressure cooker itself will build up pressure, and the actual time the cauliflower is in the pressure cooker will vary as it builds up and then begins the 3 minute count.
- Carefully QUICK RELEASE.
- Once pressure is released and the lid unlocks, remove the pressure cooker lid.
- Dump out excess Water (carefully!)
Air Fryer Cauliflower (Roasted!)
This is the second step of roasting the top of the Cauliflower and should only be implemented after pressure cooking is completed.
- Spritz or baste olive oil on the head of cauliflower.
- Add any seasoning you like – I prefer garlic salt, Everything Bagel Seasoning, or Lowry seasoning salt.
- Finish cauliflower by Air Frying (Air Crisp) for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until the top is slightly golden and flavored.
- Remove the head with tongs and carefully cut it or enjoy it as is. It should be fork tender!
What is head of Cauliflower served with?
Need a main dish recipe to serve alongside your pressure-cooked cauliflower?
Try this easy chicken and rice bake recipe, Ritz cracker chicken, copycat Alice springs chicken, or perfect cheesy asparagus stuffed chicken.
What is Everything Bagel Seasoning?
Everything Bagel seasoning is what it sounds like – a bit of everything!
It includes poppy seeds, toasted sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt.
Why the Nina Foodi All In One?
Right now, I am really building up and sharing my Ninja Foodi recipes.
If you do not own a pressure cooker but want dinner to be easy and fast, you really should consider the investment. From Air Fryer Salmon to Air Fried Oreo Beignets, when they say “all in one,” they mean it!
What I like about the Ninja Foodi is that I can pressure cook, saute, slow cook, air fryer – literally all kitchen tools in one.
I have found that this machine produces the best results instantly, and having tested the Instant Pot, Vortex, and Ninja Foodi, I ADORE this machine.
Ninja Foodi Line of Products
The Ninja Foodi 6.5 quart is used in this recipe, but did you know that the NF has a whole line of excellent kitchen products?
- Ninja Foodi Blender– Meet the Ninja Foodi blender with heat-iq. Combines high-speed crushing with a precision-heat cooking blender to go beyond smoothies and frozen drinks to unlock natural flavors with heat. With the push of a button, heat fruit, melt chocolate, and toast spices to create perfectly customized craft drinks.We have this and I LOVE it.
- Ninja Foodi 6.5 Quart 9 in 1 Cooker– The Ninja Foodi—The pressure cooker that crisps. Pressure cooker,air fryer, tender crisper. As seen here!
- Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill– The Smart XL grill that sears, sizzles, and crisps. Indoor countertop Grill and Air Fryer.We have this, and I find it more complicated to use.
- Ninja Foodi Toaster Oven– The ultimate meal making machine with 8 in 1 functionality: Air fry, air roast, air broil, bake, bagel, toast, dehydrate, and keep warm all in one powerful 1800 watt appliance.
Best Cauliflower Recipes
This loaded cauliflower rice recipe is a cheese lover’s dream!
Potatoes are not the only thing that can be mashed – cauliflower mashed potatoes are creamy and delicious for a side of steak.
Keep it simple with oven roasted cauliflower that can be seasoned any way!
Ninja Foodi Cauliflower
Ingredients
- Medium Cauliflower Head
- Olive Oil – either spritz or to baste
- Seasoning – like garlic salt or Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
Making a Cauliflower Head in a Pressure Cooker
- Add one cup of water in the inner Ceramic bowl of the pressure cooker.
- Add Air Crisp Basket inside Ceramic Pot.
- Place whole Cauliflower into Air Crisp Basket.
- Add Pressure Cooker lid to Ninja Foodi.
- Seal VENT closed.
- Pressure Cook Cauliflower on LOW for 3 minutes. The pressure cooker will cook the cauliflower as it builds pressure, which is why the timing is so low.
- Once completed, QUICK RELEASE the vent (carefully).
- When pressure is gone, open lid.
- Remove air crisp basket (use gloves) and dump out excess water (carefully!) from inner pot.
Air Fryer Cauliflower – This is the second step!
- Spritz or baste olive oil on head of cauliflower.
- Add any seasoning you like – I prefer garlic salt, Everything Bagel, or Lawry'sseasoning salt.
- Finish roasting cauliflower by Air Frying (Air Crisp with Ninja Foodi) on 400 degrees for 10 minutes, until top is slightly golden brown and flavored.
- Remove Cauliflower head with tongs and carefully slice or enjoy as is. Should be fork tender!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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You don’t mention what temp on the airfryer part
Its in the article, I am sorry it wasnt easy to see. 400 degrees.
For me three minutes pressure cook is WAY too much. It was like mush. I will not do that again
It absolutely should not have been mush. My only thought is your cauliflower head was super small.
Trisha
I tried this once, turned into mush. Tried again PC for 0 minutes with quick release and cauliflower was still very well cooked. Any other ways to cook it like maybe steam bake?
This might be the size of your cauliflower head. You may be getting one that is really small and it just cooks too quickly.
The best cauliflower we’ve ever had! Perfect “doneness”. I used everything bagel spice and then a cheese sauce for dipping and drizzling. The cheese sauce was made with milk, Hellmans mayo, mustard and grated cheddar and a bit of cracked pepper. So good! Thank you