The Best Easy Cauliflower Polonaise

Cauliflower Polonaise is an excellent example of simple food that injects many flavors.

It may have a Polish name, but it’s French in origin.

This dish of boiled and baked cauliflower, mixed with breadcrumbs, hard-boiled eggs, capers, garlic, and butter, comes together in no time yet completely bursts with flavor.

When using “a la Polonaise” or Polish style, the dish is garnished with buttered breadcrumbs and hard-boiled eggs.

A big plate of this delicious dish will be all gone before you know it. I will definitely make it again and again.

Finishing it in a Le Creuset, enamel cast iron gratin dish will go from oven to table beautifully.

In this Article

Origins of Polonaise Style

The origin story of this dish is a bit unclear. People in Poland first made it, but France popularized it around the 18th century.

The French used breadcrumbs instead of parmesan to impart texture since parmesan would melt in this dish.

Reasons to Embrace Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a great vegetable — it’s so versatile. Because it has a mild taste, you can cook it in various ways and be creative with your recipes.

Roasted or baked cauliflower has a beautiful nutty flavor to it. Meanwhile, steam it, and you can mash it up to a smooth consistency and season it for a super-easy side.

If you avoid gluten, carbs, or processed foods, you can use a food processor to grind it. After grinding it, you can use it as a nutritious pizza crust.

You can also slice it into thick slices and roast or sautee the steak-like pieces. Then, you have a whole dinner on a plate.

The options for using this incredible vegetable, to me, are endless. 

And not only is it versatile, it’s healthy. Cauliflower is a composite of vitamins C, K, and B, high in fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.

Why You’ll Love Cauliflower Polonaise

Delicious – This rich dish will has the potential to make even the pickiest eater fall in love with it.

Versatile – It makes for a great side dish for fish or poultry. But it’s also hearty enough to stand alone as a whole meal.

Easy – This cauliflower polonaise recipe is so simple to follow and make. 

How to cook cauliflower and not have your house smell 

No one likes the smell of cauliflower in the house when cooking. Here is a quick and easy technique that my grandmother shared with me:

• Add half or whole lemon to the cooking water to eliminate the smell.
• Cut in half and squeeze some in the water. The lemon juice absorbs the smell.

Your family will never know that you are preparing them cauliflower.

Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions to create this excellent Cauliflower Polonaise. 

As with all recipes, have all your ingredients ready before tacking your recipe.

• Start with the cauliflower as per the above instructions.
• Hard boil the eggs, and remove the hard shell. Grate the hard-boiled eggs or chop them roughly into small pieces.
• Melt the butter and add the bread crumbs, grated eggs, rinsed capers, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the cauliflower and mix well.
• Transfer the cauliflower and the mixture into a gratin dish and roast for about 10 minutes or until the top is golden. 

The rich flavor combination of garlic, hard-boiled egg, and capers is out of this world. Plus, the breadcrumbs give irresistible crunchiness to the whole dish.

This dish can be prepared the day before you want to enjoy it. To achieve that, here are a few helpful steps:

• Start by cooking the cauliflower; follow the quick tip below to eliminate the small that it gives out while cooking.
• Hard boil your eggs as well. I always keep a couple of boiled in my refrigerator for a quick snack at lunchtime.
•  You can go further the day before by mixing all the ingredients except the remaining breadcrumbs (11/2 tablespoon as per the recipe below) and the butter.
• Do bring both of the above to room temperature before the final assembly.

What to Serve With Cauliflower Polonaise

This tasty cauliflower dish goes well with various meals, like roasted chicken, pork chops with caramelized onions, grilled salmon, or lamb. Or, impress your brunch guests by serving it alongside quiche Lorraine or a French onion tart. 

Variations 

Herbs – Add fresh herbs like dill, thyme, or tarragon. 

Heat – Use a few dashes of crushed red pepper or cayenne to give it a spicy kick. 

More Cauliflower recipes

As you may have noticed, cauliflower is often featured in my recipe collection, and here are a few fantastic recipes that I know you will enjoy.

Cauliflower with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes

Roasted Cauliflower with LimeDressing

Bucatini with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts

Chickpeas, Cauliflower, Curry Vinaigrette

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage 

Refrigerator: Store cauliflower polonaise in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Freeze leftover for up to 3 months.

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Originally published on October 9, 2019.