How to Freeze Cauliflower

If you want fresh tasting cauliflower year round, a great way to get it is by freezing the cauliflower when it's in season.

Things You'll Need

• Head of cauliflower
• Water
• Sharp knife
• Large pot with lid
• Salt
• Stovetop
• Slotted spoon
• Bowl of ice water
• Colander
• Zippered freezer bags
• Freezer

Instructions

1. Remove any leaves from the head of cauliflower by peeling them off with your hands.

2. Cut the head of cauliflower into 1-inch florets using a sharp knife.

3. Rinse off the cauliflower florets with warm running water to remove any lingering dirt.

4. Fill a large pot with water and place the pot on the stove top. Add 4 tsp. of salt to the water for every gallon of water you use.

5. Bring the water to a boil over high heat on the stove top.

6. Add the cauliflower florets to the boiling water and put the lid on the pot.

7. Boil the cauliflower for 3 minutes.

8. Use a slotted spoon and gently remove the cauliflower florets from the boiling water. Alternatively, you could pour the florets into a colander.

9. Put the hot cauliflower florets in a bowl of ice water immediately to cool them off and stop the cooking process. Thoroughly drain the cauliflower florets using a colander.

10. Place the cauliflower florets in a single layer in zippered freezer bags. Lay the bags flat in the freezer to freeze the cauliflower.

Tips & Warnings

• If the head of cauliflower is very dirty or contains insects between the florets, soak the head of cauliflower in a bowl of warm water for approximately 30 minutes before proceeding with Step 2.

• Be sure to remove any extra air from the freezer bags before freezing the cauliflower.

• Use frozen cauliflower within six months.

• Always be careful when working with boiling water to avoid burns.