Instant Pot Cauliflower

This quick and easy Instant Pot cauliflower side dish cooks quickly in the pressure cooker with a perfectly tender texture and a tangy Dijon seasoning!

Cauliflower is probably one of the most versatile vegetables as it works as a side dish or a main meal! We love it for this air fryer roast cauliflower, cheesy cauliflower bake or for these spicy Korean cauliflower wings. Seriously, is there anything cauliflower can’t do!?

And what about the days you just don’t want to turn on your stove or oven? I’ve got you covered with this Instant Pot tangy Dijon cauliflower. 

We love it served with chipotle honey baked ham and oven baked honey garlic chicken thighs, but the serving options are endless for this cauliflower side dish recipe!

Why this instant pot cauliflower recipe works

• Say goodbye to mushy cauliflower! The Instant Pot steams the cauliflower to tender perfection, just like this instant pot broccoli.
• It’s super flavorful! The cauliflower cooks in a simple tangy Dijon mixture that just clings to the florets. So good!
• No special ingredients required! You probably have everything you need for this recipe in your pantry and fridge right now.
• It’s ready in less than 10 minutes with very little hands-on time, which gives you time to cook your main dish and other sides.

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.

You’ll need 1 cauliflower head, cut into even florets (about 2 pounds or 4 cups). To ensure you’re using fresh cauliflower, choose a head that is firm and tightly closed without any brown or dark spots on it.

For the cooking liquid, we use chicken stock. I prefer instant pot chicken bone broth, but you can also use store-bought for convenience. If you’re using a low-sodium broth, you may wish to add some more salt to the cauliflower.

To add a little tangy flavor to the cauliflower, you’ll season the chicken stock with Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar.

I prefer grainy Dijon mustard but smooth also works. Some mustards are a little saltier than others, so taste the cooking liquid and adjust the amount of salt, if necessary.

Substitutions and variations

• If you don’t have white wine vinegar, you can use red wine vinegar. You can use table vinegar in a pinch, just note that it has a much sharper taste.
• For convenience, you can also use pre-cut cauliflower florets instead of a whole head of cauliflower. Grocery stores usually sell them in pre-packaged bags.
• For a vegan version, you can substitute vegetable stock for the chicken broth.
• Use ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic.

Step by step instructions to make this side dish

1. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute.

2. While the garlic sautés, mix the broth, mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar in a bowl until smooth.

3. Add to the Instant Pot along with the cauliflower and mix so the cauliflower is coated.

4. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes (it'll take a few minutes to come up to pressure) and use the quick pressure release to release the pressure when done. Remove the cauliflower from the pot and serve hot.

Expert tips to cook cauliflower

1. Make sure to cut the cauliflower into roughly equal pieces so it cooks evenly. 
2. If you like your steamed cauliflower on the firmer side, reduce the pressure cooking time by 1 minute (cook on high pressure for 2 minutes), or cut it into larger florets.
3. Be sure to do a quick release of the pressure. If you naturally release the pressure, the cauliflower will continue cooking and will be overcooked and mushy.
4. The recipe can easily be double without changing the cook time.

Frequently asked questions

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