Instant Pot Whole Cauliflower

This is how to cook a whole cauliflower in Instant Pot. It is as easy as our Cheesy Instant Pot Cauliflower but with NO need to break it apart. Pressure cooks in just 10 minutes in your Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi and it’s perfect. 

Have you tried making pressure cooker cauliflower yet?? It’s the only way I make my vegetables now! It’s healthier and quicker than boiling and if you have a Ninja Foodi you can even add cheese and crisp the top. Really, this is to die for I tell you.

Yes you can make this in your Crockpot Express or an easy Instant Pot recipe too. The only difference is you won’t be able to crisp the top unless you use the CrispLid where you can turn your Instant Pot into an air fryer. Or pop under your broiler for a few minutes.

Ninja Foodi Whole Cauliflower

Even just under high pressure it turns out great this way. In a Foodi you will use the lid that is not attached first, then the other if you want to melt some parmesan. You can season before, after or both ways to add flavor and the texture is just perfect. Fork tender where you could almost just eat this as a meal on your plate, but should share.

How Long to Cook Whole Cauliflower in Instant Pot

Cook time varies slightly depending on how large it is and how tender you want it to be. I prefer a medium size with a bit of texture still to it so 2 minutes is plenty. If yours was very large you could increase to 3, if you wanted to cook Instant Pot cauliflower mash you would want 5 minutes so it literally falls apart. Then we air fry or broil after that which is optional.

This is the “magic sauce” that takes this whole cauliflower over the top. You can adjust the heat level to your liking. We follow the same idea when we showed you how to cook a whole cabbage. Both are quite bland if you don’t add some type of moisture and flavor to it.

Ingredient Notes

You want to start with a medium sized Whole cauliflower, head kept as is without breaking apart. Size should be able to fit into the pot you have with space around it for the hot steam to rotate around and get it nice and tender.

Garlic Butter Sauce

If you really want it to seep into the center you can kinda’ hollow out the top a bit with a knife. Garlic and butter are a given for us but you might have a seasoning that you love too. Love spicy? Use our Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce too.

How to Make Spicy

You are going to use some good Olive oil to keep moist and as the base of this sauce to give it flavor with Garlic for lots of flavor. To add the heat the best way is with some Crushed red pepper but you could use dry Sriracha or our jalapeno powder recipe.

As for optional flavor and wow we love to add grated parmesan cheese, garlic salt and dry basil too. All can be adjusted to your liking.

And you’llneed an electric pressure cooker of course. Just like with our Whole Cauliflower in Crock pot you will need about a cup of water and a steamer basket or trivet for it to sit on top of. If you love cauliflower like we do this is great.

Ok so if you are really sensitive to heat I would leave out the crushed red pepper all together. A little is really good though and I am not one for spicy things.

How to Make it Crispy

If you want to crisp the top and don’t have an air fryer you can put it on a baking sheet and under your boiler instead. I got the recipe out of the book that came with my Ninja Foodi. For another with this same pot you can make air fryer cauliflower steaks style. Just use the air crisp button vs. high pressure.

Whole cauliflower pressure cooker time is minimal. Boiling vegetables removes a lot of nutrients that you want in your diet, and your stovetop will take quite a while longer. Of course you can skip the seasonings and just make Instant Pot cauliflower by itself, but it is a bit bland.

When pressure cooking vegetables it is handy to have this Instant Pot vegetable cook times sheet handy. That way when you try something new it will let you know whether you need high or low pressure, and approximately how long it should take.

How to Cook a Whole Head of Cauliflower in Instant Pot

Cut the end of cauliflower off and remove the outer leaves. Then cut into middle of head and remove a quarter size piece so seasonings and oil can seep in. Put your head of cauliflower on the top of the trivet. Close the lid and steam valve and set to high for 2 minutes. If you prefer a much softer texture I would set to 3 minutes on high pressure. 2 will produce a tender head with a little texture to it which I think is perfect

If you have a Ninja Foodi you can crisp the top with some parmesan using the air crisp lid set to 390 degrees for 8 minutes so top gets golden brown. If using broiler leave in for approx. 5 minutes or until top is as golden as you’d like. Cut into pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve!

Loving this? Try our cauliflower curry recipe too. That has a TON of flavor to it and can be complete meal vs. a side dish like this.

How to store leftovers

I have this because I hate wasting food too. I bet you are like me too. So wait until it is completely cooled to begin with. Enjoy what you want and then set the rest aside. Use a large freezer bag, or pint size if you just have a bit left over. Put it inside and zip it almost all the way closed.

Then with the little hole that is open suck all the air out, like all of it. Air is the enemy, remember that when saving leftovers. Put into your fridge and eat within the next 2 days, the next day is best. Reheat on a plate in your microwave for about 45 seconds or so. Put a small pat of butter on top before heating to keep it moist.

You could put it into your air fryer too as an alternative method, this will add just a bit of crisp to the outside. 400 degrees for about 4 minutes shaking the basket halfway thru should do the trick. You could add a bit of parmesan cheese into the mix too with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesn’t dry out and gets crunchy on the edges.

Other Easy Cauliflower Recipes You’ll Love

Looking for more easy recipes with this inexpensive piece of produce to take you further? This pressure cooker cauliflower soup is a winner too.

Want to make an oven roasted whole cauliflower, try this one. Like it kinda’ crispy? Make air fryer frozen cauliflower. If you want to make it more bite size you should try our air fryer cauliflower recipes too.