Chorizo Cauliflower Recipe | Epicurious

Step 1

Place 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 4 cups/400 g), in a blender or food processor and pulse periodically for about 2 minutes until they reach a crumbly texture that looks like rice or couscous. If the blender gets stuck, stop it and rearrange the cauliflower with a spoon. For ease, feel free to use 3¾ cups cauliflower rice (400 g) instead.

Step 2

Set a deep stainless-steel skillet over medium heat and pour in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Once the olive oil is shimmery and hot, add ½ cup (60 g) diced white onion and 1 garlic clove, peeled, smashed. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes, then add 1 dried bay leaf. If pan is too dry, add more oil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender.

Step 3

Push the cauliflower to the edges of the pan, creating a well in the center, and pour in the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil. (Pouring the olive oil directly onto the surface of the pan will allow it to heat up faster before you mix the cauliflower back in.)

Step 4

Stir the cauliflower into the olive oil, then add 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. mushroom powder, 1¼ tsp. fine sea salt, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ tsp. dried oregano, and ⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon. Stir everything together thoroughly, then create another well in the pan and add 2 tsp. tomato paste and 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar. Stir everything until the tomato paste is completely mixed through. Continue stirring for about 10 minutes more, until the chorizo is deeper in color and the cauliflower has reduced about 50 percent in the pan. The final chorizo should look like an earth-toned, crumbly red paste. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes so the cauliflower will finish absorbing the flavors. Remove the bay leaf before serving (save to use in another recipe).

Do Ahead: Store leftover chorizo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.