Fried Cauliflower with Lemon

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: Cauliflower, Hanukkah recipe, how to fry cauliflower

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 32

Servings: people

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

This Fried Cauliflower with Lemon is so flavorful and we just love the crunchy outside and the soft cauliflower on the inside. This is perfect for Hanukkah or really any time of the year. So flavorful, and just so delicious!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Sturdy skillet for frying

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower cored and cut into 1" florets.
Kosher salt
canola oil or vegetable, for frying
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper plus more, to taste
2 tbsp lemon zest plus lemon wedges for serving
4 eggs
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Coarse sea salt for finishing, optional

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add cauliflower and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
1 large cauliflower
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to an ice bath, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the cauliflower all over with salt.
Kosher salt
Heat 2" oil in a large saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 350°F, or when a small piece of bread turns golden in the oil after about 1 minute.
canola oil
In a large bowl, mix the flour, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp ground turmeric, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp lemon zest
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.
4 eggs
Working in batches, dredge the cauliflower in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then into the eggs, shaking off excess, and then back into the flour for another dredging.
Fry, flipping as needed, until golden and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
Place on a platter, sprinkle parsley on top, and a little coarse sea salt (if using). Serve at once with lemon wedges on the side.
1 tbsp fresh parsley, Coarse sea salt

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

We recommend using freshly cut cauliflower, however, if using frozen, make sure it is fully thawed and then completely dried.

These are definitely best served piping hot, soon after being fried. For this particular dish, we don't recommend oven-baking in place of frying. Don't squeeze the fresh lemon juice on the fried cauliflower until just before serving, or, let guests squeeze the lemon wedge on their own.

Leftovers will keep for a day or so but they will lose their crunch.

Nutrition