Spanish Fried Cauliflower (Coliflor Rebozada)

5 from 1 vote

Spanish Fried Cauliflower (Coliflor Rebozada)

This fried cauliflower is one of our favorite Spanish style tapas dishes! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the most craveable way to eat your veggies.

Servings servings

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Equipment

Cast iron pan deep-walled

Ingredients

Spanish Fried Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower broken into medium-sized florets
2 large eggs beaten well
½ teaspoon paprika
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying

Roasted Garlic Aioli

1 head garlic
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ cup light mayo
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 pinches sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Spanish Fried Cauliflower

First, boil the cauliflower florets for about 3 to 5 minutes until just barely fork tender. Then drain and let cool while you prepare the dredge.
Next, set up a dredging station with 2 medium sized bowls. In one bowl, combine the well-beaten egg and paprika. In the other bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Dip the cauliflower florets in the egg first, let some of the excess drip off, then toss in the flour. Work with small handfuls at a time, making sure each floret is well coated, before transferring them to a plate.
Preheat about a half inch of vegetable oil in a deep walled, heavy bottomed pan (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat.
Test the oil to see if it's hot enough by sprinkling a bit of flour into it. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. Fry the cauliflower in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, until golden and crispy, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even browning.
When the cauliflower is a nice golden color and perfectly crispy, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon to avoid taking up excess oil. Transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate to drain, and continue cooking in batches until all the cauliflower has been fried.
Serve the fried cauliflower hot with a side of roasted garlic aioli (see instructions below, or use your favorite store bought brand).

Roasted Garlic Aioli

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and prepare the garlic. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose most of the cloves, then lightly drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap tightly in foil, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Let the garlic cool for a bit until you can safely handle it, then gently squeeze the roasted cloves out into a bowl or mortar and pestle for mashing.
Pulverize the garlic into a creamy, smooth paste. We like to use our mortar and pestle for this; if you don’t have one, a fork will do. You can also add a little extra salt to help the process - the granules will help grind and break down the garlic until it’s smooth.
Combine the roasted garlic puree with the light mayo, lemon juice, and another pinch of salt (skip this if you added salt in the previous step for mashing). Adjust lemon and salt to taste, then keep refrigerated until serving.

Notes

Roasted garlic aioli - We always pair our fried cauliflower with a creamy roasted garlic aioli for dipping! It provides the perfect cool contrast to the crispy fried florets. Homemade is best, but if you want an easy store-bought option, we love Stonewall Kitchen’s roasted garlic aioli.

Blanching - Cook the cauliflower until it’s just fork tender. Too much boiling and it’ll become too soft, which could lead to the florets breaking apart as you try to dredge and fry them.

Serving suggestions - We think this dish is best served as a small plate or tapa with a few other dishes. Here are some of our favorites:

Traditional tapas: Patatas bravas, Spanish baked goat cheese in tomato sauce, and Pan Con Tomate.
Small plates we love even if they aren’t Spanish: Burrata toast with tomato and basil, crispy potatoes with whipped ricotta, whipped brie with calabrian chiles, and roasted tomato and garlic bruschetta.

If you’re interested, you can read more about how to throw a tapas party here!

Author: Nicole and Alex

Calories: 222kcal

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Spanish

Keyword: cauliflower, egg, flour, garlic aioli, paprika, salt, tapas, vegetable oil

Nutrition