This Instant Pot Whole Roasted Cauliflower is getting all dressed up today, get ready for the ultimate taste bud party! Tender roasted cauliflower on a swoosh of Homemade Hummus, drizzled with a bright herbaceous chimichurri sauce . . . are you with me?

THESE are the kinds of recipes I dream of at night!

The kind of recipes you might see on cooking competitions or in fine dining restaurants, yet in reality, they are so simple and doable and ready to grace your beautiful table and make you feel like a rockstar!

The night I served this I was like a giddy school kid who just received news that they were going to Disneyland.

I giggled without reason, couldn't sit on my stool for more than 30 seconds at a time, felt eruptions of joy bursting from my chest, and loudly exclaimed, “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm MMM!” after nearly every bite.

Gahhh! I love this recipe!

Hubby? Also totally and completely on board. Kids? Gosh darn it, I love the heck out of them, but when will they stop asking for “grilled cheese like all the other kids”?

I mean honestly, what other kids? Do you serve your kids grilled cheese every night? Am I really that much of a failure in the “mom cook” category? Be honest, I can take it.

Anyways, back to yummy food: Cauliflower itself is the perfect blank slate for experimenting with all kinds of flavors, and I believe I found my new favorite with this one!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

The entire head of cauliflower gets cooked to perfectly tender perfection which means no breaking down the cauliflower into bite-size florets and dealing with the tiny bits that fly everywhere (just me?).
It cooks in one minute! Well, two, if you are like me and like cauliflower on the borderline too soft side.
Herby, tangy chimichurri sauce . . . I could drink this stuff! Chimichurri’s not just for steak, oh no, it's going next level here to elevate our cauliflower “steak”.
Chimichurri sauce gets brushed into the nooks and crannies of the pressure cooked cauliflower, then broiled until browned and crispy – stay away from the extra browned/kind of burnt sections – those are mine!
The final presentation: Swoosh of warm hummus, topped with a wedge of cauliflower, drizzled with just borderline too much chimichurri sauce, and sprinkled with a handful of roasted pine nuts. If you win yourself a Food Network cooking competition with this presentation, be sure and give me a shout out!

HOW TO COOK A WHOLE CAULIFLOWER HEAD IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

Remove the core and leaves from a whole head of cauliflower
Place on a sling and lower it into the pot
Cook to desired tenderness
Separate the florets just a little bit
Brush generously with chimichurri sauce
Place under the oven broiler until browned and crisp

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

For crisp-tender cauliflower, cook for one minute. If you prefer it on the softer side, cook for two.
A 6-quart pot will hold a medium-sized head of cauliflower. If you're cooking it in an 8-quart pot, you could get a large one – cook time will remain the same.
To get flavor inside the cauliflower, you will need to take the time to separate the cauliflower just a little bit after it's pressure cooked. No need to go crazy, you don't want to ruin the integrity of it. You only need those small cracks for the chimichurri sauce to seep into and infuse the entire thing with flavor. Still, most of the flavor will be on the outside, so make sure you reserve extra chimichurri sauce for drizzling at the table.
Homemade or store-bought pesto makes a great substitute for the chimichurri sauce if you'd like to skip a step.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower can be cut into wedges (like you'd cut a pizza) or straight across the entire thing to make a cauliflower steak. Both ways look and taste amazing!
The bed of hummus is undeniably delightful, don't skip it! This Homemade Hummus is my favorite, but your favorite store-bought hummus will work well too!

HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Store: Place cooled leftovers in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Cauliflower can be reheated in the microwave, or to bring back it's texture, roast in an air fryer or oven.
Freeze: Place cauliflower in a freezer-safe ziptop bag and freeze for up to 3 months. The texture will be softer once it thaws, but the flavor will still be good. Place it on a sheet pan and roast it to revive its crisp texture.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

This Roasted Cauliflower is an amazing vegetarian entree, but if you'd like to add some protein:

VARIATIONS OF WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Indian Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower – this one is so pretty!
Parmesan Whole Roasted Cauliflower – brush it with butter and a top with a sprinkle of parmesan and broil until cheese is browned.
Lemon Pepper Whole Roasted Cauliflower – Brush with oil, sprinkle with a heavy hand of Lemon Pepper and kosher salt; roast until browned.

Whether you're out to impress guests, or just want to treat yourself to a “fine dining at home” type of experience, this Chimichurri Cauliflower will not disappoint!

Forget spending hundreds of dollars at a restaurant, you can absolutely make yourself amazing food at a fraction of the cost that will make you feel like a million bucks.

Eat your veggies and enjoy them too – a good standard to live by!

MORE INSTANT POT VEGETABLE SIDE DISH RECIPES

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER