Smoked Cauliflower | Traeger, Pit Boss, Other Pellet Grill

Smoked cauliflower might just become a favorite smoked side dish! The cauliflower is broken down into florets, basted with your favorite cooking oil, and sprinkled with a flavorful rub before being smoked. Grilled cauliflower is the perfect side dish for smoked main entrees such as Beer Can Chicken, Smoked Tri Tip, or Smoked Ham. This recipe is fast and very hands off! Throw the cauliflower on the smoker and forget about it for an hour. Looking for the perfect smoked vegetable side dish? Look no further! Smoked Traeger cauliflower will steal the show.

This smoked cauliflower recipe caters to a wide variety of dietary preferences and food restrictions. It is the perfect low carb keto snack. It is also a great vegan/vegetarian option for those who stay away from meat and animal products.

Tips + Tricks

• Feeling rushed? Break down the cauliflower into smaller pieces before smoking to cut down on cook time. You can also turn up the smoker to 300° and the cauliflower will cook considerably faster.
• make an extra head or two of cauliflower and freeze the leftovers for an easy prepped side that can be pulled out at any time
• keep the cauliflower over indirect heat, in a cool zone of your smoker to ensure that it doesn’t burn

Different Ways to Smoke Cauliflower

There are several options for smoking cauliflower. You can smoke a whole cauliflower, break it down into florets or slice it into one inch thick smoked cauliflower steaks. From experience, I have learned that breaking the cauliflower down into florets or cauliflower steaks results in a more evenly smoked and seasoned cauliflower side dish than a whole smoked cauliflower! Cutting the cauliflower before placing it on the grill ensures that all of that smokey goodness is soaked up rather than concentrated on the outside of it. Choose what works best for you! A Whole Roasted cauliflower is good any way you slice it.

Best Pellets for Smoked Cauliflower

When smoking cauliflower or other vegetables, try to pick pellets that aren’t too overpowering. Hickory, for example, leaves a really strong taste and can overpower the flavor of your grilled cauliflower. Instead, choose fruit woods such as apple wood or cherry wood, or other mild woods including pecan, maple, or oak pellets.

Key Ingredients and Equipment

Cauliflower- As always, fresh is best! Choose a large, unblemished cauliflower head to get the most bang for your buck. If you are hoping to slice the cauliflower into steaks, expect to get around 3 1-inch steaks/head of cauliflower. The sides of the cauliflower head will break off into small pieces.

Cooking Oil- I love to use olive oil when grilling, more neutral oils like avocado oil and coconut oil would also work.

BBQ Rub- Choose your favorite BBQ rub for this recipe! I used this Simple Pork Rub recipe, another homemade rub that would work well is this Ultimate Smoked Chicken Rub. If you are opting for store bought, Traeger’s Veggie Rub Seasoning would be a great one to use. Alternately, simple salt and pepper would work.

Exactly How To Make Smoked Cauliflower

Step 1. Preheat the smoker or pellet grill to 250°F. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut off any undesirable parts. Break it down into florets or steaks and wash under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Step 2. Brush the cauliflower pieces with oil and season with your barbecue seasoning. Place the seasoned cauliflower on a grill matt (this one is my favorite). Other alternatives include a grilling basket, or a wire rack over a baking sheet. If you prefer to put the cauliflower directly onto the grill grates, be sure to cut the pieces large enough that they don’t fall through.

Step 3. Smoke the cauliflower over indirect heat for 50-60 minutes, checking for doneness at the 45 minute mark. If it is fork tender, it is done! If you placed the cauliflower directly on a baking pan, consider flipping it halfway through to ensure the smoky flavor touches all of it. No need to flip it otherwise!

Step 4. Serve! Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your favorite smoked entree.

Flavor Variations

Smoked Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower- Check out this delicious wing sauce to glaze your smoked cauliflower with. Melt butter in a small sauce pan and add the parmesan, garlic, and spices. Stir well until the ingredients are well-combined and the parmesan is melted(easy, right!?).

Smoked Cauliflower With Buffalo Sauce- Simply toss the cauliflower florets in buffalo wing sauce and smoke as usual for a buffalo chicken wing-type side dish.

Salt + Pepper Grilled Cauliflower- Prepare the cauliflower recipe as usual. Break it down, wash it, and oil it, and then liberally season with salt and pepper.

What To Serve With Smoked Cauliflower

There are many options for serving pellet grill cauliflower! I love to squeeze some fresh lemon juice on it and serve alongside a fresh salad and main dish.

Printable Recipe Card

Grilled Cauliflower Frequently Asked Questions

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