How to Prevent Cauliflower from Turning Brown

Four proven and food-science based methods to prevent cauliflower from turning brown.

Have you ever cooked a beautiful head of cauliflower, only to have it turn a yucky shade of yellow or brown?

Why does cauliflower discolor?

Cauliflower turns brown due to exposure to oxygen and lack of acidity during the cooking process.

4 Methods to prevent cauliflower from turning brown:

1. Reduce exposure to oxygen

The oxidation process naturally turns cauliflower brown
The best way to reduce exposure to oxygen is to keep it covered and sealed until ready to cook.

2. Use a stainless steel knife

Most knives on the market are stainless steel, but it’s worth mentioning here because aluminum, tin, copper, iron and steel (not stainless steel) are reactive metals that interact with the pH of cauliflower and contribute to its yellowing or browning.

3. Adjust the pH balance of water

The easiest way to test the pH level of your tap water is to use litmus paper strips. These can be found at any pool store or ordered online.
Dip the strip into the water; wait a few minutes, then compare the color on the paper to the chart on the bottle.
The pH (potential of Hydrogen) is a scale from 0 – 14 where 0 is highly acidic and 14 is highly alkaline.
Cauliflower has a natural pH balance around 6.5 – 6.8.
But in order to keep cauliflower white, the acidity of the water needs to be around 5.5-7.5 on the pH scale.
To increase acidity, add lemon juice or vinegar to the water-neither will impact the flavor of the cauliflower.
To increase alkalinity, add a little baking soda to the cooking water.

Pot with a head of cauliflower and someone adding vinegar to the water.

4. Type of cookware

Cook cauliflower in any non-aluminum pan made of stainless steel, copper or cast-iron-these are ideal for steaming, sautéeing or searing cauliflower.
Avoid pans that have a “non-stick” coating as the “coating” often affects the flavor and color of the vegetable.

How do you know when cauliflower is bad?

The number one indicator of bad cauliflower is mold. You’ll notice some of the white florets have little brown spots on them. Now, this doesn’t mean the entire head of cauliflower is bad, this just means that you need to trim off the brown spots.
The second indicator of bad cauliflower is smell: if it smells “funny” or rancid, chances are, it’s been exposed to humidity and light, which will both cause cauliflower to go bad quickly.

How to store a head of cauliflower so it won’t turn brown

If you buy a head of cauliflower in advance, store it in the vegetable bin loosely wrapped.

Place a dry paper towel in the wrapper to absorb any moisture and loosen the wrapper to allow the sulphurous gases to escape.

Head of cauliflower wrapped in paper towel and original packaging. — Store cauliflower in a paper towel and in original packaging to prevent discoloration in the refrigerator

How to store cauliflower florets

If you cut the florets off the cauliflower head, first pat them with a paper towel to dry.
Then, place a dry paper towel in the plastic bag and place them in a loosely tied plastic bag.
This will keep the light and air away from them, helping to prevent the cauliflower from turning brown.
The dry paper towel absorbs any moisture and help prevents molding.
You can safely store whole or cut cauliflower up to 3 days in a refrigerator that is 42ºF.

Plastic bag with florests and a paper towel in it. — Store cut florets in a paper towel lined bag

Serving Suggestions

There are many ways to serve this delicious vegetable. Serve “raw” or lightly blanched florets on vegetable platter, add a little to your favorite salad or pulse in a food processor and add to your favorite pizza topping!