Comforting Cauliflower We're Turning to This Fall

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Roasted Cauliflower Risotto

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Food stylist: Jamie Kimm Prop Stylist: Marina Malchin

Photo by: Antonis Achilleos

Antonis Achilleos

It's November, and for all we know, you're already knee-deep in beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken noodle soup. We get it. Fall means comfort: stews so tender the meat is falling off the bone and casseroles so cozy you get knocked into a nap at the last bite.

Here's the thing: Comfort food doesn’t need to be synonymous with meat. Believe it or not, even the most unassuming veggies have the power to cure us of all our woes. Leave it to cauliflower — and these recipes — to bring you all kinds of comfort this season.

Stir a pot of risotto to sultry completion, this time with roasted cauliflower florets and sliced almonds adding that extra crunch. Food Network Magazine's Roasted Cauliflower Risotto (pictured above) can work as a rich main dish, or as a smaller side.

A heaping bowl of pasta – with the obligatory dusting of Parmesan — has always been known to do the trick. Food Network Magazine's Cauliflower-Onion Linguine is brimming with panko breadcrumbs and sauteed-till-golden cauliflower.

With smoked Gouda and cauliflower in each bite, Rachael Ray's creamy mac and cheese is better than anything you'd get from a box.

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Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Prime rib has its time and place. Tonight cut into surprisingly meaty Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Raisin Relish as an alternative to the steakhouse dinner. This meatless main is so tender it won’t even need your steak knife.

For those looking for comfort with a spicier edge, Slow-Cooked Curried Chicken with Cauliflower comes together with a Southeast Asian curry paste, ginger and cilantro. Or transform raw, rigid cauliflower into Rachael's silkiest Cauliflower Soup, and be sure to dip garlicky, cheesy sourdough toasts with each bite.

Rachael's creamy Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole with Cauliflower is stocked with egg noodles, mushrooms and cream sauce. If there was ever an issue before, the kids will definitely be on board with cauliflower tonight.

For a lighter take on your fall potato favorites, substitute mashed potatoes for Cauliflower Puree, potato gratin for Ina Garten's highly rated Cauliflower Gratin and roasted potatoes for Roasted Cauliflower. You'll never look back.

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