The Best Way to Cut Cauliflower, According to a Chef

My primary daily dinner goal is to ensure that even if I’m doing nothing more than eating a bowl of rice with a fried egg for dinner, I at least get in a portion of vegetables. My go-to veggie is broccoli. I can toss it with olive oil and salt on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, put it in the oven, set a timer, and be done. The messiest part of the entire operation is slicing off florets and getting a crumbly mess of broccoli. And if I swap cauliflower for broccoli, the crumbles seem to multiply exponentially.

This is partly why I was so excited about this tip from TikTok’s thechefsmartypants on how to cut cauliflower and broccoli without crumbles. It’s simple to the point where it’s almost embarrassing to admit that I haven’t been doing this the whole time.

How to Cut Broccoli and Cauliflower Without the Mess

The TikTok creator explains that you should never cut directly into the head of cauliflower or broccoli. Instead, start by slicing off the stem close to the head of the vegetable. Then, turn the broccoli or cauliflower so the flat, cut side is facing up. Slide your knife into the stem, and gently use the knife to force the cauliflower or broccoli to break apart into two pieces. 

From there, you can continue cutting the cauliflower or broccoli into smaller pieces. It’s important to use your knife to cut only into the stem so the florets stay intact instead of slicing all the way through the florets and creating crumbles.

While there are many commenters on the video who already knew this practical tip saying, “I thought it was common sense, guess it's not so common lol,” I was slightly relieved to see a fair number of people who similarly were in need of this simple intervention. Others said, “I’m most people. Thank you for the lesson!” and, “I didn't know this at 40 yo. Thanks for the tip!”

Now we can add this tip to our file packed with all the best ways to prep everything from bell peppers to onions to zucchini. Or just use pre-cut vegetables—sometimes no prep is the best prep!