Raw cauliflower smells like many cruciferous vegetables: mild, fresh, and earthy. But something completely different happens when cauliflower is put to heat. The smell that comes from the vegetable can seem off—even quite gross. Cooked cauliflower smells like a lot of things depending on the person. For me, it smells like rotten trash. Others find the smell closer to rotten eggs or the ghastly odor of farts.
If you didn’t know better, you might question whether your vegetable is safe to eat. But the smell that comes off of cauliflower when cooked is perfectly natural and safe. Still, that doesn’t make the odor any better. Here’s all you need to know about the gassy, rotten smell of cauliflower and how to mitigate it.
What Makes Cauliflower Smell?
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Cauliflower contains sulfur, a compound found in other vegetables from the cruciferous family as well as foods like meat and poultry, eggs, dairy, grains, and nuts. While it’s naturally occurring in many foods, it also occurs in nature, like from a skunk’s spray, the funky smell near volcanic activity, and yes, farts.
While these compounds are undetectable in raw cauliflower, the sulfur in the vegetable breaks down and releases into the air when cooked a certain way—and the smell can take over your kitchen before you can even get a window open.
That being said, there are some ways to save your senses and reduce the strong odor during the cooking process.
Simple Ways To Avoid Smelly Cauliflower
The first time I really noticed the smell was when I soaked cauliflower in water before dredging and frying the vegetable. I noticed a terrible smell coming from somewhere in the kitchen and checked all the likely places. It was not until I walked by the cauliflower that I noticed the awful smell coming from the bowl. That’s when I learned a few important tips for keeping the smell under control.
- Soaking cauliflower in water—and changing out the water often. If you’ve ever soaked cauliflower in water before cooking, you may have noticed the water itself starts to smell a little funky. That’s because some of the sulfur permeates the water. Changing it out a few times can make a small difference—but it won’t fully eliminate the odor. Think of it as a slight fix, not a total solution. The real key to controlling cauliflower’s smell is how you cook it.
- Opt for roasting, frying, or sautéing over steaming or boiling. Quicker cooking methods like roasting, frying, or sautéing releases less odor than boiling or steaming cauliflower, and this will likely be the best way to keep your kitchen stench-free. This is my preferred way to cook this vegetable anyways. A snack like Buffalo Cauliflower always hits the spot and the only thing I need to do is turn on my oven.
- Incorporate acidic ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice. Acidic ingredients are a great way to reduce the intensity of the odor. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice goes a long way, especially if you choose to steam the vegetables. Just add your choice of acid and top the pot with a lid.
