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Greek Braised Cauliflower with Tomato – Kounoupidi Kapama

ByElena Paravantes, MS, RD
Greek braised cauliflower and potatoes

This is the classic way Greeks cook cauliflower which we pronounce it kounoupithi. Surprisingly this is a comfort food for many of us. Yes, imagine that, cauliflower a comfort food. But we associate  it with winter, it is a dish traditionally made in the cool months as this is when cauliflower is available. The “tomato” that is used is actually tomato paste. This is because, as tomatoes are not in season in the winter, many “winter” traditional recipes use tomato paste which was a way to preserve tomatoes.

This is basically a lathero, in other words vegetables cooked in olive oil and some form of tomato. It may be called kounoupithi yiahni or kounoupithi kokkinisto or kounoupithi kapama. One thing that is important to note is that as with all lathera, you cook the vegetables until they are only left with their olive oil, it should not be watery.

This recipe is my mom’s, she adds a few spices which really make a difference in this dish. Many traditional recipes use onions, this one does not. My mom also adds potatoes. This is a common practice, because since this is a main course, the homecooks would add potatoes to add some more substance to the meal and stretch it so that it could feed more people.

Greek braised cauliflower

It really is a humble dish that was consumed regularly during the winter months along with feta cheese and bread. But, when I think about its nutritional value, it offers so much. First of all those cancer fighting antioxidants and fiber in the cauliflower, the lycopene from the tomato and the olive oil providing the good fats and its own antioxidants. And since it is consumed as a main course, you really are able to fulfill a large amount of your daily vegetable needs with this dish. Imagine one large cauliflower head is enough for about 2-3 people.

And this is the beauty of these cooked dishes, the fact that you can actually eat a half cauliflower head in one meal, as opposed to trying to eating 2-3 tiny raw cauliflower florets dipped in ranch dressing…

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Traditional Greek Braised Cauliflower Recipe

Greek braised cauliflower
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Soft, tender cauliflower stewed in olive oil and tomato sauce and flavored with spices.
Course: Entree, Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, Vegan
Keyword: Cauliflower, Greek
Servings: 3
Author: Elena Paravantes, MS, RD
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Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower head washed and separated in medium sized florets
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 potato cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 allspice berries
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 3 clove buds
  • salt/pepper

Instructions

  • In a large pot, or deep pan heat the olive oil, add the cauliflower, potatoes, and spices, pepper and sauté, browning the cauliflower a bit.
  • Add the tomato paste and 1 teaspoon salt, swirl it around heating it as well.
  • Add some hot water until cauliflower is about half way covered (you can always add more later if needed). Stir gently.
  • Lower heat, assemble cauliflower so that that stems face down. Cover pot and let it simmer for about 30-50 minutes (check that the cauliflower is very soft, but not falling apart, also the sauce should not be watery).
  • Serve warm or at room temperature, spoon some sauce on top and some feta cheese.
Photo by Elena Paravantes

Elena Paravantes, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist by the U.S. Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). She is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active as a clinician, consultant, author and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. Elena earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds has a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Management.

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41 Comments

  1. This sounds delicious. I assume you remove the cinnamon stick before serving. Are allspice and cloves eaten whole, or are they removed as well?

    Reply

  2. I am going to make this dish tomorrow and was wondering if I don’t have allspice berries can I substitute anything or should I just leave them out?

    Reply

  5. Love this recipe – I have struggled to make it on stove top though and get the water/steaming ratio right. I never seem to lose enough moisture, although maybe I’m staring with to much water. I think the cauliflower I’ve gotten might just be too big.

    Anyways, what I’ve found success with is braising it in the oven. Perhaps a different dish that way but it’s been working great. Thank you so much for the recipe!

    Reply

  7. I have to ask this because it really bothers me: I LOVE and cook separated cauliflower florets ONLY in water with little salt for about 5-6 minutes, drain it, let it cool off a bit, and when I eat it, it is already soft. If I cook it for 10 minutes, and drain it, it is already mushy and breaks when I try to pick one up. So, my question is – whenever I see directions for cooking cauliflower for 30 minutes (let alone 50 minutes!) – and NOT only on your site: is it really necessary? What kind of texture does it produce? And doesn’t longer cooking destroy the vitamins and minerals more? Thank you for your reply.
    I also want to tell you that I LOVE your site, and use many, many, MANY of your recipes in my daily diet.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Olga, Happy you enjoy the recipes. Regarding the cauliflower, in Greek cooking , vegetables are generally cooked till soft, this is the beauty of these casserole dishes (lathera). To get this authentic dish yes it is necessary to cook it till soft, it should not have a bite. Regarding the vitamin loss, yes as with all vegetables there will be a slight loss of nutrients, these nutrients may leach in the water. However the water used here is a small amount and is mixed with the tomato paste and absorbed back by the cauliflower. In other words, the cauliflower is not drained after cooking, you only add a bit of water, so it is almost steaming not boiled.

  8. When serving feta with lathera, how much feta is a typical serving for an adult? I’m sorry, we are just getting adjusted to this way of eating.

    Reply

  9. Hi Elena. This is one of my favourite Greek recipes and the only one I make consistently as it’s so easy. I also add lemon juice along with the tomato paste, have you ever tried it this way? (I agree that the cloves and cinnamon make this dish special).

    Reply

  10. Hi Im making this recipe right now and can’t wait to try it! Great TED talk btw 🙂 I just have a quick question… When you say at the end “serve with sauce and feta” what do you mean by sauce? Is there a certain sauce recipe that you have on your website that goes with all lathera dishes? Thanks!

    Reply

    2. Thank you!

      As you can see, I have so many questions. I imagine it would be wonderful to attend a workshop with you!

  12. Eτσι έχει άλλη γεύση το κουνουπίδι Ελενα.
    Πολύ ωραίο. Κάποτε είχα φάει σε ένα χωριό κουνουπίδι στιφάδο. Οτι πιο ωραίο εχω φάει. Η μυρωδιάτου ήταν απίστευα ωραία.
    Πολύ ωραίο συνοδευτικό και έξω από τα συνηθισμένα.

    Καλή σου μερα 🙂

    Reply

  14. My mother used to make this during lenten season. What a nice reminder! Perfect timing for those of us that observe lent.

    Reply