Have you ever tried making roasted Cauliflower Steaks? This recipe is a fun way to eat cauliflower. They're so easy to make and includes a delicious spice rub that turns so golden and caramelised once roasted.
I’ve always liked cauliflower, however I absolutely LOVE it when it's roasted! It completely changes the flavor! Slicing it into thick Cauliflower Steaks is such a fun way to enjoy the vegetable as either a main dish or a fun side dish.
Serve over a bed of White Bean Dip as a high protein sauce alongside a Shirazi Salad for the perfect meal.
What makes these “steaks” even yummier is the spice rub marinade which takes the roasted cauliflower to another level. It has a mix of Moroccan and Middle Eastern inspired flavors with smoked paprika, cumin, and other spices.
It's also Vegan and Gluten free so everyone can enjoy it.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cauliflower is of course the star! I mean you cant make Cauliflower Steak without cauliflower 🙂 I've tried this recipe with both a traditional white cauliflower along with a purple coloured cauliflower, they both taste great
- Extra virgin olive oil is the base of the marinade to coat the steaks. You can also substitute with a different oil such as avocado oil however I love the flavor of olive oil with the spice rub
- Smoked Paprika brings a lovely colour and smokiness, sweet paprika can also work too
- Garlic powder, because I mean garlic makes everything taste better 🙂 onion powder will also be a great substitute
- Cumin is a spice I love using which has a lovely earthiness to it. Turmeric would be yummy too
- Chilli powder for a little kick. Red pepper flakes can also work too
- Garnish, here I've garnished with chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds for a little sweetness. Other garnish options can be to add chopped cilantro / coriander, basil, a squeeze of lemon juice or even some parmesan cheese
How to make Cauliflower Steaks
Here are four easy steps to make Cauliflower Steaks at home in no time.
- Start by preheating the oven to 200°C/400°F. Prepare cauliflower steaks by first slicing a thin piece off the bottom stem off the cauliflower, keeping the core however intact. Place the cauliflower head on a chopping board with the stem side down. With a sharp knife, slice thick slices through the cauliflower (approximately ½ an inch / 1cm in thickness)
- In a small bowl, make the spice marinade by adding olive oil and spices (paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chilli powder, black pepper and salt to taste). Stir together
- Place cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet, on an oven tray or air fryer. Brush on some marinade to all the steaks, then flip them over and brush on the remaining marinade to the other side
- Roast cauliflower steaks for 15-20 minutes in the oven or 10-15 minutes in the air fryer until they are golden-brown. Check they are fork tender by sticking a toothpick or fork into the steaks.
Serve the roasted cauliflower steaks with a sprinkle of parsley and pomegranate seeds over a bed of white bean dip and enjoy!
Tips for making Cauliflower Steaks
- Use a sharp knife when cutting into the head of cauliflower and be careful when slicing
- You can remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower, I prefer to leave them on
- Some of the florets will normally fall off the first and last pieces, this is totally normal. The full pieces of cauliflower steaks are from the middle, you should obtain 4 thick slabs
- Use the broken pieces and leftover cauliflower florets for a different dish, or make extra of the marinade and bake these florets next to the steaks
- Don't slice the steaks too thin as they will get softer when cooked. If they are overcooked, they will be mushy and wont keep their form
- You can also grill cauliflower steaks either on a grill, pan or cast-iron skillet
FAQs
It's of course not anything like real "steak". However when cauliflower is sliced whole into thick slabs, the middle pieces that are still intact with the stem resembles a piece of steak
Cut the cauliflower steaks around ½ an inch to ¾ an inch in thickness (1cm - 1.5 cm). You don't want them too thin as they will lose their shape and become too soft and mushy when cooked
Place the cauliflower head on a chopping board with the stem side down. Slice thick slices through the cauliflower (approximately ½ an inch / 1cm in thickness)
It's inevitable that some florets will fall off, especially from the first and last pieces as they aren't attached to the main stem in the middle. But don't stress! You can use the broken florets in a different dish, or just make extra of the marinade and cook them on the same baking tray next to the steaks
If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer, oven or on a skillet for a few minutes. You can microwave them but they will get a little mushy
More Roasted Veggies
More Vegan Dinners
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Rice Paper Dumplings
- Thai Yellow Curry
- Lemon Garlic Pasta (Pasta Al Limone)
- Crispy Sticky Tofu
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Cauliflower Steak photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Cauliflower Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower head
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder (or more or less, depending how spicy you like it)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish
- *Optional chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F
- Make the marinade by adding the olive oil and spices to a small bowl (paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chilli powder, black pepper and salt to taste ) and stir together
- Slice a thin piece off the bottom stem off the cauliflower, keeping the core however intact. Place the cauliflower head on a chopping board with the stem side down. With a sharp knife, slice thick slices through the cauliflower (approximately ½ an inch / 1cm in thickness). You should have 4 “steaks” ** It's normal for some excess florets to fall off the first and last pieces, you can use these for a different dish, or make extra of the marinade and bake the florets next to the steak pieces
- Place cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet, on an oven tray or airfryer. Brush on some marinade to all the steaks, then flip them over and brush on the remaining marinade to the other side
- Roast cauliflower steaks for 15-20 minutes in the oven or 10-15 minutes in the air fryer until they are golden-brown. Check they are fork tender by sticking a toothpick or fork into the steaks. Serve the roasted cauliflower steaks over a bed of white bean dip, with a sprinkle of parsley and pomegranate seeds.
Mrs javed
I’m going to try making this today
Looks lush
Ayeh Manfre
Yay enjoy!
Tammy
I made these for me and my husband!! They turned out great! I also made the white bean dip to go with it, also amazing together! So easy to make.
The next day I had leftovers for lunch. It was so good.!!
I will definitely be making these for my daughters and their family!
This with grilled chicken was a wonderful meal for me and my husband!
Ayeh Manfre
So happy you loved the cauliflower steaks lovely and that you tried it with the dip too yum!
Elie Ifrah
This dish is a startup! so simple and so tasty.
I tried it a few weeks ago and now it became a weekly delight. playing with spices. more is more 😉
Thank you so much Ayeh for sharing such great ideas!
Ayeh Manfre
So happy you loved it so much Elie! Cant wait to see what you try next 🙂
Elie Ifrah
This dish is a startup! so simple and so tasty.
I tried it a few weeks ago and now it became a weekly delight. playing with spices. more is more
Thank you so much Ayeh for sharing such great ideas!
Ayeh Manfre
Thank you for your lovely compliment Elie! So happy its become a regular yay!