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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Cauliflower Steaks

    BY Ayeh Manfre · UPDATED: Nov 21, 24 · PUBLISHED: Feb 5, 23 · 20 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    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.

    Close up of roasted cauliflower steaks in an oven tray

    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 a complete meal. And for the perfect match pour over a delicious meat-free gravy.

    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.

    Table of Contents
    • Ingredients and Substitutions
    • How to make Cauliflower Steaks
    • Tips for making Cauliflower Steaks
    • FAQs
    • More Roasted Veggies
    • More Vegan Dinners
    • Recipe
    • Comments
    Four roasted cauliflower steaks in an oven tray

    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
    Ingredients to make roasted cauliflower steaks with a spice rub

    How to make Cauliflower Steaks

    Here are four easy steps to make Cauliflower Steaks at home in no time.

    Steps on how to make roasted cauliflower steaks with a spice rub
    1. 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)
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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!
    Close up of cauliflower steaks in an oven tray topped with pomegranate and parsley

    Tips for making Cauliflower Steaks

    1. Use a sharp knife when cutting into the head of cauliflower and be careful when slicing
    2. You can remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower, I prefer to leave them on
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. You can also grill cauliflower steaks either on a grill, pan or cast-iron skillet
    Cauliflower steaks in an oven tray shot in the sun

    FAQs

    Why is cauliflower steak called steak?

    It's of course not anything like real u0022steaku0022. However when cauliflower is sliced whole into thick slabs, the middle pieces that are still intact with the stem resembles a piece of steak

    How thick to cut cauliflower steaks?

    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

    How do you cut cauliflower steaks so they don't fall apart?

    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

    What to do with leftover Cauliflower Steak?

    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

    Cauliflower steak served on top of a white bean hummus with pomegranate and parsley

    More Roasted Veggies

    • Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
    • Smashed Broccoli
    • Crispy Parmesan Carrots
    • Oven Roasted Vegetables
    • Honey Glazed Carrots
    • Crispy Roasted Potatoes
    • Vegetable Fritters
    • Greek Lemon Potatoes

    More Vegan Dinners

    • Tofu Steak
    • 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

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks in the oven and air fryer

    Cauliflower Steaks

    4.05 from 72 votes
    Cauliflower Steaks are a fun way to eat cauliflower. They're so easy to make and this recipe has a delicious spice rub that turns so golden once roasted
    Author: Ayeh Manfre
    Course: main, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 102kcal
    Print
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins

    Video

    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 then pour over the ultimate meat-free gravy!
    ⭐️ Final Step! Would love if you left a rating and comment to let me know how it went. Your feedback helps inspire others and means alot ❤️

    Nutrition

    Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keywords: spice, vegetables

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    Comments

      4.05 from 72 votes (66 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mrs javed says

      February 08, 2023 at 11:46 pm

      I’m going to try making this today
      Looks lush

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        February 17, 2023 at 5:00 am

        Yay enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Tammy says

      February 17, 2023 at 3:16 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        February 17, 2023 at 4:58 am

        So happy you loved the cauliflower steaks lovely and that you tried it with the dip too yum!

        Reply
    3. Elie Ifrah says

      March 06, 2023 at 2:20 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        March 07, 2023 at 4:37 am

        So happy you loved it so much Elie! Cant wait to see what you try next 🙂

        Reply
    4. Elie Ifrah says

      March 07, 2023 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        March 08, 2023 at 6:15 am

        Thank you for your lovely compliment Elie! So happy its become a regular yay!

        Reply
    5. lieve says

      March 26, 2023 at 8:08 pm

      5 stars
      OMG this is so yummy! The best way to cook a cauliflower. This dish will become one of our favorites. Thank you so much for the recipe! have a nice day. Greetings from Belgium 🙂

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        March 27, 2023 at 5:40 am

        Oh yay so happy you loved! Its by far my fav way to eat it too 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sue Kellaway says

      April 16, 2023 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      Gorgeous recipe, all Ayeh’s recipes have been awesome, never disappointed!

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        April 17, 2023 at 7:50 am

        So thrilled to hear this Sue 🙂

        Reply
    7. Ann says

      October 18, 2023 at 4:51 am

      5 stars
      Made these tonight my husband and I both loved this dish well worth making will definitely do again and try different spices to mix it up a bit

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        October 19, 2023 at 8:44 pm

        Thrilled to hear this Ann!! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Rosemary Gorski says

      April 27, 2024 at 6:08 am

      making this tonight. pix to follow

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        April 29, 2024 at 8:54 pm

        Enjoy!!

        Reply
    9. Andia says

      September 24, 2024 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      Its amazing. i try it thanx alot

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        September 30, 2024 at 7:21 am

        Lovely to hear Andia 🙂

        Reply
    10. Gayle says

      February 06, 2025 at 10:00 am

      I tried them in the air fryer/pan frying but with my own roasted vegetable seasoning and oh my goodness they were so delicious. I saved one for my husband to try and he told this is how he wants his cooked from now in lol I ate the rest

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        February 13, 2025 at 8:38 pm

        Lovely to hear!

        Reply
    Ayeh about me picture

    Hi, I'm Ayeh!

    Hey everyone! I love creating easy everyday recipes with a healthy twist that anyone can make. I will show you that you can eat delicious food, using wholesome ingredients that make you feel good from the inside out!

    About Me →

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