Epic Cauliflower Steaks
This cauliflower steak recipe is hands down our favorite way to eat cauliflower! The roasted steaks are golden brown, tender, and topped with our favorite homemade chimichurri sauce. I love cauliflower, especially when roasted until golden brown and crisp. That’s why I absolutely love these roasted cauliflower steaks! My roasting method guarantees deeply golden brown cauliflower. Adam loves this recipe! Then, you’ll serve the steaks with my homemade chimichurri sauce made with fresh garlic and parsley. This sauce is super popular with grilled and roasted meats like our chimichurri chicken, but trust me, it’s just as incredible with these roasted cauliflower steaks! Key Ingredients Cauliflower: I buy whole heads of cauliflower and usually get 2 to 3 thick steaks from each. You’ll probably have some leftover cauliflower, which you can use for recipes like cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower. When shopping for cauliflower, look for creamy white, compact clusters of florets, and give cauliflower that is spotted or dull-colored a pass. For more tips, see how to buy and cut cauliflower. Olive Oil: I roast the cauliflower steaks in olive oil, which helps them become beautifully golden and crispy. Avocado oil is a good substitute if you prefer. Chimichurri Sauce: My recipe is inspired by traditional Argentinian and Uruguayan versions. You’ll combine finely chopped parsley with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices. It’s incredibly easy to make, I promise! Watch the video or see my chimichurri recipe for all my tips. Cauliflower: I buy whole heads of cauliflower and usually get 2 to 3 thick steaks from each. You’ll probably have some leftover cauliflower, which you can use for recipes like cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower. When shopping for cauliflower, look for creamy white, compact clusters of florets, and give cauliflower that is spotted or dull-colored a pass. For more tips, see how to buy and cut cauliflower. Olive Oil: I roast the cauliflower steaks in olive oil, which helps them become beautifully golden and crispy. Avocado oil is a good substitute if you prefer. Chimichurri Sauce: My recipe is inspired by traditional Argentinian and Uruguayan versions. You’ll combine finely chopped parsley with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices. It’s incredibly easy to make, I promise! Watch the video or see my chimichurri recipe for all my tips. Find the full recipe with measurements below. Tips for How to Make the Best Cauliflower Steaks Tip 1: Keep some stalk attached. To cut cauliflower into steaks, I slice the head in half right through the stalk and then trim away the rounded edge of each half, leaving about 1 ½ inch thick slices that still have the stem attached. You can see me do this in our video! The trick to cauliflower steaks that don’t fall apart is to make sure that each steak has some of the stalk attached. Typically, I get two thick steaks from a medium-sized cauliflower. Tip 2: Start by searing on stove. I cook my cauliflower steaks in an oven-safe skillet. This way, I can start them on the stove to get a really good golden brown sear and then finish them in the oven for that roasted tender texture. Tip 3: Top with homemade chimichurri sauce: Our homemade sauce is the real magic behind this recipe. The warm cauliflower soaks up all of the flavor, making you want to keep taking another bite. While the cauliflower is in the oven, I make my chimichurri sauce. Then, when the steaks are done, I top them with a generous spoonful of chimichurri and serve. They’re hearty and flavorful enough to enjoy as a main course, but I also love pairing them with a side salad, cooked quinoa, or rice dishes like Mexican rice or coconut rice. You can also serve these as a side dish, splitting each steak in half to make four portions. Epic Cauliflower Steaks PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 35 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 35 mins Enjoy these cauliflower steaks with chimichurri sauce as a plant-based main dish or served as a tasty side. We cut our steaks thick, which means that one cauliflower will make two steaks. You will have unused cauliflower after cutting the steaks, but don’t worry, these can be used to make cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower or roasted alongside the steaks and saved for another meal. The recipe for chimichurri sauce makes about 1 cup. You will have plenty left over to be used in other dishes. Take a look at the original sauce recipe for suggestions on other ways to use it. Makes 2 servings or 4 side portions Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need Cauliflower Steaks 1 medium head of cauliflower 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil Salt, to taste 4 tablespoons chimichurri sauce or more to taste, recipe below 2 cups (50g) packed parsley leaves and tender stems 3 to 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced 1 medium shallot, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, optional 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 1 jalapeño or Fresno chili pepper, finely chopped 1/2 cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup (60ml to 80ml) red wine vinegar, adjusted to taste Directions Prepare Cauliflower 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). 2Remove the large outer leaves of the cauliflower and trim a small amount of the stem to create a flat base. Cut the cauliflower in half, from rounded top to stem. 3To make each cauliflower steak, trim the rounded edge of each half, leaving about 1 ½ inch thick slices that still have the stem attached (see our video for a tutorial). Save the trimmed cauliflower for another recipe. 4Heat the olive oil in a wide oven-safe saucepan over medium heat. 5Place the cauliflower steaks in the hot oil and cook until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. It helps to occasionally move the steaks so that the oil gets underneath. 6Carefully flip the steaks and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the second side is well browned. As the second side browns, season the steaks with salt. 7Transfer the oven-safe pan to the oven and roast the steaks until the stems are tender and easily pierced with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes. 8Serve cauliflower steaks with a generous spoonful of chimichurri sauce on top. For side portions, slice each steak in half and then serve. Prepare Cauliflower 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). 2Remove the large outer leaves of the cauliflower and trim a small amount of the stem to create a flat base. Cut the cauliflower in half, from rounded top to stem. 3To make each cauliflower steak, trim the rounded edge of each half, leaving about 1 ½ inch thick slices that still have the stem attached (see our video for a tutorial). Save the trimmed cauliflower for another recipe. 4Heat the olive oil in a wide oven-safe saucepan over medium heat. 5Place the cauliflower steaks in the hot oil and cook until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. It helps to occasionally move the steaks so that the oil gets underneath. 6Carefully flip the steaks and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the second side is well browned. As the second side browns, season the steaks with salt. 7Transfer the oven-safe pan to the oven and roast the steaks until the stems are tender and easily pierced with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes. 8Serve cauliflower steaks with a generous spoonful of chimichurri sauce on top. For side portions, slice each steak in half and then serve. Make Sauce 1Make the sauce by hand: Mince the garlic and shallot and add them to a medium bowl. Finely chop the parsley and add them to the bowl along with the salt, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Stir, then taste and season with more salt or red pepper flakes if needed. 2Make the sauce in a food processor (or blender): Add garlic and shallots to the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and pulse until minced. Add the parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until the parsley is chopped small. Scrape the sides, and then pour in the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Pulse a few more times until the sauce comes together. Taste and season with more salt or red pepper flakes, if needed. Make Sauce 1Make the sauce by hand: Mince the garlic and shallot and add them to a medium bowl. Finely chop the parsley and add them to the bowl along with the salt, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Stir, then taste and season with more salt or red pepper flakes if needed. 2Make the sauce in a food processor (or blender): Add garlic and shallots to the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and pulse until minced. Add the parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until the parsley is chopped small. Scrape the sides, and then pour in the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Pulse a few more times until the sauce comes together. Taste and season with more salt or red pepper flakes, if needed. Adam and Joanne's Tips No oven-safe skillet: If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, you can brown the steaks in a regular skillet and then carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Storing chimichurri: The sauce is excellent the day you make it, but it will last a few days in your refrigerator (you might notice the parsley’s green dulls slightly). It’s absolutely perfect with grilled meat, like grilled steak, but is also excellent with shrimp, fish, veggies, chicken, and grilled bread. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. No oven-safe skillet: If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, you can brown the steaks in a regular skillet and then carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Storing chimichurri: The sauce is excellent the day you make it, but it will last a few days in your refrigerator (you might notice the parsley’s green dulls slightly). It’s absolutely perfect with grilled meat, like grilled steak, but is also excellent with shrimp, fish, veggies, chicken, and grilled bread. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Calories 325 / Total Fat 28.8g / Saturated Fat 4.4g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 678.9mg / Carbohydrate 16.6g / Dietary Fiber 6.9g / Total Sugars 5.6g / Protein 6.6g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us