this wonderful show Cauliflower Steak The recipe features juicy, crispy cauliflower steaks grilled to perfection in paprika-flavored olive oil. Serve with your favorite sides for a delicious vegetarian main dish that even meat eaters will love!
Why make this recipe?
- Nutritious – Let’s be honest, cauliflower doesn’t replace steak (in terms of protein), but it’s an excellent source of veggies that we could all use more of!
- Easy customization – I’m sharing a few different ways you can make these cauliflower steaks yourself. The basic cauliflower steak recipe is delicious as it is, but if you want to change it up, I have options for you!
- Simple ingredients – No crazy ingredients required. Just cauliflower, olive oil and spices!
Cauliflower Steak Ingredients
- cauliflower – You want a big head of cauliflower (more if you want to double or triple the recipe). Make sure to remove all outer leaves and look for leaves that are free of bruises or blemishes.
- olive oil – You can also use avocado oil if you prefer.
- spices -Garlic powder, smoked paprika (or sweet paprika, but smoked paprika gives it a more meaty flavor), ground cumin, salt and pepper.
How to Cut Cauliflower for Cauliflower Steaks
Before cutting cauliflower, be sure to remove all outer leaves. Then place the cauliflower stems side up and florets side down on a cutting board.
Use a sharp knife to cut slices from both ends to create a flat surface. Then cut the cauliflower into 3/4-inch-thick, flat-sided “steaks.” One large head of broccoli can be exchanged for four steaks. Some of the florets will break off and you’ll have leftovers on the ends, but other than that you should have 4 whole steaks.
How to Make Cauliflower Steak
After cutting the cauliflower into steaks, you can make cauliflower steaks by following these steps:
Step 1: Marinade
Whisk together olive oil and spices in a small bowl.
Step 2: Coat + Bake Steak
Brush the cauliflower steaks with the marinade, making sure both sides are well coated, and place the steaks on the baking sheet. There will be a little marinade leftover. Set it aside. Place the cauliflower steaks in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip carefully. Brush remaining marinade onto steak. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower steaks are crispy and lightly browned.
Easily swap + change
Want to try a few different flavors of cauliflower steak? Here are some delicious variations and swaps!
- buffalo – Use about 1/4 cup buffalo sauce and brush both sides of the cauliflower steaks. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with some salt and bake as directed.
- barbecue – Using about 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce, brush both sides of the cauliflower steak. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with some salt and bake as directed.
- curry – Use about 2 teaspoons of yellow curry powder in place of the paprika, cumin and steak seasoning.
- tacky – During the last 10 minutes of cooking, sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the steak.
- Chimicuri – In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, salt, pepper, and optional paprika piece. Brush both sides of the cauliflower steaks and bake as directed. You can also choose to keep this Chimichurri on the side if desired.
FAQ
Yes! Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill for 5 minutes on one side, then carefully flip and grill for 5 minutes on the other side. If it’s still a little tough, flip over and bake for a few more minutes.
Don’t let them go to waste! When you cut a cauliflower steak, some of the cauliflower florets will break. This is just par for the course. You can always roast them yourself, or grill them with the same olive oil spice marinade, or I recommend a few different cauliflower recipes below!
I tested this and found that the cauliflower steaks crisped up more without the parchment paper, so it’s best baked directly on the baking sheet.
Storage instructions
refrigerator: Store steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven (to keep it crispy) or reheat in the microwave. You can also reheat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes if desired.
I don’t recommend freezing them because they become mushy when thawed.
More cauliflower recipes:
Cauliflower Steak Recipe
this wonderful show Cauliflower Steak The recipe features juicy, crispy cauliflower steaks grilled to perfection in paprika-flavored olive oil. Serve with your favorite sides for a delicious vegetarian main dish that even meat eaters will love!
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 40 minutes
- yield: 4 number of copies 1x
- category: dinner
- method: bake
- diet: vegetarian
- 1 Large head of cauliflower, All outer leaves removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the cauliflower stems side up and florets side down on a large cutting board.
- Use a sharp knife to cut slices from both ends to create a flat surface. Then cut the cauliflower into 3/4-inch-thick, flat-sided “steaks.” One large head of broccoli can be exchanged for four steaks. Some of the florets will break off and you’ll get remnants of the ends, but otherwise you should have 4 whole cauliflower steaks.
- Whisk together olive oil and spices in a small bowl.
- Brush the cauliflower steaks with the marinade, making sure both sides are well coated, and place the steaks on the baking sheet. There will be a little marinade leftover. Set it aside.
- Place the cauliflower steaks in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and flip carefully. Brush remaining marinade onto steak.
- Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cauliflower steaks are crispy and lightly browned.
