If you cut cauliflower into thick slices, season them generously and roast them until tender inside but crispy on the other side, you will get delicious Cauliflower Steaks. They are perfect whole foods plant-based appetizer, quick lunch or even dinner paired with mashed potatoes and green peppercorn sauce. Naturally vegan, paleo and gluten-free.
It is one of the recipes we had no idea existed until we turned to a plant-based diet. It is so refreshing and freeing to come across such delicious recipes. Eating plant-based makes you discover new ingredients or news ways of cooking and baking. We love all of our new recipes like this cashew cheesecake or this chia pudding or these red lentil pancakes and waffles.
⇒ If you need an Easy 7-day VEGAN MEAL PLAN, click to download our free e-book with a shopping list.
What is cauliflower steak?
Cauliflower steaks are 1-inch thick slices of cauliflower head that are seasoned and then fried or grilled or roasted as you would do to make beef steak. It is not to mimic the taste or the texture of beef. I think people only call it steak because you need to do the same steps to make cauliflower steak as you would need to make beef steak.
- Season the slices heavily as you would season the beef.
- Cook them in a frying pan for 2*2 minutes to give them a bit of crust on each side.
- Roast them off in the oven to get them tender inside and crispy outside.
A lot of people eat cauliflower steaks as an appetizer or an entree. However, we think that these roasted cauliflower slices make a delicious lunch or dinner if you pair it with for example a creamy green peppercorn sauce and mashed potatoes.
Why we love cauliflower recipes?
Why does a lot of people like cauliflower? It is a cruciferous vegetable after all. Well, it is low in calories but high in nutrients. Not surprising at all why it became such a huge hit in the vegan/vegetarian diet.
Cauliflower contains some of almost every vitamin and mineral that you need. – Read more about its health benefits in this Healthline article.
In short, low in calorie, high in fiber, loaded with Vitamin C and K, and a great source of antioxidants. You can get to know this veggie through a lot of vegan recipes like cauliflower mince as ground beef, cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower mac and cheese, cauliflower mash, or cauliflower hummus. Which one is your favorite?
⇒ If you need an Easy 7-day VEGAN MEAL PLAN, click to download our free e-book with a shopping list.
How to cut cauliflower for steak?
Depending on the size of your cauliflower head, you can get 2-4 slices for a steak out of it.
- Peel of the leaves as much as you can.
- Cut off the stem at the bottom with the remaining leaves.
- Place it with the stem below and cut the cauliflower head in half.
- Cut a 1-inch slice from both halves. (If you have a large cauliflower head you may be able to cut TWO 1-inch thick slices from both halves.)
Not to waste any cauliflower, you can use the remaining florets to make cauliflower soup, cauliflower mince for Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese or add it to these vegan mashed potatoes. Check out all recipes using cauliflower.
How to make cauliflower steak?
Make a spicy marinade
Cauliflower has a rather neutral taste, so you need to use strong seasoning to really elevate these cauliflower slices to steak heights. You can use your favorite steak seasoning or our favorite spicy marinade, which is a mix of olive oil, garlic powder, sweet paprika, powder, chili powder, ground oregano, ground basil, ground rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Pan-fry the slices for 2*2 minutes
First, place the cauliflower slices on a plate or cutting board and brush them using half of the marinade (photo #1). Pre-heat a frying pan on medium heat. No need to add olive oil, as you already have that in your marinade. Place the cauliflower steaks with the marinaded side below and fry them for 2 minutes (photo #2). While frying, brush the naked sides with the other half of the marinade (photo #3). Turn the slices and fry them for another 2 minutes (photo #4).
Roast them in the oven for 15 minutes
Pre-heat the oven for 390 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celcius).
- If you have an oven-safe frying pan, then after the 2 * 2 minutes frying on the stovetop, you can place the frying pan as it is in the oven.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe frying pan, then transfer the cauliflower steaks to an oven-safe dish or on a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Roast them for 15 minutes. Serve while hot, although cauliflower steak keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. They might lose some of their crispiness while storing, but they will still taste delicious.
How to make green peppercorn sauce?
Melt vegan butter on medium heat in a non-stick frying pan (photo #1). Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until tender for about 2-3 minutes (photo #2). Add green peppercorns and mix (photo #3). Add Worcestershire sauce and mix (photo #4). Then, add rice cream and veggie broth and stir until combined (photo #5). Bring to boil and add corn starch (photo #6). Stir quickly and well. If the sauce thickens, it is ready.
What to serve with cauliflower steak?
Several side dishes pair well with cauliflower steaks, but our favorites are Vegan Mashed Potatoes. Especially together with a creamy Green Peppercorn Sauce (pictured). Other delicious combinations are:
- Roasted veggies like asparagus, green beans or carrots.
- Roasted potato, sweet potato or butternut squash
- Potato salad
- Vegan scalloped potatoes
- Creamy vegan risotto
- Creamy polenta
- Rice or quinoa mix
Other sauces for cauliflower steaks
We really love this Green Peppercorn Sauce, but these spicy roasted cauliflower steaks also pair well with the following sauces and condiments:
- pesto
- gravy (onion or mushroom)
- hummus
- cashew alfredo sauce
- tahini dip
This Cauliflower Steak recipe is meat-free, dairy-free and egg-free. It is also suitable for vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free diets.
⇒ If you need an Easy 7-day VEGAN MEAL PLAN, click to download our free e-book with a shopping list.
More dinner recipes
You can browse through our Vegan Lunch and Dinner Meals collection or check out
- Vegan Fajitas
- Vegan Jackfruit Stew
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Vegan Chili with Beans and Millet
- Vegan Beetroot Burger
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Cauliflower Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
Cauliflower Steak
- 1 Cauliflower depending on size 2-4 steaks from one head
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Sweet paprika powder
- 1/4 tsp Hot chili powder or flakes
- 1/2 tsp Oregano dried, ground
- 1/2 tsp Basil dried, ground
- 1/2 tsp Rosemary dried, ground
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Green Peppercorn Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Dairy-free butter
- 1/2 Onion (medium)
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Green peppercorn
- 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup Veggie broth
- 1/2 cup Cream (I used vegan rice cream)
- 2 tsp Corn starch
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Cut cauliflower
- Peel of the leaves as much as you can. Cut off the stem at the bottom with the remaining leaves. Place it with the stem below and cut the cauliflower head in half. Cut a 1-inch slice from both halves. (If you have a large cauliflower head you may be able to cut TWO 1-inch thick slices from both halves.)
Make the marinade
- In a small bowl mix olive oil, garlic powder, sweet paprika, powder, chili powder, ground oregano, ground basil, ground rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Pan-fry the cauliflower steaks
- First, place the cauliflower slices on a plate or cutting board and brush them using half of the marinade.
- Pre-heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to add olive oil, as you already have that in your marinade.)
- Place the cauliflower steaks with the marinaded side below and fry them for 2 minutes.
- While frying, brush the naked sides with the other half of the marinade. Turn the slices and fry them for another 2 minutes.
Roasting the cauliflower steaks
- Pre-heat the oven for 390 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celcius).
- If you have an oven-safe frying pan, then after the 2 * 2 minutes frying on the stovetop, you can place the frying pan as it is in the oven. If you don’t have an oven-safe frying pan, then transfer the cauliflower steaks to an oven-safe dish or on a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Roast them for 15 minutes. Ready to serve!
Make green peppercorn sauce
- Melt vegan butter on medium heat in a non-stick frying pan.
- Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until tender for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add green peppercorns and mix. Now, add Worcestershire sauce and mix again.
- Next, add rice cream and veggie broth and stir until combined. Bring to boil.
- Finally, add corn starch. Stir quickly and well. If the sauce thickens, it is ready.
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