Whether I’m making an appetizer, side dish or entree, cauliflower is my go-to veggie, as evidenced by this air fryer buffalo cauliflower, straightforward sesame cauliflower and sweet and sour cauliflower. As striking as all three of those recipes are, these cauliflower steaks are quite spectacular!

About this dish

Cauliflower “steaks” surely do NOT taste like a sirloin steak or any other kind of steak at all. So why call it steak?

So while this certainly won’t pass for an actual steak, the cauliflower steaks taste great and they’re straightforward to make.

Ingredients

Cauliflower. The star of this method! You’ll need two medium heads of cauliflower.
Olive oil. Helps prevent the vegetable from sticking to the baking sheet. It also helps to create a more golden and crisp surface.
Salt and pepper. For flavor.

How for this method

Prep. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Tear off the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut off any stem that is protruding out from the head of cauliflower. Leaving the core intact, cut it into ¾-1 inch pieces. The outer florets will fall off and you can use those later or roast them on the side.
Cook. Place the steaks on a large baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, flip, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes until the steaks are lightly charred around the edges and tender in the middle.
Serve. Pair with your go-to sauce and ENJOY!

Roasted cauliflower on a baking sheet pan.

Tips

Be generous with the oil. Brush on plenty of olive oil. The oil makes the cauliflower genuinely tender and flavor-packed.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. The steaks need a good amount of space to get beautifully browned; otherwise, they’ll only steam.
Cutting the cauliflower. Many recipes will have you cut the core out of the cauliflower, but I like to leave it in as the steaks will hold together better. You can cut off the excess outer leaves, but leave a few on (they’re edible and crisp up in the oven in a savory way).
Leftover florets. You can store leftover raw cauliflower florets in a resealable bag or airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. Use the florets to make another recipe. Or keep them raw and snack on them with hummus. You can even freeze them and add them to smoothies for a boost of vitamins that you can’t even taste.

Customize this method

Seasoning. Feel free to experiment with the flavors in this method and sprinkle on your regular spices. Flavorful options are: Italian seasoning, garlic powder and paprika. Or try a blend of cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper for a spicy Spanish twist. You could even use taco seasoning and serve these with a Mexican meal.
Sauces. The options are pretty much endless when it comes to pairing sauces with cauliflower. Because cauliflower has a pretty mild flavor, it will easily take on the flavor of whatever sauce you serve with it. Worth a second batch these steaks with a side of ranch, pesto or even chimichurri. Vegan cheese sauce would be tasty too!
Other options. Some other great additions to this method are Parmesan cheese and/or fresh herbs, like parsley.

Make Ahead

Roasted cauliflower steaks are go-to served immediately, but you can go ahead and prep the cauliflower. Wash, slice it and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook it.

Storage

Leftover cauliflower steaks can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 5 days. To reheat, warm in the oven at 325°F for 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, pop these in the microwave and rewarm in 30-second increments.