For a healthy, delicious dinner that’s fun and easy to prepare, look no further than this cauliflower steak recipe! Slabs of cauliflower are roasted in the oven until perfectly tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. They’re finished with a creamy lemon tahini sauce, parsley, and pumpkin seeds, making these “steaks” just as pretty as they are tasty. Make this simple recipe for a plant-based main or satisfying vegetable side dish.
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Dietitian Lizzie’s Notes
I first saw cauliflower “steaks” pop up on restaurant menus several years ago when I was living in Philly. I loved the idea of using a vegetable as the mainstay of a meal, adorned with tasty sauces, legumes, nuts, seeds, and more. While they do not taste like actual steak, these plant-based slabs are tender, caramelized, and incredibly delicious when paired with the right seasonings!
One of the best versions I’ve tried had dried fruit, pine nuts, and yogurt sauce. It turns out that roasted cauliflower pairs very well with a little sweetness, some crunch, and some creaminess. That’s the formula I used for this cauliflower steak recipe, with tahini serving as the base for a creamy (yet dairy-free!) sauce sweetened with maple syrup while pumpkin seeds deliver the crunch factor!
Be sure to read through my firsthand tips so that you can learn how to prevent common mistakes. I included lots of tidbits about what I’ve learned from making this recipe dozens of times, including how thick to slice the steaks, the best oven temperature, and how to get the best interior and exterior texture. Enjoy!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cauliflower: Choose a large, heavy head of cauliflower that has tight florets with no signs of browning. Cauliflower heads that are too small will not yield as many steaks and/or may make it difficult to cut the slabs without them falling apart.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Substitute avocado oil if needed.
- Garlic powder: Sub minced fresh garlic cloves in this cauliflower steak recipe if desired. To prevent burning, add fresh garlic to the tahini sauce instead of brushing it onto the steaks before roasting. While I think a simple garlic, salt, and pepper seasoning is best for cauliflower steaks, you can add smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and/or turmeric depending on your preferences. See my Cabbage Steaks for another seasoning idea.
- Salt and pepper: I love using kosher salt for roasted vegetables since it clings well to the oil.
- Tahini: Consistency and flavor vary by brand. Some of the smoothest and best-tasting tahini brands include Soom and Mighty Sesame Co. If your tahini isn’t very smooth, don’t worry. You can easily add water to thin it to your preferred consistency. See my Tahini Pasta for more tips.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed adds the best flavor in my opinion, but you can use jarred if needed. For a sub, try apple cider vinegar. Add lemon zest for extra flavor.
- Parsley: Substitute other fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, tarragon, or even dill.
- Maple syrup: Swap in honey if desired.
- Pepitas: Use dry roasted and salted for the best flavor. These may also be labeled as pumpkin seeds (but they don’t have a shell). Sub pine nuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds.
How to Cut the Cauliflower
Use a knife to remove the green leaves surrounding the head. Trim the bottom without fully slicing it off. It needs to stay mostly intact to keep the florets tightly together.
To cut cauliflower into steaks without them falling apart, make slices that are 1 to 1.5 inches thick for best results. Thinner slices are more likely to fall apart. Use a sharp knife to cut the cauliflower lengthwise from the top of the head through the core.
The slices in the center of the head will be sturdier than the ones you cut from the edges, since they have the stalk running through them. Try to make the slices approximately the same thickness so that they cook evenly. A large head of cauliflower yields about 4 to 6 “steaks.”
How to Make This Cauliflower Steak Recipe
The full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.
Place the cauliflower on a cutting board and slice into steaks of approximately equal thickness by following the above directions. Make sure they are free from any excess water leftover from cleaning, since surface moisture can interfere with browning.
Transfer the steaks to a large baking sheet. Brush both sides of each piece with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You should line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. However, you can also forego the parchment to get a crispier exterior (more on that below) and just accept maybe a little sticking.
Roast at 425 degrees F/218 degrees C, flipping very gently halfway through, until tender on the inside and lightly browned and caramelized on the outside.
In the meantime, combine the tahini, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and maple syrup in a bowl or measuring cup. Drizzle ice cold water into the mixture, whisking as you go, until smooth. Add more water as needed in small amounts to reach a pourable consistency.
Spoon or pour the tahini sauce on the roasted cauliflower.
Serve garnished with pepitas and additional parsley if desired.
Other Ways to Cook Them
- Grilling: Preheat your grill to medium-high. Hold paper towels drenched in avocado oil with grill-safe tongs and rub them over the grates. Alternatively, you can use veggie grill mats to prevent sticking. Brush both sides of the cauliflower steaks with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side (covered) until tender when poked with a fork and slightly charred. Remove and add the sauce and pepitas.
- Sautéing/Frying: To make a pan fried cauliflower steak recipe, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the cauliflower steaks in the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, flip, add salt and pepper to the other side, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add ¼ cup water to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook until the water is absorbed and the cauliflower is fork-tender. Remove and add the sauce and pepitas.
- Air fryer: To make cauliflower steak in the air fryer, brush the steaks with the olive oil seasoning mixture as written in this recipe. Preheat the air fryer to 425 degrees F, place the steaks in an even layer in the basket, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until golden brown and fork-tender. Remove and add the sauce and pepitas.
Serving Ideas
Enjoy this recipe as a vegetarian or vegan main or side dish (it’s also gluten-free). Roasted cauliflower steaks with tahini sauce are delicious served over mashed potatoes, farro, quinoa, lentils, or chickpeas. You can also serve them with my Simple Spinach Arugula Salad or mixed greens. For a flexitarian option, try them alongside roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, or salmon.
If you have leftover cauliflower florets that fell off when slicing the steaks, roast them on a separate sheet pan to serve with your meal. Alternatively, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container to make other recipes like my Broccoli Cauliflower Salad.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover cooked steaks and tahini sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat the steaks in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until warmed. You can also reheat them in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. If the sauce gets stiff in the fridge, whisk in some warm water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Cooked steaks and prepared sauce can also be frozen. Let the steaks cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or bag with parchment paper in between them. Seal tightly, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees F until warmed.
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter. Add water as needed to thin.
More Cauliflower Recipes To Try
- Greek Cauliflower Rice
- Balsamic Roasted Cauliflower
- Baked Whole Cauliflower with Cheese
- Easy Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake
- Weeknight Cauliflower Curry
- Cauliflower and Chickpeas Sheet Pan Meal
FAQs
- How do you make cauliflower steaks crispy? Make sure the oven is set to at least 425 degrees F. In addition, you can forego the parchment paper and place the steaks directly on a baking sheet, lightly brushed with oil or nonstick spray, to make them crispier.
- Can cauliflower steaks be grilled or air-fried instead of roasted? Yes, but I think the best way to cook cauliflower steaks is roasting. This method allows the center part of the steaks that includes the tough stalk to get tender. Grilled, air fried, or pan fried steaks may not get as tender, even if the exterior is crispier.
- What are common mistakes when making cauliflower steaks? Try to avoid cutting them too thin or too thick. Stick to 1 to 1.5 inches thick. You also want to flip the steaks just once and very gently so they don’t fall apart during baking. Finally, do not overcrowd the baking sheet and use two if needed to prevent them from steaming each other and not getting crispy.
📖 Recipe
Cauliflower Steak Recipe
Ingredients
Cauliflower steaks
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup pepitas - dry roasted and salted (aka pumpkin seeds)
Tahini sauce
- ⅓ cup tahini - runny and stirred well
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - from 1 small or ½ large lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley - more for garnish
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup ice cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/218 degrees C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If you want them to be extra crispy, don’t use parchment paper and instead brush the baking sheet with a light coating of olive oil.
- Rinse the cauliflower under cold water to clean. Pat dry, being careful to remove any excess water that would prevent the cauliflower from getting crispy in the oven.
- Prepare the cauliflower by removing the leaves and slightly trimming the stem without slicing it fully off. Cut the cauliflower lengthwise from the head through the core, making 1 to 1.5-inch slices that resemble flat "steaks." Depending on the size of your cauliflower, you may slice between 4 and 6 flat pieces. Try to make them roughly the same thickness so that they cook evenly. The pieces from the middle will be the sturdiest, since they contain the core. The edge pieces may fall apart a little, but they can still be roasted alongside the thicker steaks.
- Transfer the cauliflower steaks to the lined baking sheet. Arrange them in an even layer. If they are too close together or overlapping, use two baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Brush each side of each steak with the olive oil mixture.
- Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and tender when poked with a fork. Flip the cauliflower very gently and only once, halfway through cooking time, to prevent them from falling apart.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the tahini sauce. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, parsley, and salt in a measuring cup or bowl until smooth. It will stiffen up, so add up to ¼ cup ice cold water slowly, and whisk as you go to get a runnier sauce that can be easily drizzled.
- When the cauliflower is finished, transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with pepitas, and garnish with more parsley. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- You will likely have some stray cauliflower florets after you cut the steaks. You can toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast them on the same sheet as the steaks (if it’s too crowded, use another sheet). Eat them on their own with the leftover sauce or add them to salads.
- Store leftover steaks and sauce in separate containers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat the steaks in a skillet with a little oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until warm or in the oven on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.
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