Cauliflower became one of the “it” superfoods in the last few years, and we’re constantly stumbling upon new recipes that are putting it to some good use. This tasty veggie now comes in the form of a steak, and it’s the crunchiest snack you could possibly wish for.
This delicious recipe for roasted cauliflower “steaks” is the brainchild of Michaela Vais, who runs food blog Elavegan, and it’s only one of her many genius vegan ideas. She recommends serving it with creamy cashew tahini dip, but you can opt for something else once you make your own.
Ingredients
- 2 medium-large heads of cauliflower
Marinade
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Breading
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chickpea flour
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Trim the stem and remove the leaves from the cauliflower heads. Do not remove too much of the stem, otherwise, your “steaks” will fall apart.
- With a large knife, cut the cauliflower lengthwise through the center into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) thick pieces. Depending on the thickness of the stem you might end up with 2 or 3 “steaks”. Don’t throw away the little cauliflower pieces which aren’t connected to the stem, use them as well to make cauliflower “wings”.
- Add some water with salt to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, add the cauliflower, cover the pot and cook the cauliflower for 4-5 minutes to soften it a little. After 4-5 minutes, remove the cauliflower and set aside. You can also steam the cauliflower instead of cooking it.
- In a small bowl mix together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 410 degrees Fahrenheit (210 degrees Celsius) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the breading by simply mixing all ingredients (chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, paprika, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper) in a bowl with a whisk.
- Place cauliflower steaks on the lined baking sheet. Brush with the marinade from all sides (see pictures above in the blog post).
- Dip the cauliflower steaks in the breading and coat from all sides.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown, crispy and fork-tender. Flip cauliflower steaks after 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer to a platter and serve with fresh herbs, lemon juice, and your favorite dip. I made a cashew tahini dip (check the notes below for the recipe). Enjoy!
