These roasted cauliflower steaks are seared with cumin butter for a crispy crust and finished in the oven for a perfectly cooked texture. Serve with a fresh lemony yogurt sauce and garlicky, spicy, extra-crunchy breadcrumbs!
Why I love it:
Roasted cauliflower steaks look so impressive, yet they’re surprisingly simple to cut and make. You can cook them a million different ways (roasted, grilled, fried), and you should, but my favorite technique of all is the sear-roast.
I sear them in a cumin-scented butter on the stove to develop a deeply caramelized crust, then flip them onto a sheet pan and finish them in the oven.
The result is a gorgeous flavorful crust (that you just can’t achieve in the oven) and a crisp-tender texture (that you can’t get from the stove).
I elevate them with a ton of fun contrast: a cold creamy yogurt sauce and a sprinkling of spicy, crispy, garlicky breadcrumbs. It’s just so good!
Roasted cauliflower steak ingredients:
- cauliflower
- lemons
- garlic
- parsley
- yogurt
- butter
- breadcrumbs
- cumin
- chili flakes
How to make cauliflower steaks
- Make the lemon yogurt sauce.
- Make the garlicky breadcrumbs.
- Cut the cauliflower heads into 1 ½-inch steaks.
- Brown the steaks in a cumin butter on the stove.
- Finish by roasting them in the oven at 425°F for about 20 minutes.
- Spread the yogurt sauce on the plate, top with a roasted cauliflower steak, and sprinkle with garlicky breadcrumbs.
- Enjoy!
how to cut cauliflower steaks
You can reliably get 2 cauliflower steaks from 1 head of cauliflower.
Here is the easiest way to cut them:
- Trim off all the outer leaves.
- Trim the stem so it sits flat and is about 1 ½-inches long.
- Set the cauliflower head upright, so it’s resting on the flat stem, and slice it in half from top to bottom.
- Cut 1 ½-inch thick “steak” from each half (there will be some leftover florets).
More tips:
- Don’t trim off the stem too much! It helps hold all the florets together
- Keep it thick! Too thin, and the florets can fall off.
- Handle the steaks gently so they don’t break apart.
- You can cut the steaks up to 2 days ahead of time.
What to serve with cauliflower steaks:
You can skip the lemony yogurt sauce in this recipe and replace it with your favorite sauce or dip.
We love these sauces with the nutty sweetness of roasted cauliflower: romesco, truffle aioli, lemon aioli, green goddess dressing, spicy cashew dressing.
For an appetizer, try these arancini or fried goat cheese balls.
If you need a salad, try something extra fresh and simple like this fresh herb salad or shaved fennel salad.
To fill out the menu, serve them alongside parmesan risotto or fresh pesto pizza.
If you want meat with those cauliflower steaks, try something light like yogurt marinated chicken or a gorgeous herb crusted salmon.
more roasted vegetables to try:
roasted cauliflower steaks
These roasted cauliflower steaks are seared with cumin butter for a crispy crust and finished in the oven for a perfectly cooked texture. Serve with a fresh lemony yogurt sauce and garlicky, spicy, extra-crunchy breadcrumbs!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
yogurt sauce:
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
roasted cauliflower steaks:
- 2 small heads of cauliflower
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp cumin
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
garlicky breadcrumbs:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¼ tsp chile flakes, plus more to taste
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- To make the yogurt sauce, combine yogurt, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower head and trim the stem flat. Slice the cauliflower head in half lengthwise, through the center. Cut a 1 ½-inch thick steak from each half; save remaining florets for another use.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and butter and swirl until melted. Add the cauliflower steaks and season with salt and pepper. Cook, shaking the pan every so often, until steaks are deeply caramelized on the bottoms, 4- 5 minutes.
- Flip in the pan to coat with oil, then transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Roast the cauliflower in the oven until stems are fork tender, 20- 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium-low. Stir in garlic and chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 5- 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and parsley.
- To serve, spoon about ¼th of the yogurt tahini sauce on a plate. Top with a cauliflower steak and sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of crunchy breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 299
- Sugar: 6.6g
- Sodium: 154mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6.8g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
Susan says
Wonderful flavor!