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Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Name: Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 medium-large cauliflower heads; Drizzle of olive oil; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon coriander; 3/4 teaspoon onion powder ((optional)); 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste); 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; Healthy Green Goddess Dressing ((optional))

Published: Dec 12, 2022 by Nisha Melvani, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with a healthy Green Goddess Dressing (optional) is a real crowdpleaser! This dish looks and tastes amazing. It's easy to make, budget-friendly, and kid approved!

Three roasted cauliflower steaks on a white plate with a drizzle of green dressing, lemon wedges, and green goddess dressing in a jar.

Make these roasted cauliflower steaks for a 'meaty' plant-based main dish or side. The optional Healthy Green Goddess Dressing adds protein, heart healthy fats, and a ton of nutrients from the fresh herbs. Try this combo for your next weeknight dinner, or even a fancy dinner party! It's so versatile and a great way to use up cilantro and parsley about to go bad.

This dish was inspired by my Crispy Cauliflower Steaks & Pesto Pasta on this site, and pairs well with this Air Fryer or Oven-Baked Tofu.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🌶️ Substitutions
📖 Instructions
💡 Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

2-ingredients (plus optional spices) is all you need to make vegan roasted cauliflower steaks. The additional ingredients for the Healthy Green Goddess Dressing recipe are linked here should you choose to make it.

One head cauliflower with olive oil in a white bowl, and a small bowl with cumin, paprika, and coriander. — Ingredients for Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower is a rockstar vegetable. It's high in phytonutrients, especially sulfur-containing glucosinates. Glucosinates regulate inflammation, plus they have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In addition, they are what give cauliflower their unique smell! Plus, cauliflower is high in water and fiber, keeping you hydrated and regular (in bowel movement). Water and fiber also make us feel full quickly, which is why this meal so satisfying.
Paprika, coriander, garlic powder, and onion powder add a ton of flavor to the roasted cauliflower steaks.
A drizzle of olive oil gets them crispy in the oven or air fryer.

See recipe card for quantities.

🌶️ Substitutions

Spices - use seasonings you have on hand to change things up (chipotle powder, curry powder, garam masala, onion powder, cayenne pepper, za'atar seasoning)
Olive oil - avocado oil or any vegetable oil will work
Healthy Green Goddess Dressing - Make my tahini Green Goddess Dressing while the steaks are roasting. It's a delicious combination.

See my Veggie Bowls recipes page for more easy roasted sheet pan dinner ideas.

📖 Instructions

One head cauliflower, stem side up, with the leaves removed and stem trimmed.

Step 1. Wash the cauliflower. Remove the leaves and trim the stem, leaving the cauliflower intact. Place it stem-side-down on a kitchen towel to hold it in place if it feels unstable.

One head of cauliflower sliced in half through the middle, and sliced into three steaks on one side.

Step 2. Slice through the middle of the head. Cut ¾-inch steaks through one half of the head. Repeat for the other side. This makes 3 to 4 steaks for each medium-large cauliflower. (See video)

Three uncooked cauliflower steaks on parchment paper resting on a black baking sheet, next to a pastry brush and olive oil.

Step 3. Arrange the steaks on one or two large nonstick baking sheets in a single layer. Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, coriander, and onion powder in a small bowl. Brush the tops with olive oil and rub them with one-half of the seasoning.

Three roasted cauliflower steaks with chopped parsley and lemon wedges on a white plate with a side of green goddess dressing.

Step 4. Bake the steaks for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven, carefully turn, and brush the other sides with more oil. Rub with the remaining seasoning. Bake for 10 minutes more, or until browned and fork tender.

💡 Expert Tips

Cutting cauliflower steaks: If the trimmed cauliflower is unstable, place it on a folded kitchen towel for cutting to hold it still. (See video)
For crispy steaks: Cut the cauliflower equally into ¾-inch-thick steaks. Spread them onto a large parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet in a single layer so they roast evenly and do not steam. Coat lightly in oil.
Air fry: To air fry the cauliflower steaks, preheat the air fryer to 375ºF. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
Roast or air fry the florets alongside the steaks, or freeze to make cauliflower smoothies!
Storage: Refrigerate leftover Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

How do you cut cauliflower steaks so they don't fall apart?

Wash the cauliflower. Remove the outer leaves. Trim the stem, leaving the cauliflower intact. Place the cauliflower stem-side-down on a folded dish towel if it feels unstable.
Slice through the middle of the head. Cut ¾-inch steaks through one half of the head. Repeat for the other side. Do this for both sides, making a total of 6 to 8 steaks. (See video)

Why does my roasted cauliflower get mushy?

Roasted cauliflower can become soggy if the baking sheet is overcrowded, so make sure to leave room between the steaks and florets. Using too much oil is another common culprit. Ensure that the steaks and florets have enough oil to caramelize but not too much to become soggy. A light coating is perfect.

Why is my roasted cauliflower tough?

Make sure to roast the cauliflower steaks in the oven long enough for them to become fork tender. Remove the florets earlier once they are cooked.