Cadry's Kitchen

A Vegan Adventure

  • Home
  • About
    • About Cadry
    • Contact
    • Work with me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Vegan
    • Being Vegan
    • Vegan grocery list
  • Connect:

Vegan recipes from my kitchen

Roasted cauliflower steaks with cilantro chimichurri

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Text overlay: Cauliflower steaks with cilantro chimichurri. Cauliflower slabs on plate.

Roasted cauliflower steaks look so appealing as the centerpiece on a plate. Swiped with garlicky chimichurri sauce, it’s a vegetable-forward dish that lets this cruciferous vegetable really shine. Vegan & gluten-free.

Two slabs of cauliflower on plate with cilantro chimichurri.

Cauliflower usually spends its existence on the side of the dinner plate, sitting next to a pile of green beans. But when you cut that cauliflower into steaks and roast it, suddenly that humble veg becomes the star of dinner.

It gets nutty brown from roasting in the oven, and beautifully tender. Its muted flavor is perfectly complemented with a generous spread of cilantro chimichurri sauce.

Overhead roasted cauliflower steaks on plate with green sauce.

Why is it called a steak?

Cauliflower steaks started popping up on restaurant menus several years ago.

Presumably, they are called steaks because it’s the best cut of the cauliflower. It’s the center cut that works nicely as a vegetarian main course, because it is so eye-catching.

However, it tastes nothing at all like animal-based steak. Unsurprisingly, it tastes 100% like roasted cauliflower.

What really takes this dish up a notch is a flavorful sauce like chimichurri.

Bowl of chimichurri sauce by cauliflower florets.

What is chimichurri sauce?

Chimichurri is an Argentinean sauce that’s similar in concept to pesto. It simply involves throwing herbs, garlic, and a few other ingredients into a food processor.

It’s typically made with parsley. However, I’m not a big fan of parsley. So I prefer to make it with cilantro instead. (For variation ideas, be sure to check out my full post on cilantro chimichurri.)

Chimichurri sauce is one of those bright, garlicky sauces that I want to put on everything. I look for any excuse to use it.

It’s great drizzled on tacos, or roasted potatoes. It can be used as a salad dressing, sandwich spread, sweet potato quesadilla, or sauce for pasta or potato salad.

Chimichurri keeps well. So plan on making a batch early in the week. Then this meal comes together really quickly and with very little effort!

How to make sure the steaks don’t fall apart

The key to getting steaks that don’t fall apart into florets is making sure you have part of the stem/base still attached within the steak. Once you get far from the center, you’re more likely to have slices that break apart while you cut or flip them.

That’s why I recommend getting two heads of cauliflower. You can cut down the middle, and then get a slice from both sides of the middle.

However, if you don’t care about the perfect appearance or are game to risk it, you can buy one large head of cauliflower, and take your chances. If the slices aren’t perfect as you go out from center, they will still taste good. Or you can simply plan on two steaks, and roast the rest as florets.

How to make roasted cauliflower steaks

Overhead food processor with cilantro, onions, spices, garlic, and vinegar.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the chimichurri, put the following into a food processor:

  • Cilantro (with stems)
  • Chopped onion
  • Minced garlic
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Paprika
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Blend until fully broken up & combined.

Now onto the cauliflower. Pull off any green leaves from around the heads.

For the steaks, cut a head of cauliflower in half, right through the stem. Cut a 1-inch slice off the middle. That’s your first “steak.” Cut another one inch slice off the other half. Then do the whole process all over again with your second head of cauliflower.

Cauliflower slices on parchment paper covered baking sheet.

Put the cauliflower steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Coat with oil on both sides & a pinch of salt.

Roast for 20 minutes, gently flip the steaks, and roast for 10 more.

Serve the steaks with chimichurri sauce on top.

Cauliflower florets on platter with cilantro.

Make it your own

Here are some ways you can personalize this plant-based dish to make it your own.

There’s so much flavor in the chimichurri, I like to keep the cauliflower a blank canvas. But if you’d prefer, you can add seasonings when you coat them in oil. Sprinkle on cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder, granulated onion, and/or granulated garlic.

After you pull the steaks out of the oven, add a squeeze of lemon juice for a brighter finish.

Add a sprinkling of vegan feta cheese for another pop of flavor.

Instead of chimichurri, top the steaks with olive tapenade, pesto, or Romesco sauce.

Don’t bother cutting them into steaks, and enjoy them as florets instead. For four people, you’ll just need one large head of cauliflower instead of two. Since florets are smaller in size, you’ll likely need about 5 minutes less of cooking time.

(If needed, check out this easy roasted cauliflower recipe for more guidance on cooking cauliflower florets.)

How long will it keep?

Roasted cauliflower steaks will last for about four days in the refrigerator in a covered container. To reheat, cook on a baking sheet at 400 degrees in the oven for about 7 minutes, or reheat in the microwave. (The texture will be a little better in the oven.)

The chimichurri sauce can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Can you freeze it?

For optimum texture, I wouldn’t recommend freezing the cooked steaks. But you can freeze any unused florets that weren’t roasted in a freezer bag. 

You can also freeze any leftover chimichurri sauce. Put it into ice cube trays. Freeze. Then move the cubes to a freezer bag to store. When you’re ready to use it, let the cube(s) thaw in the refrigerator.

What to serve with it

Because this main course is low in protein & calories, I recommend serving it with some satiating sides that have a bit more heft to them.

  • Black bean corn avocado salad
  • Lemony potatoes with garlic & oregano or baked french fries
  • Refried pinto beans or refried black beans
  • Vegan tortilla soup with seitan & black beans
  • Vegan burrito bowl with lentils & black beans

Roasted cauliflower steaks on plate with chimichurri.

Two slabs of cauliflower on plate with cilantro chimichurri.

Roasted cauliflower steaks with cilantro chimichurri

Cauliflower is usually the sidekick to the main course. Now is the time for it to shine! Let that cruciferous vegetable be the star of the show with this eye-catching entrée. The center of the cauliflower head is cut into “steaks.” (By using the part of the head with the stem, it all stays together & doesn’t break apart.) It’s then topped with bright & garlicky cilantro chimichurri sauce.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Argentina, Vegan
Keyword: easy main course, roasted vegetable
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 181kcal
Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

  • 2 heads cauliflower
  • 2 Tablespoons organic canola oil or olive oil
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 recipe cilantro chimichurri
  • Cilantro leaves optional garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Make the cauliflower steaks by cutting one head in half, right through the middle of the stem. Then cut a 1-inch slice off the middle. That’s your first “steak.” Cut another one inch slice off the other half.
    Then do the whole process over again with the second head of cauliflower. (You will have cauliflower leftover. Save it for another time.)
  • Put the cauliflower steaks on the baking sheet, and coat with oil on both sides. Finish with a pinch of salt.
  • Roast for 20 minutes on one side. Then gently flip them over, and roast for 10 more minutes, until beautifully brown.
  • Serve the steaks with chimichurri sauce on top & extra cilantro leaves for optional garnish. (You can find a clickable link to the chimichurri recipe in the ingredient list.)

Notes

The recipe calls for 2 heads of cauliflower, because the steaks hold together better when they include the stem. As you slice further out on a head, you're more apt to have steaks that fall apart.
But if you don’t care about the perfect slices or don't mind a risk, you can buy just one large head of cauliflower for a group of four. If the slices aren’t perfect as you go out from center, they will still taste good. Or you can simply plan on two steaks, and roast the rest as florets.
If the stems of the cauliflower are very long, you can cut off the bottom half of them before cutting the "steaks." But be careful not to cut too far up. You want the florets to stay attached.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Posted On: October 20, 2020
Comment: Leave a Comment

About Cadry

Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Comments

  1. Shell says

    November 10, 2020 at 9:14 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for teaching me how to properly cut cauliflower! I love this roasted cauliflower recipe. It is so easy, quick and delicious.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 10, 2020 at 9:52 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Welcome

Hi, I'm Cadry Nelson. I'm the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind Cadry's Kitchen.

Cadry's Kitchen is a vegan food blog featuring comfort food classics. Most recipes are ready in about 30 minutes.

Contact me at cadryskitchen@gmail.com.

MORE ABOUT CADRY
Logos for sites where Cadry Nelson & Cadry's Kitchen have been featured.
Text overlay: vegan air fryer recipes. Hand dipping ravioli into marinara with air fryer ravioli on plate.

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts.

© Cadry Nelson and Cadry's Kitchen, 2009-2021. The full content of this site, including recipes and photographs are copyrighted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cadry Nelson and Cadry's Kitchen with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

© 2021 · Cadry’s Kitchen