Oven-Baked Cauliflower Steak

Name: Oven-Baked Cauliflower Steak
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 medium cauliflower heads; Olive oil spray; 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided); 1 teaspoon garlic powder (divided); 1 teaspoon paprika (divided); 1 teaspoon coriander (divided)

Jump to Recipe

These thick slabs of cauliflower steak are delicious, well-seasoned, and satisfying. They work well as the main course or a side dish.

A cauliflower steak is served on a white plate.

Cauliflower steak is incredibly flavorful. It's meaty, filling, and satiating. To make this recipe, you will slice two cauliflower heads, spray the slices with oil, season them with spices, and bake until tender. From start to finish, this easy recipe takes about 40 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a weeknight dinner. The added bonus: The leftovers are delicious, and you can enjoy them reheated or cold.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients needed to make cauliflower steak.

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

Fresh cauliflower: You will need two cauliflower heads.
Olive oil: I use olive oil spray for convenience. Sometimes, I use a pastry brush to coat the cauliflower with melted butter instead of olive oil.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and coriander. Smoked paprika is an excellent substitute for regular paprika. I love the smoky flavor it adds.

Variation: Balsamic Cauliflower Steak

One of my favorite variations on this recipe is the balsamic steaks shown in the photo below. Instead of using an olive oil spray and sprinkling the cauliflower with spices, I mix two tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

I brush the mixture all over the cauliflower pieces and proceed to bake them as directed in the recipe card. I love how the balsamic vinegar gets sweet and caramelized in the oven! If you use this version, please make sure to use aged balsamic vinegar.

Two cauliflower steaks are coated in an olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Wash the cauliflower heads, remove the outer leaves, and trim the bottom of the core, keeping it intact. Slice each cauliflower head into ¾-inch-thick slices.

Arrange the slices in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Scatter the florets around them. Spray their tops with olive oil and sprinkle them with half the seasonings.

The cauliflower slices were coated in oil and seasonings.

Bake the cauliflower pieces for 15 minutes in a preheated 425°F oven. Remove them from the oven, carefully flip them, spray them with more oil, and sprinkle them with the remaining spices. Bake them until browned and fork-tender, 10-15 more minutes.

I used the same amount of seasonings for only three thick steaks and have no regrets. A little lemon on top and wow(!), that's an easy, delicious dinner. Had it with lentils I made in the rice cooker. My husband had doordashed himself fried chicken while I was on a mission to use up things in the fridge on a late night, and he was so jealous after he tried it, lol. This is saved, and I can't wait to explore more of your creations
Amanda
Read more comments

Recipe Tips

When you cut the cauliflower heads into slices, some slices will fall apart and turn into florets. Don't worry about those! Simply bake them alongside the intact slices. That's why you need two cauliflower heads for this recipe, to account for the slices that fall apart. Plan on getting three steaks out of each cauliflower head.
It's helpful to blot the cauliflower slices and florets dry with paper towels before coating them in oil and spices. This ensures they will roast and brown rather than steam.

Recipe FAQs

Should I remove the cauliflower's core?

Please don't remove the core when slicing the cauliflower. Removing the core, even carefully, will cause the steaks to fall apart. I remove the outer leaves and trim the very bottom of the stem, but I leave the core intact, and I find that it softens nicely and is delicious when baked.

Can I use purple cauliflower?

Yes. Purple cauliflower is milder and slightly sweeter than white, but you can use it in this recipe without making any changes.

Can I substitute minced garlic for garlic powder?

I prefer garlic powder because it coats the cauliflower more evenly and doesn't burn as easily in the hot oven.

How long can I keep the leftovers?

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven. You can also freeze them for up to three months.

Serving Suggestions

I sometimes serve cauliflower steak as a main course, accompanied by a side dish I can bake in the same 425°F oven, such as roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, or baked spaghetti squash. Sometimes, I serve it with fried or poached eggs for a hearty, meatless meal.

My favorite way to serve these "steaks" is as a side dish to meat, poultry, or fish. Since I roast them in a 425°F oven, I like to serve them with a main dish I can cook in the same oven, such as Parmesan-crusted chicken, roasted rack of lamb, or baked salmon, as shown in the photo below.

A cauliflower steak is served with baked salmon and a portobello mushrooms.

As you can see in the photo, the plate also features a portobello mushroom. Though I typically grill portobello mushrooms, I sometimes bake them, and it's easy to add them to the same baking sheet as the cauliflower, as shown in the image below. Do remember to remove them first - they only need about 15 minutes in the hot oven.

Cauliflower and portobellos were baked together in the same pan.

Recipe Card

4.99 from 103 votes

Save this Recipe Print Recipe

These thick slabs of cauliflower steak are delicious, well-seasoned, and satisfying. And they are so easy to make!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 109kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Video

Ingredients

▢ 2 medium cauliflower heads
▢ Olive oil spray
▢ 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - divided; or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper - divided
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder - divided
▢ 1 teaspoon paprika - divided
▢ 1 teaspoon coriander - divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil or high-heat-resistant parchment paper and spray it with olive oil.
Wash the cauliflower heads, remove the outer leaves, and trim the very bottom of the core, keeping the core intact. Slice each cauliflower head into ¾-inch-thick slices.
The outer slices will fall apart - simply roast them as florets with the steaks. Plan on getting three steaks out of each cauliflower head.
Use paper towels to dry the cauliflower slices and florets.
Arrange the steaks in a single layer on the baking sheet. Scatter the florets around them. Spray their tops with olive oil and sprinkle them with half the seasonings.
Bake the cauliflower slices for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven, carefully flip them using two wide spatulas, spray them with more oil, and sprinkle them with the remaining spices.
Return the cauliflower to the oven and bake it until browned and fork-tender, 10-15 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

When you cut the cauliflower heads into slices, some will fall apart and turn into florets. Don't worry about those! Simply bake them alongside the intact slices. That's why you need two cauliflower heads for this recipe, to account for the slices that fall apart.
Don't trim the core. Cauliflower stems are edible. Removing the core, even very carefully, will cause the steaks to fall apart. I remove the outer leaves and trim the very bottom of the stem, but I leave the core intact, and I find that it softens nicely and is delicious when baked.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.

Nutrition per Serving

Save this Recipe!

We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.

Disclaimers

Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Cauliflower Steak

Ingredients and Substitutions

Variation: Balsamic Cauliflower Steak

Instructions

Recipe Tips

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Recipe Card