Oven Baked Cauliflower Steaks
Every time I crave something satisfying yet light, quick, and easy, I make these oven-baked cauliflower steaks. They are roasted to perfection after being seasoned with some paprika and garlic. Either a vegetarian main entree or a tasty side dish, this recipe always gets rave reviews!
Cauliflower Steaks will become your new all-time favorite way to enjoy this vegetable! They’re golden and caramelized on the outside, tender on the inside, and covered with simple but delicious seasonings like garlic powder, dried oregano, and a dash of smoked paprika. Ideal when served with some buffalo sauce or homemade ranch on the side.
Table of contents
Each cauliflower steak is big and hearty enough to be eaten as a full, plant-based meal by itself, but I like to pair it with meat and seafood entrees. Flavorful sauces like chimichurri make this even more irresistible. No matter how you serve and enjoy it, this is one showstopping dish! What I like about it is its versatility: you can season it or smother it in your favorite seasonings and marinades, so it’s never bland or boring.
Why you will love this recipe
- Wholesome: Looking for a way to eat healthier? These thick, juicy cauliflower steaks can feed that craving without all the fat and calories. Seasoned with garlic, onion, and a couple of extra herbs and spices for a rich, smoky taste.
- Cost-effective vegetarian main entrée: This can be one of the most economical main entrées I’ve ever served at less than $10. I can make about 8 thick steaks that will feed 4 people.
- So quick and easy: It takes me less than 30 minutes to make these steaks with just a few easy steps. I just slice them and roast them for a tasty dinner in no time.
- Versatile: Since cauliflower has such a mild flavor, it can be seasoned or marinated with anything. They absorb liquids quickly and will crisp up in the oven, so they don’t get soggy.
What you will need
- Cauliflower: I use 2 heads of organic cauliflower for this dish.
- Wet ingredients: Olive oil is the perfect choice for these steaks because it has a mild but fruity flavor, and it is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. It also has a high smoke point, so it helps prevent burning.
- Seasonings: Besides salt and pepper, I add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano with chopped parsley for garnish.
How to prepare
Preheat the oven: First, I place the oven rack in the lower third spot in the oven, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, and lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.
Slice the cauliflower: Now, I remove the leaves and trim the stems from the cauliflower, cut each one in half lengthwise, and cut them into ½-inch steaks. I place these on the prepared baking sheet while I mix the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano in a small bowl.
Season and bake: Then, I brush olive oil on each side of the cauliflower steaks and sprinkle the seasoning mixture on each side. I cover the baking sheet with foil and bake them for 5 minutes. Then, I remove the foil and roast them for another 10 minutes. Afterward, I carefully flip the steaks and roast them for another 8 minutes or until they are golden brown and the core is easily poked with a fork.
Remove and serve: Finally, I remove them from the oven and place them on a serving platter.
Expert tip
Par-cook for even cooking
Sometimes it’s hard to get the core to cook all the way without overcooking the tender outsides of the cauliflower. That is why I sometimes suggest par-cooking if you have the time. It only takes a few minutes in the microwave. Just put the steaks in a dish with a tablespoon of water, cover, and microwave them for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Or steam them over a pot of boiling water for 4 to 6 minutes, just until they begin to soften.
More tips to consider:
- Make sure to cover the cauliflower with oil on both sides before sprinkling it with the seasoning. The oil helps the seasoning stick, promotes even heating, and gives it a crispy caramelized coating.
- Salt is important for drawing out the moisture, softening, and encouraging browning.
- To check for doneness, poke the core with a fork. It should slide in easily.
- Tent the steaks loosely for the first 15 minutes to trap steam and keep them from browning too fast.
- Don’t remove the core. This will hold the cauliflower steaks together, and it is also delicious when it is cooked.
- There will always be florets that fall off the heads. I usually cook mine separately in a different recipe, like my Instant Pot mashed cauliflower. It makes a wonderful side dish for these hearty steaks.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Cajun steaks: For a southern spicy style steak dinner, stir a tablespoon of my homemade Cajun seasoning into the seasoning mixture. It’s not too hot, but it has a kick.
- Red hot steaks: If you want them extra hot, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Cheesy bacon steaks: To make these steaks really irresistible, I sometimes add some cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
- Taco Tuesday: It doesn’t have to be Tuesday to enjoy these steaks with a little bit of my homemade taco seasoning, some crumbled cotija cheese, salsa, and guacamole.
- Pizza steaks: The kids like it when I make them pizza-style with Italian seasoning, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperonis.
Serving suggestions:
When I serve these as the main entrée, they go perfectly with just about any side dish, like my cheesy cabbage gratin made with three cheeses. This is a healthy take on a rich potato casserole that can be made with a vegetarian theme to round out a hearty meal to fill everyone up. The luxurious sauce is so creamy and delicious, with lots of cheddar and mozzarella. But who says you can’t have potatoes? These air fryer twice-baked potatoes are full of butter, cheese, and sour cream and only take 40 minutes.
As cauliflower steaks, they also make wonderful side dishes. In fact, I served them with these sweet and crispy brown sugar baked pork chops last week, and everyone loved them. They actually soaked up some of the juices from the chops and made the steaks taste even more incredible! When I make them with my Instant Pot chicken cacciatore, I also have some cauliflower rice to go with the chicken, so this meal goes together perfectly.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended.
- Reheating: To reheat, I put them in the oven at 450 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes or in the air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes at 450 degrees F.
Frequently asked questions
You should definitely not be expecting these to taste like a ribeye or T-bone. After all, this is cauliflower. However, since cauliflower has a very mild flavor, it typically absorbs whatever flavors you put into it. So, whatever sauce or seasoning you like on your steak, like A-1 or Heinz 57, can be used on these to make them taste more like steak. Marinating them in Worcestershire sauce and steak sauce for 45 minutes before cooking them will help, too.
The centers are probably not cooked all the way through. Give them another 5 to 10 minutes in the oven. If they are too brown on top, cover them with aluminum foil. It is best to slice them about ½ to ¾ inches thick so they cook all the way through without burning the outside.
The most important thing is to make sure the cauliflower steaks are completely dry. I dry mine well with paper towels to prevent them from steaming before slathering them with olive oil. Also, make sure they have plenty of space in between them when placing them in the pan so they will roast instead of steaming. Finally, if they aren’t crispy enough, turn up the heat and let them broil before serving them.
It is normal for some of the cauliflower florets to fall off when you slice them. However, it is important to keep the core in place so the rest of the cauliflower stays together when carving the steaks. The stalk that runs through the center is what holds everything together. After slicing your steaks, it is okay to trim the core a bit, but leave it mostly in place to hold the steaks together. Also, be gentle when flipping. These are not really steaks, after all.
Trim the stem and pull off all the exterior leaves. Slice the heads in half lengthwise through the center. Slice a 1.5-inch-thick steak from one half, and do the same for the other. If the heads are big enough, slice another piece off. Cut off any florets that aren’t directly attached to the stem.
More cauliflower recipes:
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Cauliflower Steaks Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Garnish:
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and place one rack in the middle. Preheat the oven to 475-500ºF.
- Remove the outer green leaves from the head of cauliflower and discard. Trim the stem.
- Cut the cauliflower in half lengthwise through the center, then cut 1 ½-inch-thick steaks from each half.
- Repeat the process with the other head of cauliflower.
- Place cauliflower steaks on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and paprika.
- Drizzle olive oil over both sides of each cauliflower steak, then evenly sprinkle the seasoning mixture on both sides.
- Tightly cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the cauliflower and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Carefully flip the cauliflower steak and roast until golden-brown on both sides, about 8 more minutes.
- Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with parsley, lemon wedges, and dipping sauce.
Notes
Par-cook for even cooking
Sometimes it’s hard to get the core to cook all the way without overcooking the tender outsides of the cauliflower. That is why I sometimes suggest par-cooking if you have the time. It only takes a few minutes in the microwave. Just put the steaks in a dish with a tablespoon of water, cover, and microwave them for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Or steam them over a pot of boiling water for 4 to 6 minutes, just until they begin to soften.More tips to consider:
- Make sure to cover the cauliflower with oil on both sides before sprinkling it with the seasoning. The oil helps the seasoning stick, promotes even heating, and gives it a crispy caramelized coating.
- Salt is important for drawing out the moisture, softening, and encouraging browning.
- To check for doneness, poke the core with a fork. It should slide in easily.
- Tent the steaks loosely for the first 15 minutes to trap steam and keep them from browning too fast.
- Don’t remove the core. This will hold the cauliflower steaks together, and it is also delicious when it is cooked.
- There will always be florets that fall off the heads. I usually cook mine separately in a different recipe, like my Instant Pot mashed cauliflower. It makes a wonderful side dish for these hearty steaks.
Ooo what a fabulous flavor. I know I would love these steaks. I’ve never tried this before!
This would be a wonderful vegan or vegetarian option at a barbecue. Sounds tasty for sure!
I am happy to learn new way of cooking the cauliflower. It looks really delicious, thanks for sharing!
This Cauliflower Steaks Recipe is making my tummy growl! I am really excited to make this for my wife!
It looks so great! Very presentable. Anyone would love this, especially if they’re vegan.
I have heard a lot about cauliflower steaks. We have roasted cauliflower in the past, but haven’t made them in this way. We are a vegetarian family and I would love to give this a try.
This is recipe looks so delicious, I am definitely trying these cauliflower steaks.
Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies. I must try this. It’s really making my mouth water.
I’d really love to try cauliflower steaks but never known what to do with them. Thanks for the recipe.
Wow, this looks amazing. Cauliflower is probably my favorite vegetable too. It’s so good. I also really enjoy steak. I would have never thought of doing this. It has to be delicious!
These look so good, we have been trying to eat less meat and I am sure my family would love to have this for dinner this week
I’m sure this taste really yummy. Looking forward to trying this.
This is making mw super hungry! I am so excited to make this Cauliflower Steaks for my family!
Awesome recipe…. lives up to its name!
Really good and easy. I think next time for the final 8 mins I’ll turn the heat down so I don’t burn the seasoning. Otherwise 8/10. Will totally make again.
These were so good with a little ranch on top. I could eat these like a snack!
I made this to go with meatloaf in place of potatoes. It’s wonderful.
This is fantastic! I loved it as a side for my chicken. I could eat a whole head myself.
This is such a great idea to make cauliflower more fun and delicious!
These cauliflower steaks were absolutely delicious! They were beautifully caramelized on the outside, tender inside, and the seasoning was fantastic.