30-Minute Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chickpeas
Jun 14, 2023 by Hannah Sunderani
30-Minute Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chickpeas
If you’re a fan of cauliflower, you’re going to fall in love with these Cauliflower Steaks! Ready in 30 minutes, these oven-roasted cauliflower steaks are tender on the inside, charred and crispy on the outside and seasoned to perfection. Topped with spiced chickpeas for added protein, these cauliflower steaks will keep you full (unlike other recipes on the internet). Finished with a creamy tahini drizzle, it’s a remarkable and delicious plant-based main dish.
I personally love cauliflower so much, and cook with it a lot as you know. Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable! There’s truly nothing cauliflower can’t do. In addition to making a creamy Alfredo sauce, pizza crust, buffalo wings, and delicious mac and cheese sauce, it also makes a juicy, plant-based steak!
If you love cauliflower as much as I do, make sure to check out these 4 Must-Try Vegan Cauliflower Recipes. They’re some of the best I’ve ever tried and suitable for beginners!
Now, let’s get to the recipe so you can get these steaks on your dinner table asap!
These Roasted Cauliflower Steaks are….
- Oven-roasted
- 30 minute cook time
- Tender
- Hearty
- Husband approved
- Vegetarian and vegan
- Gluten-free
- Low carb
- A great way to get your veggies in!
I recipe tested these roasted cauliflower steaks a multiple times before nailing this recipe, the spices and cook time is perfection for a tender cauliflower with crisp edges. I also personally found that the addition of spiced chickpeas added protein to keep me fuller longer; making the dish feel more similar to a traditional steak.
Ingredient Notes
These steaks are prepared using just 6 simple ingredients. For the full recipe and measurements, scroll down to the complete recipe card below!
- Cauliflower: The main ingredient of course! In order to cut thick cuts of cauliflower, its best to purchase the largest heads of cauliflower you can find at the grocery store.
- Oil: A quality extra-virgin olive oil not only helps the spices stick to the vegetarian steaks, but helps add flavour and roast the steaks until golden brown and crispy on the edges. If you don’t have olive oil, try avocado oil or another quality oil.
- Spices: Season with a blend of sweet paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. It adds flavour without being overpowering, keeping these roasted steaks a versatile plant-based main.
How to Cut a Cauliflower into Steaks
There are just a few simple steps to making cauliflower steaks at home.
Begin by prepping the cauliflower. Remove the outer leaves from the base of the whole head of cauliflower. Trim the stems while keeping them long enough to keep the cauliflower head in tact.
Then, using a large knife, cut through the centre of each cauliflower head, making two equal halves. Cut a thick, 1 1/2-inch thick “steak” from each halve, resulting in 4 large steaks.
If your cauliflower heads are extra large, you may be able to cut two steaks from each halve of cauliflower, but I usually only get 2 thick cauliflower slices from one head of cauliflower.
Once your steaks are cut, save any remaining cauliflower florets for other recipes.
Image for how to cut cauliflower steaks by The Delicious Life.
How to Roast Cauliflower Steaks
Next, prepare the seasoning. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweet paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
Place the cut steaks on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and divide half of the spice mixture amongst the four steaks.
Drizzle each steak with olive oil and massage the spices and olive oil mixture into each steak. Use your fingers to make sure you get the spices into each and every nook and cranny! Alternatively, you can use a silicone brush to brush the spices liberally over the steaks.
Flip the steaks and repeat on the remaining side of each steak.
Lastly, tightly cover the baking sheet with tin foil, then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil, then place back in the oven to roast until golden and crispy, 5-10 minutes. Flip the steaks, then roast on the other sides of the steaks until fork tender, crispy and lightly charred, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and top with seasoned chickpeas, fresh parsley and drizzle with tahini to taste! Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Cauliflower steaks can be served just as you would serve a classic steak or main dish. (I personally love the addition of chickpeas because it adds some protein to the dish to keep you fuller longer).
In addition to serving with the tahini chickpea mixture, here are a few of my favourite side dishes to pair with these veggie steaks!
- Grains: Enjoy with Instant Pot Risotto, Mushroom Risotto, fluffy brown rice or quinoa.
- Roasted vegetables: Try sides like this Spiced Sheet-Pan Roasted Vegetables, Healthy Balsamic Mushrooms or Green Beans Almondine.
- Salad: Pair with a light side of leafy greens or a hearty salad like this Vegan Caesar Salad or this Quinoa Chickpea Salad.
- Potatoes: Steak and potatoes is a classic! Serve with Vegan Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, or Oven Roasted Potatoes.
- Alternate sauces: If you’re not a chickpea fan, consider topping this roasted cauliflower steak recipe with alternate sauce such as Chimichurri Sauce or Vegan Pesto and plant-based parmesan cheese!
Recipe FAQs
Can cauliflower steaks be cooked in advance?
Although leftover steaks will keep for up to 3 days when stored in an air-tight container, they are best enjoyed while fresh. If you are looking for plant-based recipes that are suitable for meal prep, I’d recommend alternative cauliflower recipes such as Vegan Potato and Cauliflower Curry or Spiced Sheet-Pan Roasted Vegetables.
Can you freeze cauliflower steaks?
Similar to meal prep, while you can freeze these veggie steaks, I wouldn’t recommend it. Freezing the cauliflower will change it’s texture and moisture content and won’t have the same crispy exterior. If making, plan on enjoying fresh.
How do you cut cauliflower steaks so they don’t fall apart?
For best results, purchase a large cauliflower head and keep the bottom stem in tact enough to keep the head of cauliflower from breaking into florets. Cut the cauliflower into thick steaks using a long sharp knife on a stable cutting board.
What can I make with the remaining cauliflower florets?
Great question! I like to use the leftover cauliflower florets to make my Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, Cauliflower Buffalo Wings or Cauliflower Chickpea Curry. You could also place the leftover florets in a food processor and blitz them into homemade cauliflower rice. Leftover florets will keep for up to 7 days in the fridge when stored with some air flow.
More Cauliflower Recipes You Might Like:
- Cauliflower Nachos (Vegan)
- Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce (Vegan)
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Coconut Cream of Cauliflower Soup
- Cauliflower Flatbread w/ Cashew Parsley Pesto
I hope you love this Veggie Steak recipe as much as I do! If you do make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think and check out The Two Spoons App for more vegan recipes and meal plans featuring recipes just like this! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have.
And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
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30-Minute Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chickpeas
Ingredients
Cauliflower Steaks
- 2 cauliflower heads
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Toppings
- 1 can chickpeas, strained and rinsed (400 ml/13.5 fl oz)
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- pinch sea salt
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup tahini
- water to thin
Instructions
Cut the cauliflower steaks:
- Preheat oven (or bbq) to 475F/245C. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
- Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower heads and trim the stems (keeping enough stem to leave the cauliflower head in tact)
- With a large knife, cut into the centre of the cauliflower head to make two equal halves. Then cut a 1 ½-inch thick "steak" from each half. (If the cauliflower head is large, you might be able to get another steak from each cut side, but I usually only get 2 thick steaks from one cauliflower head).
- Repeat this process with remaining cauliflower head to make 4 cauliflower steaks in total. (Save any cauliflower florets leftover for other recipes).
Roast the cauliflower steaks:
- In a small bowl mix together the paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and pepper.
- Place the cauliflower steaks on the prepared baking sheet and divide half of the spiced mixture among the four steaks. Drizzle with half the olive oil and massage the steaks with your fingers to incorporate the spices into the nooks and crannies. Flip each steak and sprinkle them with the remaining spice mixture, drizzle with remaining olive oil. Massage again to incorporate the spices into the steaks.
- Tightly cover the baking sheet with tin foil to enclose and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and place back in the oven to roast until golden and crispy, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven (or bbq), flip the cauliflower steaks with a spatula and roast the other-side until golden, crispy and lightly charred, 5 minutes. (If you're doing this on the bbq: Tightly cover the baking sheet with tin foil to enclose and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and place back the cauliflower steaks directly on the grill to cook until golden and crispy, 5 minutes. Flip the cauliflower steaks with a spatula and grill the other-side until golden, crispy and lightly charred, 5 minutes).
Toppings:
- In a small mixing bowl combine the chickpeas, paprika, cumin and sea salt. Mix to combine.
- If your tahini is too thick to drizzle, spoon into a small bowl and add splashes of water to thin until desired drizzle consistency. (I used about 2 to 3 tbsp of water to thin).
- Transfer the cauliflower steaks to a serving plate and sprinkle with the seasoned chickpeas, sprinkle with the parsley and drizzle with the tahini.
Notes
Approvals
Nutrition
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Made this recipe tonight and it was a hit! My husband who doesn’t eat vegan but wanted to have a lighter meal joined me in it and he really enjoyed it too. He said it might be one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. Definitely will be making again. It’s so tasty.
Thanks for the very kind review Cathryn! So thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe so much!! (And that your non-vegan husband did too!).