Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (2024)

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Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (1)

Cheryl MalikPosted: 06/11/21Updated: 02/02/23

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This cauliflower steak recipe is simply the best! Delicious and savory, these cauliflower steaks are roasted to perfection with a simple spice blend. They’re great as an easy side dish but hearty enough for a vegetarian main course. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for even more flavor.

Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (2)

What Makes This Recipe So Good

  • It’s pretty obvious that there’s no actual steak in this cauliflower steak recipe, so what’s with the name? Well, they’re called cauliflower steaks because they look kind of like steak. At least, they’re similarly thick and the shape is kind of steak-like.
  • Cauliflower steaks are perfect whether you need a keto or low carb side dish or a vegan or vegetarian main. This recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free, and there’s no added sugar, either. It fits a variety of dietary needs, including paleo and Whole30 ways of eating, without any adjustments at all.
  • This cauliflower steak recipe couldn’t be easier to make. Slice fresh cauliflower heads into thick steaks, season them liberally, then roast them in the oven. So easy!
  • Leftover cauliflower steaks will keep for 4 days as long as you refrigerate them in an airtight container! To reheat, warm them through in the oven again or heat them in the microwave, covered.

Key Ingredients

Fresh Cauliflower – Fresh cauliflower heads are really the only option for this cauliflower steak recipe! You could use frozen florets in this recipe to get delicious roasted cauliflower, but they won’t give you that cauliflower steak feel.

Olive Oil – We left the exact amount up to you, but between you and me… don’t hold back! Really, be super generous with the oil. The oil will make the cauliflower steaks incredibly tender and crisp, but it also helps the seasoning blend adhere to the cauliflower.

Paprika – This recipe uses regular paprika to flavor the cauliflower. For a deeper, smoky flavor, use smoked paprika.

Chef’s Tips

  • Odds are you’ll end up with spare cauliflower florets that break off when you cut the cauliflower heads. No problem! You can roast them along with the cauliflower steaks, or you can save them to use in cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, “grits“, or just a little steamed cauli side with dinner.
  • Cauliflower is famously neutral-tasting and, like tofu, it takes on the flavors you cook it in. Don’t be afraid to play around with the quantities and types of seasonings you use in your cauliflower steak recipe! Find your favorite combo then come back and let me know what you came up with!
  • Don’t cut the cauliflower heads too small. They’ll get more tender as they cook and if they’re too small, the steaks won’t hold up. You’ll lose that stunning cauliflower steak visual but, on the bright side, you’ll still have some delicious cauliflower to eat!
Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (3)

Other Veggie Recipes I Know You’ll Love

  • Maple Glazed Grilled Carrots
  • Baked Potatoes on the Grill
  • Keto Broccoli Salad
  • Asparagus Casserole
  • Air Fryer Squash

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (4)

5 from 2 votes

Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe

Prep:10 minutes minutes

Cook:30 minutes minutes

Total:40 minutes minutes

This cauliflower steak recipe is simply the best! Delicious and savory, these cauliflower steaks are roasted to perfection with a simple spice blend. They're great as an easy side dish but hearty enough for a vegetarian main course. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for even more flavor.

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6

Ingredients

  • 2 heads cauliflower
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • olive oil to coat cauliflower steaks
  • romesco sauce or favorite dipping sauce, to serve, optional

Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit.

  • With sharp knife, trim away leaves and most of stems from cauliflower heads. Leave enough stem to hold steaks together.

  • Place cauliflower heads cut-side down on cutting board and slice into ½-inch thick steaks.

  • Arrange cauliflower steaks on baking sheet in single, even layer.

  • In small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

  • Use basting brush to apply olive oil to cauliflower steaks, then sprinkle half of spice blend over steaks. Flip steaks and repeat, brushing with olive oil and sprinkling remaining seasoning over steaks.

    Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (5)

  • Transfer baking sheet to oven. Bake until golden brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Flip steaks after first 10 minutes.

  • Remove roasted cauliflower steaks from oven and serve hot.

Notes

  • If you’re paleo or on a Whole30, be sure your dipping sauce is compliant. For homemade dipping sauces, try our Whole30 Dump Ranch or our Whole30 chimichurri.
  • If you’re keto, you’ll want a keto-friendly dipping sauce for your cauliflower steaks. Try our chimichurri, our Whole30 Dump Ranch, or even our keto cheese sauce.

Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving, not including any dipping sauce. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 6. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 92kcal, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 446mg, Potassium: 585mg, Total Carbs: 10g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Net Carbs: 6g, Vitamin A: 83IU, Vitamin C: 92mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (6)

Meet Cheryl Malik

In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.

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  1. Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (10)Beth says

    This was amazing! Crispy on the surface and tender inside. Followed the tip to use plenty of olive oil. Reduced the cooking time to 7 minutes on first side and 10 after turning. Will definitely make again. Thanks.Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (11)

    Reply

    • Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (12)Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (13)

      Reply

Roasted Cauliflower Steak Recipe with Paprika & Olive Oil - 40 Aprons (2024)

FAQs

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

Using a sharp chef knife, cut the stem away from the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower stem side down on the cutting board and carefully make one cut through the center of the cauliflower to divide it in half. Cut each half into slices, about 3/4-inch thick.

How do you roast cauliflower Martha Stewart? ›

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle cauliflower florets with olive oil. Season with salt. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just tender, about 20 minutes.

Why is it called cauliflower steak? ›

They're called cauliflower steaks because the shape and general appearance are rather, well, steak-like. The name is also an indicator of which cooking methods to try—any way you might cook a steak can be used for cauliflower steaks, too. You see, cauliflower is a pretty hearty vegetable.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Why is my roasted cauliflower tough? ›

Have you roasted cauliflower before and it came out tough or mushy? A common problem is either roasting it at too low a temperature or stopping once the cauliflower is tender—both mean that the florets do not caramelize.

Why is cauliflower so expensive? ›

Extreme weather conditions such as floods, droughts, frosts, and storms damage cauliflower crops which results in poorer production and quality. These factors contribute to a decrease in the total supply of cauliflower which creates an imbalance between supply and demand and drives up cauliflower prices on the market.

What is the funny shaped cauliflower? ›

What is romanesco?
  • It may look like a hybrid between broccoli and cauliflower, but romanesco is actually more of a cousin. It's a type of brassica that's been bred to get its eccentric shape and nutty taste.
  • When you eat romanesco, you're actually eating a flower.
Feb 17, 2020

What is the purple cauliflower called? ›

Purple cauliflower, botanically classified as Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, is a colorful, cool-season hybrid variety belonging to the Brassicaceae family. The pigmented cultivar was developed through years of traditional crossbreeding between heirloom varieties and natural mutations discovered in fields.

How to cut cauliflower without crumbling? ›

Instead, Kelsey recommends cutting each floret away from the cauliflower stem one at a time. This leaves the stem intact, and the pieces pop off easily. (It's also pretty meditative, if you need something simple to focus on after a long day at work.)

Why is my cauliflower separating? ›

Once the "curds" begin to separate, the head is over mature. I'm fairly certain that although you think the weather has been mild, your cauliflower was ready to bolt - triggered either by the longer days of early summer or the heat. You may find that fall grown plants outperform spring plants in your location.

Why is cauliflower so crumbly? ›

Overcooking It

It should cook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and when you're heating it up on a pan it should be about 2-3 minutes. Keeping riced cauliflower on a pan longer than that will start make it turn too crumbly and wreck the texture.

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