Elevate your favorite cruciferous vegetable to main dish status when you make Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri. This dish is bursting with flavor thanks to a piquant sauce made with parsley, oregano, garlic, chili flakes and red wine vinegar. And it's naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables.
I love it spicy in Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Salad.
Plus it's a great stand in for raw fish in Cauliflower Ceviche.
And you can't go wrong by making Blackened Balsamic Cauliflower.
Since it's a relatively mild-tasting vegetable, it works well with a wide variety of seasonings.
That's why I think you're really going to enjoy these Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri.
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks are easy to make.
I first started turning cauliflower into "steaks" for a Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner menu plan I created to help people stick to a budget.
They were delicious with mashed potatoes, vegan mushroom gravy, and other vegetables.
To make them, you slice the cauliflower vertically through the core into four pieces.
But don't worry if they don't stay together perfectly.
You can roast any loose florets alongside the steaks on the baking sheet.
And the vegetable is simply roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper until tender and browned.
Chimichurri is a flavorful sauce you make in your food processor.
This uncooked sauce is originally from Argentina and Uruguay.
It reminds me of Italian pesto but with parsley instead of basil and extra garlic.
Traditionally the herbs and spices are combined together in the food processor, then the mixture is stirred into olive oil.
This recipe from Food & Wine shows you how to make it this way.
But I typically stream the olive oil through the top of the food processor so everything combines together, like when I make pesto.
Either way, I think you'll agree Chimichurri is very delicious!
This Chimichurri can also be enjoyed with other recipes.
While it's typically served with grilled meat, I think it's a great condiment for roasted root vegetables and potatoes.
And you can also eat it with warm toasty bread or stir it into pasta.
Or use it as a dressing for grain and bean salads.
The possibilities are endless!
Top the Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri and serve it as the main course.
We typically think of a vegetable as a side dish, but Roasted Cauliflower Steaks are surprisingly substantial and filling.
You could serve this recipe with a baked potato or a side of pasta.
Or for a lighter meal, some crusty bread and a green salad pairs wonderfully with it.
And I love it with White Bean Cherry Tomato Basil Salad for a unique plant-based meal.
And without further ado, let's make Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri!
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri
Ingredients
For the Roasted Cauliflower Steaks:
- 1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut vertically into 4 "steaks"
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Chimichurri:
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, stems removed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the cauliflower steaks on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the olive oil on top and use your hands to coat each steak on all sides. Don't worry if some of the steaks separate into florets. Season the cauliflower with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Roast the cauliflower steaks for 40-45 minutes until they are tender and browned on the outside, flipping the steaks over half way through.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Chimichurri by adding the parsley, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Stream the olive oil through the funnel in the top while the food processor is running. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Let the Chimichurri rest at room temperature while the cauliflower steaks finish roasting.
- Once the cauliflower steaks are done roasting, carefully transfer them along with any loose florets to a serving dish. Spoon some of the Chimichurri on top and offer the remaining sauce in a small bowl alongside the cauliflower. Enjoy!
Kara
Hi Amy. Would I be able to make the cauliflower steaks in my air fryer?
Amy
Hi Kara, yes you can cook the cauliflower steaks in batches in your air fryer.
Megan
I made this for dinner and the sauce makes this dish delicious!
Amy
Thank you, Megan! I have been known to eat the sauce with a spoon. 🙂