Have you ever made or had cauliflower “steaks”? I’ve always done so by slicing the cauliflower into thick pieces and roasting. Well, this recipe takes things up a notch with even less effort! A whole roasted cauliflower is not only a beautiful addition to your dinner table, it’s perfect for entertaining. This is basically the vegan version of a whole roasted chicken– a one pot dish to feed several for dinner.

The cauliflower ends up tender on the inside, with a flavorful charred exterior. Drool. We paired it with some leftover lentils, sautéed with a little salt + dijon mustard, and bok choy. But feel free to include any of your favorite sides!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

1 whole head of cauliflower
lentils (optional)
bok choy or another green (optional)

Spice rub:

½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp sriracha
1 tsp maple syrup
3 tbsp avocado oil
2 tbsp water

Parsley pesto:

1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
2 garlic cloves
1 lime (juiced)
2 tbsp olive oil
water to thin out
salt/pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim leaves off cauliflower, but don’t cut the stalk too short, you want the whole thing intact.
Whisk the spice rub ingredients together. Put the cauliflower into a cast iron pan (or a sheet pan, anything oven-safe works). Flip the cauliflower on it’s “head”, drizzle a little of the marinade inside and move around to help coat the inside. Flip back over and pour the rest of the sauce on, a little at a time. If you have a pastry brush, this would be ideal to help move it into every crevice. If you don’t, your fingers work just fine (that’s what I did!). Continue until the whole thing is coated well. Sprinkle with a bit more salt + pepper.
Fill a separate deep casserole pan or dish halfway with water and place on the very bottom rack in the oven. This helps to create steam and make sure the cauliflower is cooked all the way through. Don’t skip this step! The top rack should then sit right above the pan, toward the center of the oven (move it down if you need to).
Cook the cauliflower on that rack for 30-40 minutes, depending on it’s size. When a knife can easily insert into it, you’re set. To brown the exterior, turn the oven to broil for 2-3 minutes at the very end.
In the meantime, make the pesto (if you’re having) by combining all ingredients into a food processor. Add salt + pepper to taste.
When the cauliflower is done, take it out of the oven and move to a cutting board to slice into thick “steaks”.