Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks
Of all the cauliflower recipes out there, you got to try my Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks! This dish can be modified for any diet. It’s low carb, gluten free, and vegetarian. This recipe can be made keto by serving it as is or serving it on top of zoodles instead of regular pasta.
What makes it a “steak” per se is that instead of serving it in florets, you will take a whole head of cauliflower and you will cut it vertically into 3 or 4 pieces, leaving the bottom intact to make like a slab of steak.
Original Post: January 2023 | Updated Post: December 2023
Need more vegetarian recipe ideas? Be sure to check out my 5 Ingredient Penne Pasta and also my Meatless Lasagna Soup!
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Reasons why this recipe works
- It’s tasty and simple.
- Parmesan cauliflower steaks can be served up with pasta noodles or kept low carb.
- It’s a great way to add more vegetables into your diet.
- Cauliflower has such a mild flavor. It absorbs all these flavors really well.
- Cauliflower steaks are easy to prepare
Ingredients
You will need these simple ingredients:
- Cauliflower.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt. I use kosher, it’s just preference for me but you can use any salt you like.
- Freshly ground black pepper.
- Italian seasoning. Remember I’m the spice snob and I realllllly love Flavor God Italian seasoning, which has paprika in it. If you are using regular Italian seasoning, add some paprika as well!
- Heirloom tomato sauce. I know, I know you’re thinking wait now you are getting fancy! But trust me on this one, you haven’t had tomato sauce until 1. you have it homemade or 2. you’ve had heirloom tomato sauce. Heirlooms are the best and they are even better in a tomato sauce. You can totally sub out and use regular tomato sauce as well.
- Mozzarella or freshly grated parmesan cheese. I like to use a blend from Trader Joe’s but any kind of parmesan or mozzarella will work.
You can add additional seasonings if you like, or add fresh garlic.
How to make
- This will be a roasted cauliflower, prepared on a baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. You will start by rinsing and cleaning one head cauliflower and patting it dry. Cut the head vertically down.
- If you do end up with some florets, that’s ok. You can still roast those as well. (though they might cook a little faster, they will still taste good)
- Take the cauliflower slices and drizzle some olive oil and season them up. They will be placed in the oven to let them cook on one side for a few minutes.
- Then you will take the cauliflower out and flip it over. Return it to the oven where it will finish baking.
- After it’s done, remove it and add the sauce and the cheese and then you will place it back in the oven once more, this time under the broiler to melt the cheese.
- If you would like a more crispy parmesan cauliflower steak, you can place this in the airfryer instead.
Serving suggestions and other alternatives
Roasted cauliflower steaks are delicious on of top penne pasta or any pasta shape.
You can enjoy them as is or serve it as an appetizer or vegetarian dish or side dish to steak or other protein.
You can also prepare this with zoodles, brown rice and quinoa, my cumin sweet potatoes or other roasted potatoes.
Helpful tips
You can add this in your meal prep but it does lose a little of the texture. However it is still very tasty!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Recipe inspiration
Lets start by talking about the power of cauliflower and how healthy and delicious it is. When I first tried a cauliflower steak in a restaurant, I was impressed! It was seasoned well, roasted and very filling. So let me say this- Dear Cauliflower, you’re doing wayyy too much and I love you for it!
I love Chicken Parmesan and wanted to create a vegetarian version. We don’t always have chicken on hand and I’ve been on mission to eat more vegetables for 2023, so it made perfect sense to create Parmesan Cauliflower! If you’re looking for another unique and tasty way to enjoy cauliflower, check out my Four Pepper and Cauliflower Chili with No Beans!
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Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks
Equipment
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower rinsed and cut vertically into about 4 slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- kosher salt as needed
- black pepper as needed
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup heirloom tomato sauce
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.
- Rinse and pat dry the cauliflower and cut vertically into 4 slices. If some of it breaks into florets, that's ok.
- Season generously with salt, pepper and the Italian seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast for 15 minutes. Then flip the cauliflower steaks over with a spatula. Season a bit more and add a touch of olive oil if needed.
- Place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and add the marinara and the cheese on top.
- Broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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