Dive In: Basil Balsamic Cauliflower Steaks

Posted On September 9, 2015

I truly think cauliflower is the most underrated vegetable there is. It’s versatile in so many ways – rice, soup, pizza crust, and my personal favorite—steak! I always used to roast my cauliflower chopped into little pieces or sautéed in a pan, but the concept of a cauliflower steak truly rocked my world.

I love my meats, but there’s something so satisfying about substituting a meaty dish for something fresh and veggie-based. So alas, I give you—the cauliflower steak!

NOTE: I chose to make this dish with an Old Bay sweet potato hash, but you can serve it with literally any side. My favorite is atop sautéed kale or alongside some garlic couscous, but anything will taste deeeelish!

WHAT DO I NEED?

  • 1 large head cauliflower
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Ground basil or basil flakes
  • Garlic powder
  • Balsamic vinegar

FOR THE SWEET POTATO HASH

  • 2 small sweet potatoes
  • ¼ sweet onion
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Old Bay (or your favorite seasoning!)

WHAT DO I DO?

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Remove the leaves + trim the stem of the cauliflower, making sure the core remains fully intact.
  3. Get your chef knife ready and cut the cauliflower from top to base, in ¾ to one-inch “steaks.” I usually get 3-4 decent steaks out of a large cauliflower. (NOTE: you will get some loose little florets. Totally fine! No cauliflower is perfect, and the florets just mean you have more to snack on.)
  4. Lay the steaks on a non-stick baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic power, and basil to taste.
  5. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  6. After 15 minutes, flip each steak over + add additional salt, pepper, garlic powder, and basil.
  7. Continue baking until the steaks are nicely roasted and tender. It typically takes a few extra minutes for mine to roast perfectly, but every oven is different. Make sure you keep an eye on ‘em!
  8. Once roasted, drizzle or spray balsamic vinegar directly onto the cauliflower.
  9. Serve with your preferred side + enjoy!

HOW DO I MAKE THE HASH?

 If you’re really digging my sweet potato hash, by all means, go for it! (NOTE: I usually begin cooking the ‘tators 10-15 mins into my cauliflower roasting, as they take about 15-20 minutes to become perfectly tender.)

  1. Dice two small sweet potatoes (after giving them a good scrub, of course), or more if you’d like leftovers + are feeling ravenous.
  2. Heat olive oil in a pan over low-medium heat.
  3. Drop the diced sweet potatoes into the pan + sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Old Bay.
  4. Sautee and flip the sweet potatoes often. Make sure they don’t overcook on one side!
  5. Begin dicing the onion. Add to the pan as the sweet potato begins to soften + sprinkle with more Old Bay.
  6. Adjust heat to lowest setting. At this point, the cauliflower should be nearly roasted. If not, be patient. Keep flipping the onions + sweet potatoes, making sure they don’t brown and remain nice and tender.
  7. Serve alongside the cauliflower steaks + enjoy!

Plan on making these cauliflower steaks? I want to see! Capture some photos and tag @thelifecoast on Instagram.