These super easy to make Roasted Crispy Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks have crispy edges, a soft center, and ooey gooey cheese on top. They are perfect side dish, main dish, or snack!
Welcome to the most perfectly roasted Cheesy Cauliflower steaks with crispy edges that give way to a fork tender, almost buttery interior. The caramelized exterior adds a subtle sweetness, while the gooey, melty cheese brings a rich, indulgent flavor that makes you forget you’re eating a vegetable.
This cauliflower recipe makes a great side or main dish, given how ‘meaty’ each piece is. Click the link below to see some ideas for what to serve it with.
Do you meal plan your dinners? It makes weeknights so much easier! Check out my Meal Planning Theme Night Recipes and then add this one to your Meatless Mondays meal planning calendar!
Jump to:
- Why You will Love Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks
- Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
- Simple Equipment
- Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps
- Cooking Steps
- What to Serve with Cauliflower Steaks
- Variations on Cauliflower Steaks
- Storage Tips
- FAQs for Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks
- Top tip
- Want More Recipes like this?
- Roasted Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks Recipe
- Comments
Why You will Love Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks
- Deliciously Savory: The combination of roasted cauliflower and melted cheese creates a mouthwatering savory flavor that’s hard to resist.
- Healthy Option: It’s a nutritious choice that packs in the vitamins and fiber without sacrificing taste.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, this recipe is perfect for cooks of all levels.
- Versatile Dish: Serve it as a main course, side dish, or even a snack—it’s perfect for any meal.
- Vegetarian-Friendly: A great meatless option that’s hearty and satisfying, perfect for vegetarians or those looking to cut down on meat.
- Customizable: Add your favorite seasonings or toppings to make it your own.
- Great for Meal Prep: Make a batch ahead of time and reheat for a quick, delicious meal throughout the week. are the
Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
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- Cauliflower – Buy a whole head to cut steak-size slices. Usually you can get 4 nice size steaks, but if the head is a really large or a really small cauliflower, that can vary. I love to get 2 heads of cauliflower and make a lot or have a backup in case one of the steaks breaks into pieces. You can use the leftover cauliflower in Baked Breaded Cauliflower Bites or in a casserole, like this Low Carb Cauliflower Rice and Chicken Casserole. If you don’t have a good cauliflower to cut into vegetarian steaks, cabbage, portobellos or eggplant make great substitutes.
- Seasonings – I used a simple, but flavorful smoky blend of Cumin, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder and Salt. You can use really any blend you love including dried herbs. Try using steak seasoning for a real ‘meaty’ taste. Or Curry powder for Indian spice.
- Mozzarella & Parmesan cheese – I like to shred my cheese to avoid fillers and stabilizers. But of course, you can buy pre-shredded cheese to save time. Really any melty cheese works here. Some different cheeses are Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Swiss, Gouda, Provolone, and Cheddar cheese, are all great options!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – The oil is brushed or rubbed on the cauliflower to help the spices to adhere and help it roast to a golden brown.
- Parsley – Optional, for garnishing when served.
See recipe card for quantities.
Simple Equipment
A sharp knife is necessary to slice the cauliflower into thick steaks.
You will also need a large sheet pan (I use a 17×11) to place the steaks to roast them. See the recipe Notes for grilling instructions.
And for the oil, you can rub it on the cauliflower with your hands or brush it on with pastry brush.
Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)
To help save some time later, you can cut the cauliflower ‘steaks’ ahead of time and mix the seasonings.
For a medium to large cauliflower head, you should easily get 4 nice steaks, with perhaps some smaller end pieces as well. You can start at the end or start by gently cutting down the center of the head through the steam to get 2 equal halves, then gently halve those again.
Cooking Steps
Time-Saving Tip! Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Place the cauliflower steaks on the sheet pan and brush each side with Olive Oil. Sprinkle each side with the spice rub mixture. Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F degrees for 10 minutes until golden brown.
Then remove from the oven and top with the shredded cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan. Place back in the oven to melt the cheese (about 5 minutes).
Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
What to Serve with Cauliflower Steaks
You can serve this impressive side with a low-maintenance protein, like roasted or grilled chicken or steak. Or try one of these protein ideas to either keep it vegetarian or add chicken or steak.
Variations on Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower steak is a versatile dish that can be flavored and topped in numerous ways to create delicious and healthy meals without meat. Here are some creative variations to consider:
- Spicy Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks – Cauliflower, olive oil, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or red pepper steaks, garlic powder, onion powder, shredded pepper jack cheese.
- Herb-Crusted Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks – Cauliflower, olive oil, mixed dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano), garlic powder, grated Parmesan cheese.
- Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower Steaks – Cauliflower, olive oil, buffalo sauce, blue cheese crumbles or shredded mozzarella.
See this baked coconut cauliflower bites on my website!
Storage Tips
Store leftovers of the roasted cauliflower steaks in a sealed airtight container. They will last 2-3 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 and let cook until crispy again, about 5-10 minutes.
FAQs for Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks
Be sure to use a sharp knife when cutting cauliflower steaks to avoid crumbling. Also, start by removing the stem of the cauliflower head, then cut straight down in one cut to cut a ½″ to a ¾″ thick steak.
Yes, you can grill cauliflower steaks instead of roasting the. For grilling, preheat the grill to 400 F degrees. Follow the instructions for oil and seasoning the cauliflower. For Grilling, you will only need about 8-10 minutes. Once you get some nice charring on one side (about 5-6 minutes), flip the steaks gently. Top with the shredded cheese and parmesan then cook for another few minutes just until the cheese melts.
Cauliflower steak resembles the thickness and size of an actual steak. Whether you are vegetarian or just want a healthy dinner, this vegetable does a great job looking like a steak and roasting in similar fashion to enjoy with any meal.
The most common reason for a roasted cauliflower steak to be tough, is that it was removed from the oven too soon. Also, you could be roasting it at too low a temperature. I recommend 400 F degrees.
Top tip
After you add the cheese and place the baking sheet back into the oven, be sure to keep you eye on it so you can remove it from heat before it gets too soft or mushy.
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Roasted Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Cauliflower Steak Slices (1 large head of cauliflower or 2 small-medium heads)
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- For Roasting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. (See notes for grilling instructions)
- Make the spice mixture by placing all spices and the salt in a small bowl and stirring to combine.
- Place the cauliflower steaks on a large sheet pan and brush each side with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then sprinkle each steak with a healthy amount of the spice mixture on both sides.
- For Roasting in the oven…roast for about 10 minutes until golden brown, then remove from the oven and top with the shredded cheese and a sprinkle of the parmesan. Place back in the oven to melt the cheese ~ about 5 minutes. (See notes for grilling instructions)
- Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
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