Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon Herb Marinade Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks are a delicious, hearty vegetarian main or side dish featuring thick slices of cauliflower seasoned with a flavorful lemon-herb marinade and roasted to tender, crispy perfection. This easy recipe highlights the natural nutty flavor of cauliflower enhanced with garlic, poultry seasoning, and fresh herbs, making it an ideal dish for a healthy, satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 51 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cauliflower Steaks
- 4 cauliflower “steaks” (from 2 heads of cauliflower)
Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fine grain kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prep the cauliflower: Start by trimming any outer leaves of the cauliflower heads, leaving the stems intact to help hold the steaks together. Slice each cauliflower head through the middle to create thick 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices, yielding about 2 large steaks per head (or occasionally 3 if your cauliflower is large enough).
- Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, finely minced garlic, poultry seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion powder, chopped parsley, and thyme until well combined.
- Brush the marinade on cauliflower steaks: Generously coat each side of the cauliflower steaks with the marinade using a brush. Arrange the steaks on a sheet pan.
- Initial roast with foil cover: Cover the sheet pan with aluminum foil and roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes. This helps the cauliflower start softening while locking in moisture.
- Remove foil and baste: After 10 minutes, remove the foil and brush the top side of steaks with more marinade. Return the pan to the oven uncovered and roast for 8 more minutes to begin browning.
- Flip and finish roasting: Flip the steaks over, brush with any remaining marinade, and roast for an additional 8–10 minutes uncovered until the cauliflower is fork tender and the exterior is crispy and golden.
- Serve: Serve the roasted cauliflower steaks hot alongside your favorite sides such as vegan mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, or green beans for a complete meal.
Notes
- Make sure your cauliflower steaks are thick enough (at least 1 inch) to hold together during roasting without falling apart.
- If cauliflower heads are small, you may get fewer steaks, so adjust quantity accordingly.
- Feel free to substitute poultry seasoning with a mix of sage, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram if unavailable.
- For extra crispiness, finish the steaks with a quick broil for 1–2 minutes watching closely to avoid burning.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
Keywords: cauliflower steaks, roasted cauliflower, vegetarian side dish, gluten free roasted vegetables, healthy cauliflower recipe, lemon herb cauliflower, easy roasted cauliflower
