Friends, put everything you know about cauliflower steak behind you. We’re entering a new era: the era of the CRISPY, COATED, BAKED cauliflower steak!
Not only is this recipe incredibly flavorful, colorful, and satisfying, but it also requires just 10 basic ingredients! Let me show you how it’s done.
The base for this recipe is raw cashews blended into a meal with arrowroot starch. For spices we went for sea salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, and curry powder. And this combination coats the cauliflower “steaks” in the most beautiful, bright-orange way!
Before dipping our “steaks” in the crust mixture, we must steam the cauliflower until it’s just barely tender, but not quite cooked. This helps ensure the cauliflower is done in the center by the time it crisps on the outside.
After a quick dredge in an almond “buttermilk” mixture, it’s time to coat (and I mean COAT) your “steaks” in this gorgeous crust. Swoon!
Just a light drizzle of oil before baking, and we’re practically there!
We hope you LOVE these cauliflower “steaks”! They’re:
Crispy on the outside
Tender on the inside
INCREDIBLY flavorful
Colorful
Versatile
& SO Delicious
This would make the PERFECT plant-based entrée (or side), especially when served on top of a healthy dollop of hummus with a simple date-lemon relish (major flavor boost!). These were so satisfying, but we were still shocked to learn that each “steak” boasts more than 13 grams of protein!
Into cauliflower? Try our Shawarma Roasted Cauliflower Steaks, The Best Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Cauliflower Banh Mi Sandwich, Spicy Red Curry Cauliflower Wings, and these Peanut Butter Banana Green Smoothie Bowls (yes to cauliflower in a smoothie).
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Cashew-Crusted Cauliflower “Steak”
Ingredients
CAULIFLOWER
- 1 large head cauliflower (or sub 2 small for 1 large)
ALMOND BUTTERMILK
- 1 cup unsweetened plain dairy-free milk (cashew milk works best! — we prefer Forager brand)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
COATING
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews (or sub other nut, such as pistachios or almonds, though we haven’t tested and can’t guarantee the results)
- 1 tsp sea salt (plus more to season cauliflower before coating)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp curry powder
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 3 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
FOR COOKING
- 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil (if avoiding oil, omit)
FOR SERVING optional
- Date-lemon relish*
- Hummus (or another favorite dip)
- Fresh mint
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you have a cooling rack that is oven safe, you can place that over the parchment paper to help the cauliflower crisp up even more. However, we tested it with and without and both work. The primary difference is that the cauliflower undersides can get a little more browned when not using a cooling rack. An easy workaround is cooking the cauliflower in the upper third of the oven to prevent the bottoms from burning.
- TO CUT “STEAKS,” trim the stem and leaves off the cauliflower, being careful not to remove the center of the stem as it’s what holds the “steaks” together.
- Flip the cauliflower stem-side down and visually map out how many “steaks” you hope to get. With a large head of cauliflower, I aim for 3 large “steaks,” and know there’ll be enough remaining pieces to constitute another “steak.” It can be helpful to look at the underside of the cauliflower to see which way the stalks are running to inform which way you’ll slice (cut with the stalks instead of against them). But it’s very common for the end pieces to crumble, so just do your best to get 3 even “steaks” and slice any remaining bits into flat pieces (see photo). The little pieces are just as (if not more) delicious.
- Add 1 inch water and a steamer basket to a large pot and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add cauliflower “steaks” (and smaller cauliflower pieces), cover, and steam for 4-5 minutes to partially cook. This will soften the “steaks” to speed baking time and ensure the inside is tender when the exterior is crispy and brown. Once slightly softened, remove and set aside on a separate dish.
- In the meantime, prepare your vegan buttermilk by adding cashew or almond milk to a shallow dish (shallow and wide enough to dip the cauliflower in) and add lemon juice. Stir and set aside.
- Next, prepare the cashew coating by adding cashews, salt, cayenne pepper (optional), garlic powder, curry powder, paprika, and arrowroot starch or cornstarch to a food processor. Mix until a semi-fine meal is achieved. A little texture is okay, but you want it pretty fine so it can coat the cauliflower. Transfer 1/4 of the coating to a shallow dish (again, shallow and wide enough to dip the cauliflower in) and set aside.
- Dip the slightly steamed cauliflower “steaks” in the almond buttermilk, ensuring both sides are adequately coated. Then set back on platter (where excess will drip off) and season both sides with a pinch of salt.
- Next, dredge the cauliflower in the cashew coating until thoroughly coated, using a spoon or your hands to add more coating to any bare spots. Add more of the cashew coating to the shallow dish in batches to prevent it from getting crumbly and having trouble sticking to the cauliflower. Then transfer cauliflower “steaks” to your prepared baking sheet (with or without a cooling rack). Lastly, drizzle with a little avocado oil to help them crisp up (optional, but recommended).
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the cauliflower “steak” is easily pierced with a knife and the exterior appears golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven to cool slightly.
- Enjoy as is or (our preferred method!) garnish serving plates with a few tablespoons of your favorite hummus (or similar sauce) and top with cauliflower “steak” and date relish (made by simply mixing chopped dates, lemon juice, and diced onion). Garnish with freshly chopped mint for a pop of color and flavor.
- Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until hot for best results. Not freezer friendly.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with lesser amount of avocado oil and without optional ingredients.
*Inspired by the Pistachio-Crusted Cauliflower Steak at Picnik in Austin, Texas.
Lisa says
OK, I was not expecting to LOVE this recipe. I had a cauliflower I wanted to try and make, and wanted a recipe that would help me like cauliflower, and this. was it! Amazing! I already had home made hummus, so it was an easy meal. More like appetizer. I couldn’t believe how the date chutney made it all come together, DO NOT skip this part, even if you think. you don’t like dates, like myself. This is definitely a keeper, and I plan to impress all my friends meatlovers to vegans. Something might be wrong with you if you don’t LOVE this dish. Thank you soo much for changing my mind not only on cauliflower but on dates too! Simply amzazing!
Aw, YAY! We’re so happy you made the recipe and enjoyed it so much, Lisa. Thank you for sharing! xoxo
Claire says
I made this as the centerpiece for a vegan Thanksgiving and it was incredible. I served over butternut squash purée and with mushroom gravy – both recipes from The First Mess. Also took inspiration from the date relish and did chopped dried cherries in honey water. Took the advice of some other commenters about the coating getting gummy from the milk and instead poured only a small amount of the cashew mixture into a bowl for one steak at a time – dumped out the leftovers and started fresh for the next steak.
Amazing! Sounds SO delicious. Thanks for the wonderful review, Claire!
Olivia says
Hi – could this be prepared one day in advance? Wondering if I could steam the caulisteaks, then dredge/bread, and maybe store in the fridge overnight to bake next day? Or maybe just steam one day ahead? Thanks for your input! :-)
Hi Olivia, we haven’t tried making this in advance, we suspect that the cashew coating might get soggy if left overnight so perhaps just steam and then dredge before baking? Let us know how it goes!
Victoria says
Would this work with roasted cashews instead of raw? thanks :)
That should be fine! If they’re salted, just cut back on the salt. Let us know how you like it!
Holly says
Do you think this could be finished on the grill after steaming?
Hi Holly, we haven’t tried it and it might be a bit fragile, but if it works we think it might be delish! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Makay says
I made this last night and it was simply wonderful! However, I would like to make it as a side dish. Do you think it would be possible to make it with the florets instead? Any suggestions on how to do this? Thanks!
Yes! We did something similar in this recipe. Hope that helps!
Makay says
I normally make the General Tso cauliflower but I decided to give this one a try. It was a delightful surprise! The seasoning was unusual but quite yummy! Very easy to make. Thank you Dana!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Makay! xo
Kim C says
I made this for dinner last night and it was great! I followed the recipe exactly as written and had no issues. I didn’t make the relish as I didn’t have dates, but I made the MB tzatziki and MB vegetable risotto as sides. It was all delicious. I love how every MB recipe is well tried and tested, and each step is clearly written. I don’t particularly enjoy cooking but I like trying new things, and your recipes help a lot!
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Kim! That sounds like a delicious meal! Thank you for sharing! xo
Donna says
Just made this with purple cauliflower! I am a little embarrassed that I couldn’t stop eating it. It was so delicious! I loved the little touch of cayenne pepper. This is great as a main dish or a side.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it so much, Donna! Thank you for sharing! xo
Lisa Silva says
I live in New Mexico and just as with most recipes that call for cayenne, I replaced it with our amazing Chimayó red chile powder. Other than that, I followed the recipe. The steaks were beautiful, but I had left-over buttermilk & coating mixes and was talking to my cousin as I was preparing them. She immediately suggested that I try our tomatoes. So we went to the garden & picked some fresh tomatoes and Japanese eggplant. I followed the regimen above (minus the steaming) & put them in the oven too. They were awesome!!
I used red onion in the date relish and also added freshly-picked mint from our garden.
We absolutely loved all three versions and couldn’t pick a favorite!
I’ll try & send you the photos of them via email, as I’m electing to not participate in social media.
Thank you for your creative and delicious recipes.
Such a great idea to use tomatoes and eggplant! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Lisa! xo
Claudi says
so delicious! Any ideas what to do with the leftover “buttermilk”? There’s quite a lot left and i feel it’s such a shame to throw out
Hi Claudi, you could use it for eggplant parmesan. Hope that helps!
Rachel Beauregard says
So Good! I did make the following changes. 3/4 tsp salt and that was even too much for me. I used turmeric instead of curry and regular paprika instead of smoked.
This will definitely be a repeat.
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Rachel! xo
Jen says
Subbed cashews for almonds and flour for arrowroot. It turned out great! I did have a little issue with the coating coming off on that last few pieces so I will definitely try adding egg to the “buttermilk” next time. Nice vegan alternative to steak and the curry flavor really comes through!
We’re glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your experience, Jen!
Sori says
Although I didn’t get the color like in the picture (I bet that if I spray oiled the steaks before I would have gotten there), they turned out really good. I even used the small bouquets that fell off the side of the cauliflower.
After they were finished, I coated some of the steaks in bbq sauce and used them in a sandwich. As for the small bouquets I plan on serving them with some mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes. Delish!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Sori! Yes, spraying with oil should help with color. Thank you for sharing!
Jackie says
This was great! Very flavorful. I did not presteam the cauliflower and it was nicely cooked as others had found. Will definitely make this again! Thanks for another great recipe!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Jackie! xo
Ester says
This was delicious – thank you! Excellent by itself and with the relish (didn’t try it with hummus), Dipped the steaks in egg before the nuts as read some comments about the crust not sticking and I think it definitely helped! Also used 1/2 cup cashews and 1 cup pistachios.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Ester! xo
Claire says
I liked this recipe quite a bit & would make it again! I used almond milk & almond crust because it’s all I had. I have a feeling a slightly thicker milk may have made the crust stick better? I ended up with a fairly “crumbly” crust, but it tasted great so we were just scooping it up off the plate. Didn’t really crisp either. I’m curious how maybe tossing the oil into the nut mixture might work OR maybe trying a little egg replacer?? Anyway, tasted great as always. You are definitely my go to website when I’m looking for inspiration. : )
Thanks for sharing, Claire! We think egg replacer or a thicker milk would help with sticking for next time. And we’d suggest cooking longer for more crispiness. Hope that helps!
Kelly says
Good recipe, especially the lemon-date-relish. The actual cashew steak didn’t turn out like the picture. At first I did not cut the cauliflower the right direction so I had a lot of pieces. The second cauliflower head was cut a little better but still had pieces. Also, I noticed if the cauliflower is too wet from the buttermilk the coating won’t stick and you have to wait for the coating to dry. The steaks I cooked in the oven and the pieces I put in the air-fryer. Both turned out well. I used store bought humus by Wegmans. The relish and humus is needed to make this dish complete.
Thanks for sharing, Kelly! It can be a little tricky to cut the cauliflower and it works best with a large head. Alternatively, you can make cauliflower “wings”– which it sounds like maybe you did?
Kelly says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Is it suppose to be crispy? Wondering if I can put the steaks in the air fryer instead of the oven. Any thoughts?
Hi Kelly, we haven’t experimented with an air fryer, but we think it would work! It is supposed to be crispy. Let us know if you try it!
Cris Smith says
This was so delicious! The crust was extra crunchy and full of flavor. I made the date relish and garnished with mint leaves, as per your suggestion. Thank you so much for your brilliant recipes. They never disappoint 😍
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Cris! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Yuri says
I’m so excited to try this! I wanted to ask, I’ve had cauliflower steaks with creamy sauce before…any suggestions of a good cream sauce to pair with these “steaks”? Loved someones’ idea about the mashed potatoes, asparagus and after so many raves will definitely make the Date-lemon relish!!
Maybe try this tahini dressing? Let us know how it goes!
Richie Allen says
Not a cream sauce but try a Romano sauce with this. I’ve had this sauce with cauliflower fritters before and it was a really nice combo.
Lisa says
I skipped the steaming step and it still came out great. The cauliflower cooked through in the oven and it was delicious!
Lisa Brown says
Also, I had a lot of leftover coating, so I will cut that part of the recipe in half next time.
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Sana Jesudason says
These. Are. Delicious.
I subbed almonds for cashews and totally forgot the cornstarch (whoops)…..but this is such a forgiving delicious recipe. They took barely any time to make at all. Definitely a new favourite recipe, especially with homemade romesco!
Ps the almond crusting is so delicious I’m saving it to eat on other things.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sana. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Teresa Barcelo says
YUM. Made this last night. Cant have cashew so I used a mix of walnuts and pine nuts and a little bit of flax to add some more nutrition in there. Drizzled some apple cider vinegar with some lemon at the end which made it so juicy and delicious. Thank you for this awesome recipe. It will be in heavy rotation.
Sounds lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Teresa!
Sandra says
Nice! My only issue was that my coating got quite wet, so it was hard to coat the last pieces of cauliflower. I did drain after putting in the milk, but I need to pay more attention to that next time and use a spoon for coating instead of my hands I guess. I will also split my coating so that I have a “fresh” bowl for the second half. A definite do over.
Thanks for the feedback, Sandra! Hopefully that helps for next time!
Emily says
I’ve made this 2x and loved it both times. The date relish is a MUST. But double the recipe to have enough to really smother on the steaks. My only issue is that after coating a few cauliflower steaks/morsels, the nut coating gets wet and gummy and won’t stick to the outside of the cauliflower. So about 1/2 the steaks/morsels have a nice coating and the rest have a paste I mush onto the top of them. It’s delicious either way but just curious if anyone else had this happen and has experience with fixing it.
Thanks for sharing, Emily! You could sprinkle the coating on instead of dipping to avoid this!
Marina Rose says
Hello. This looks a like a very nice recipe. Is there any chance I could substitute lemon with something else?
Perhaps lime juice or apple cider vinegar? Let us know if you try it!
Connie Van Stroud says
What other dishes would this go with??
Hi Connie, we think it would go well with salads (such as this one https://minimalistbaker.com/simple-green-salad-with-lemon-vinaigrette/)
Aimee says
Hi, are there any substitutes for arrowroot starch?
Hi Aimee, we haven’t tried it with substitutes, but we think tapioca starch or all-purpose flour would work. Let us know if you try it!
Kim says
A-MAZ-ING!!! My son said he felt like he was eating in a 5 Star Restaurant. This is the third time I have made this and it is just as delicious. I substitute flax and chia seeds for corn starch to get our flax in. And use lime instead of lemon in the “buttermilk” and relish only because my husband does not like lemon, and it is still perfect.
We have been WFPB for about 18 months and this is my favorite dinner. SO GOOD! Can’t wait to keep trying your plant based recipes!
THANK YOU!!!!!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing!
Maggie Johnson says
Hello! Do you mind sharing how you did the substitue with flax and chia? Thanks!
Laura says
Could this coating work with eggplant? If so, how would you cook it?
Hmm, maybe! Perhaps similar to this recipe.
Morgan Carpenter says
This recipe is amazing!! My family loved it so much that even my meat-loving Dad started to request this dish every week. I also loved the date relish – Absolutely superb combo!!!
We’re so glad your family enjoyed it, Morgan! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
James says
My partner was really impressed with this. I think because it looks super impressive on the plate… but in fact I found it easy to make and doesn’t take long. I used corn starch (which in the UK we call corn flour – just to confuse – mainly used in the UK for thickening gravy and the like). For the butter milk I used organic soya milk – yes I know totally old school but if you want to make sure the coating sticks has my vote, with the lemon it totally thickened too. Will be making this one again. Thanks James
Thanks for sharing your experience, James! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it!
Kim says
“SPECTACULAR!” said my 17 year old non vegan son. He said it was like he was eating at a fancy restaurant. It was absolutely delicious. I saw some of the comments. We did not have any trouble with the cashew mix sticking to the cauliflower. I used what we had so, soy milk and lime instead of lemon (my husband does not like lemon), it thickened. I also used 1 t. flax seeds and 1 t. chia seeds with the cashew mix because I did not have arrowroot, it worked and both help to thicken. I poured the remaining “buttermilk” over the “steaks” and it was amazing. I also only used 1/4 t. smoked paprika as I am not a big fan of smoked flavor and the rest regular paprika. That is just a personal preference. This is my new FAVORITE DINNER!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed these, Kim! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Carol says
Delicious! My “buttermilk” did not thicken, perhaps because I used coconut milk, but clung to the cauliflower nonetheless. Served it with lemon hummus, and it was outstanding. Will definitely make this again, and add lots of cracked black peppercorns next time. Thanks, Dana!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Carol. We are so glad you enjoyed it! It’s okay that it didn’t thicken- ours doesn’t either =) Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Nicol says
Minimalist Baker comes through yet again! This recipe was soo delicious. We have tried a few crusted cauliflower recipes and this one is by far the tastiest, easiest, and healthiest of them all. The date relish also finishes it off perfectly! Can’t wait to add this to our rotation from now on!
We are so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Nicol! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Carolyn Englar says
I dont have a specific steamer – are there other ways to steam the cauliflower? I also dont have a food processor and read there were issues with the nutri bullet, so any recommendations on making that work would be great. Excited to try it!
The nutri bullet should work OK for the coating. As for steaming, just place a 1/2-inch of water in a pot, bring to a simmer, add your cauliflower, cover, and steam.
Lily says
Can it be fried instead of baked?
Hi Lily, the coating may stick to the pan instead of the cauliflower with frying, but it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Laneya says
Did you try it?
Becca says
This recipe is so good! BUT, I do have a couple warnings for those of you looking to make it: A) Use a food processor like she suggests – I tried to take the easy way out and use the Nutri Bullet, and it made the nut mixture super gooey, so I had to throw the entire thing out (totally my fault, I know). B) After that incident, all I had left on hand was almonds which worked wonderful. In fact, I’ve made this recipe a few times since with cashews and prefer the taste of almonds instead. It takes a bit of work and patience, but makes plenty! ALSO, **make the lemon-date relish** It’s an absolute game changer. It brings the flavors together so nicely.
Ah, thanks for sharing, Becca! So great!
Seanna says
Made this tonight and my family was fighting over the last piece. This was my first time using arrowroot starch, so I was really impressed and thrilled they came out so yummy!
For the coating, I used mostly cashews but added a few roasted pistachios and raw pine nuts for some nutty complexity. I mixed some chopped mint straight into the relish.. so good!
lacey isaak says
hi can this recipe be made without starch? maybe eggs? or something. trying this for a keto recipe, thanks!
Hi Lacey, we haven’t tried that, but the starch is more for coating than binding, so we aren’t sure egg will work. You could maybe try subbing with additional cashews. Hope that helps! Let us know if you give it a try!
lacey isaak says
what about almond flour or coconut flour instead of starch?
That could work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Darlene says
I made this a few nights ago, followed your recipe & also tips on how to prepare; it turned out perfectly!
The cauliflower steaks were very filling & full of flavor, will make these again :)
Lauren says
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I wouldn’t change anything.
Thanks, Lauren!
Annette T. says
This turned out to be so delicious! I used hatch chili powder instead of the cayenne and skipped the curry powder and it was so good! I swerved the cauliflower steaks with your chimichurri sauce and wow! So, so good! My husband was super impressed. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Molly Mitchell says
Hi! I’m a big big big fan of your recipes. Been treating your cookbook like a bible and making your recipes nearly every night. I attempted to make this one the other night and it was the first time I’ve been disappointed. I’m really not sure where I went wrong, but I absolutely could not get the cashew coating to stick to my cauliflower steaks. I thought maybe the mixture wasn’t fine enough, so I attempted to blend it just a little more, then it came out like a butter and burnt very quickly in the oven. :( I’d love to attempt this recipe again, but my first attempt was pretty disheartening.
Hi Molly – sorry for any trouble with this one! One thing I’ve found to help the coating stick is to use a thicker dairy-free milk, like cashew or even coconut, as opposed to rice or almond because it can help the coating adhere. I’ll also revisit the instructions and see if I can make any adjustments to help address this concern!
Diana says
I felt your pain Molly. I added the oil to the cashew coating ingredients by accident since it is listed as an ingredient of the coating instead of drizzling it on the coated cauliflower. As a result, it absolutely would not stick and burned in the oven. I scraped the burnt parts and fed it to my husband anyway along with the date sauce. His comment, “doesn’t look appetizing but keep working on it. It taste great.”
Sorry about that Diana! We will separate the oil for cooking!
Ken says
Dana,
The good: The cashew crust is excellent. I used roasted cashews-not raw, bcs that’s what I had in the house. I don’t think that hurt the recipe (or maybe it did–keep reading).
The bad–and this is MY bad, not yours:
1. Creating the steaks was a challenge. The head of cauliflower was much larger than the stem, so there were a lot of pieces that feel apart. I worked with them anyway and ended up with lots of smaller pieces.
2. Getting the crust to stay was a bit of a challenge. I am a veg–not vegan, so sometimes I use eggs, and I suspect the crust would have attached bettter with an egg.
3. I dipped the cauliflower in the milk, put it on the plate to dry out a bit, and then dredged it. After a few “dredgings,” the plate of crust got kind of moist, and thereafter, the crust wouldn’t really stick at all. I made a second helping of crust, and rather than dredging it, I held the piece of cauliflower above the dredging place, and spooned the crust on. That worked much better and kept the cashew crust on the plate dryer.
4. My bad, but I think I oversteamed the cauliflower, so it ended up a bit soft.
Despite these challenges, I think its a really good recipe and will definitely make it again.
Thanks so much for what you do. I have made several of your recipes and am really appreciative.
Kenny
Hi Kenny, thanks so much for your support and for sharing your experience! It sounds like with a few modifications that you discovered, these will turn out even better next time. Happy cooking!
Pongo says
Made this recipe tonight and it was wonderful. Incredibly satisfying, not hard at all. I hadn’t read your instruction to let the excess milk drip off before coating, and my bowl of crumbs got sort of balled up and harder for dredging. Next time I’ll drip, but I think I might also sprinkle overtop and press on rather than dredging, then flip and do it again from above. Either way, this was the most amazing cauliflower entree ever–we had a GREAT dinner! Thank you so much.
Thanks, Pongo!!
Den Brinson-Hill says
Absolutely loved this dish. So tasty and enjoyable to make
Gracie says
This was very simple and very delicious. Big flavors, really filling and didn’t require too much effort.
Jennifer Lingeman says
So delicious!! Thank you for making it so easy! Paired them with creamy lemon cashew noodles and asparagus. LOVE the date relish!!
Alex D says
Wow! I’ve made a lot of your recipes but I think this is the first time I’ve left a review (sorry!). This was the best cauliflower steak I’ve ever made. I used an egg instead of almond milk and it turned out just fine. I ended up with two steaks and a bunch of florets. I think I actually likes the florets more even though they were more work. I will definitely be making this recipe again!
Yay!! Thanks for sharing your experience! Good to know an egg works.
Mieke says
Hi there
What would you suggest pairing this with for a meal?
You can check some pairing options in the blog post. We suggest serving it with hummus, the date relish, and a green salad!
Emily says
I tried this recipe today and it was delicious but the crust wouldn’t crisp up. Is there a special setting i have to det the oven on? Or do you have any tips on what i should do the next time i make ut?
Did you drizzle the steaks with oil after coating? A convection oven would help crisp the coating up.
Ellabella says
This was so delicious. Loved that it turns out so crispy without any oil. Loved the date lemon relish. I steamed the cauliflower on the cooling rack on the baking sheet with a little water and covered in tin foil. Will be making this again and again
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Ellabella. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Claire says
I don’t know where I went so terribly wrong with this recipe; I followed the directions to the letter, but these turned out to be a big mess for me. The coating would not stick to the cauliflower, and most of what did initially stick ended up on the pan below the wire rack. I basically ended up with plain cauliflower. Unfortunately it definitely wasn’t worth the effort for me.
Hi Claire – I’m not exactly sure what went wrong here as the coating should definitely stick well to the cauliflower. Assuming the cauliflower was lightly steamed, dipped in dairy-free milk, and the coating was blended fine enough (perhaps it was left too chunky?), it should have coated fine. Is there anything else that might’ve been modified here? Happy to help troubleshoot!
Alice Wootton says
This was INCREDIBLY good! My husband said, “Well, this was a surprise!” (He meant in a good way.) Thanks so much for providing such an easy to follow recipe. I will make this often.
Karen says
The crust was absolutely delicious, the flavor combination was amazing. My omni boyfriend loved it too! I make a lot of cauliflower recipes, but this had been my favorite so far. I will definitely be making this again.
Allie Madden says
This dish is one of the best cauliflower “steak” recipes I’ve come across. The flavors were magic and the ease was incredibly surprising. My husband and I were both amazed at the crispness from oven baked. Since we’re trying to give up oil, this was a great recipe for us. I can’t wait to try it next time with the date lemon relish!
So great!! Thanks for sharing, Allie!
Júlia says
Hi! Can you use oat mil for this?
I don’t think it would crisp up the same.
Annie says
I do not have arrowroot starch currently. Can I just delete it or can you suggest a substitute?
cornstarch or another starch?
Amanda West says
This recipe was soooo good. I will definitely be making this again. I didn’t have the arrowroot, so I used cornstarch. The cashew crust was amazing.
Barbara Hay says
This recipe is very easy to make and very tasty. Next time I make it I need to make the pieces of nuts smaller so that they stick better.
Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
Rachel says
I’ve made cauliflower steaks before and they are good, but these are better! That cashew crust is delicious. Its slightly spicy and adds a lot of crispy texture. Very yummy!
Thanks for sharing, Rachel!!
Anna says
This was soooo yummy. Be sure to make the relish, it really sets it off!
Thanks for sharing, Anna!
Sarita says
The entire family loved this dish including the 9 month old, thanks!!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Sarita!
Gracie Dillon-Moore says
We LOVED these cauliflower steaks!!! My kids scarfed them down! They were super easy to make! I threw the dry ingredients into the VitaMix (because my processor is broken) and this worked well but I will caution that it begins to turn the cashew into cashew butter if you aren’t careful. Make sure to keep it on a lower speed and turn it off at the “course corn meal” stage to prevent this. If you do get some “butter action” you can add some bread crumbs to help dry it out a bit (although tweaking the salt/spices ratio may be necessary to return it to intended flavor). Another perfect recipe from Minimalist Baker!!
Wow! Thanks for sharing, Gracie!
Yuri says
Thank you for mentioning vita-mix! We don’t have a food processor and was planning on using our vitamix!
Mary Lou says
This was amazing!! I can’t wait to make it again. I served it with a little chutney the first night and ate it cold for breakfast the next morning. Thank you.
Mavis says
Do you think this can be made in a Ninja Foodi (my new toy)? And if so, any tips for doing it that way.
Thanks
Yeah, it should work the same as the food processor!
Mavis says
Sorry for the confusion but the Ninja Foodi is for cooking. Similar to the Instant Pot but does more in that it has a crisper lid, also. I was wondering if you could cook it in the Foodi.
Oh, I’m not sure! We aren’t familiar with that, sorry!
Giulia says
This recipe is great!! I loved the date lemon relish too, it was a perfect combo. Only problem for me, cauliflowers are going out of season here now…I have to wait for next winter to make this again! In the meantime, there is another vegetable suitable for this kind of coating? And there are more recipes where I can use the date lemon relish? Thanks in advance!
Thanks for sharing, Giulia! I’d say romanesco or broccoli would be similar. And you can use the date relish on any other spicy dish that could use some balancing from sweet!
Steve says
Hello,
I cannot wait to make this!
I was just wondering where your speckled plates are from? I have been meaning to purchase some but am struggling to find any.
Many thanks,
Steve
Terrain.com!
Emily says
This was super yummy! I followed the recipe exactly and the only issue I had was getting the coating to stick. It seemed like it fixed to the first steak well, but it seemed as though once the coating got a little wet from the ‘buttermilk’, the coating did not want to stick to the steak. Luckily I was able to just crumble it on top of the cauliflower. But I do wish it all stuck perfectly… any tips for next time?
Hmm, make sure your dairy-free milk is a thicker one (such as cashew milk) – that seems to help!
christina says
I made this for lunch this weekend and it was truly some of the best cauliflower I’ve ever had. I wasn’t using a whole head of cauliflower so I didn’t use as much cashew as instructed (and also cut down on spices accordingly) but I did actually run out of coating, so would recommend to others to follow the recipe :) I only got two good “steaks” from my cauliflower but honestly the smaller pieces were maybe even better than the steaks. If someone didn’t want to bother cutting proper steaks, florets still taste just as good.
I served mine with a roasted pepper tapenade I had in the fridge and some sriracha tahini dressing I whipped up. It was a really, really good lunch. Would be awesome with some quinoa or couscous or even in a wrap!
Lovely, thank you!!
Taylor says
This was really good! I was shocked by how crispy & flavorful it was. Only note is that I ran out of relish & the cauliflower coating before I’d finished all my steaks, so I’ll double those two things next time.
At the suggest of another commenter, made this with your lemony arugula salad. It was all so easy and looked restaurant fancy!
Thanks, Taylor!
Tina says
This was one of the best ways I ever eat cauliflower. We had it as a saturday evening dinner including the really lovely date lemon relish. Thanks so much for all that great food ideas.
Yay! Thanks, Tina!
Britta says
I’ve made many of your recipes, Dana, and while I’ve never had a bad one, this is a new favorite. So tasty and filling! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for your care and thoughtfulness in creating such nourishing meals that satisfy a variety of dietary needs.
Lovely – thanks for sharing Britta!
Tiffany Brooks says
This’ll be saved in my memory banks,great alternative to mushroom steaks. Deviated just a little as i did not have cashews but did have some fresh roasted peanuts and also added some delicious vegan parmesan that was in the fridge(also min baker recipe). Used oat milk and a little aquafaba with turmeric in it too. Think the pieces that soaked up the milk mix longest created the best cling coating. Klingons on the cauliflower captain Dana!??
Thanks for sharing, Tiffany!!
Tanja says
tried it yesterday. didn‘t steam the cauliflor before… and it luckily also worked. sooo good. Best „steak“ ever thanks to the amazing coating!
Yay yay! Thanks, Tanja!
Sue says
Great recipe Dana. Thank you!
Lovely, thank you!
Julie says
This was delicious! I made this tonight, and the only adjustment I made was to add more curry to the cashew coating to suit our tastes. The relish and the suggestion to serve the cauliflower on hummus really enhanced the dish! I make a number of your recipes multiple times a week and am never disappointed. This recipe is another keeper!
Thanks for sharing, Julie!!
Marlen says
Omg, can’t believe how tasty this is without even deep frying it! Also I love the ingredients.
I served it with some smashed potatoes and a simple carrot-apple-salad and it was super delicious :-)
Next time I’m gonna use this recipe to make some cauliflower wings instead of a steak.
Thank you for this recipe, Dana!
Yay! Thanks Marlen!
Tanya says
This recipe is amazing however I didn’t have enough cashews on hand so I had to use mostly almonds. It still turned out crispy and tasteful! Thank you!!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing! Next time would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers! xo
Baiba says
It’s genius and just beautiful!
Your work is amazing, you are my number one cook for years.
Cheers!
Thanks, Baiba!
Kitsa says
How can one serving of this recipe have 31 grams of carbohydrates?
I don’t believe that 3 tbsps of arrowroot or corn starch would have that much impact.
Cauliflower, cashews, and arrowroot all have carbs.
Laurie says
As soon as I saw this on your Instagram, I knew we were having this for dinner tonight. It was excellent! I didn’t make the relish this time but served it with John Robbins’s tahini dressing which we had in our fridge. Along side we had your arugula/shallot salad which we have eaten about 100 times since you posted it. SO satisfying!!
Thanks, Laurie! Next time would you mind leaving a review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. xo!!
Laurie says
I meant to give this 5 stars! They were there but when I corrected something, they disappeared.
***** for sure!
Thanks! Added it for ya ;D
Ami says
I was JUST craving cauliflower and how a cauliflower “steak” would be a great base alternative for the Portabello Pizzas you just posted. Thank you so much for all your hard work in make amazing recipes. Each one has changed my life – seriously.
xoxo!
Linda says
Would love to try this! Rather than a date relish, I’m thinking a cauliflower parm with sauce on top. Hooray for breaded things!
ooh, nice!!
Bret says
I recently started following a vegan diet. and I don’t know if the transition would have been so easy without your help. I was always too intimidated, and frankly, lazy to give it a try. Stumbling upon your website and perusing the recipes, it was such a relief to discover that I didn’t need to be an alchemist or have to re-learn how to cook in order to create flavorful, healthy, cruelty-free meals.
Thanks for doing the work, so I don’t have to!
Thanks for sharing, Bret!
Caro says
Instead of cashews…?
Rory Powers says
Is there a substitute for cashews?
We didn’t test it with any other nuts or seeds. But my best guess would be slivered/blanched almonds, pistachios, pecans, or sunflower seeds?