Roasted cauliflower steaks with parsley chimichurri

Cauliflower steaks

The cauliflower steak has been the subject of some controversy over the years. When it became popular a few years back, a few enterprising restaurants and shops decided to capitalise on the trend, selling ‘gourmet’ cauliflower steaks for extortionate prices.

One memorable moment involved a British pub which was offering two cauliflower steaks for £28, the same price as their Aberdeen Angus steaks.(1)

Needless to say, vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike flocked to social media to mock the odd menu choice, and it was swiftly removed.

So, yes: the cauliflower steak has seen its fair share of scandal over the years. However, it’s almost always a reaction to extortionate pricing; in fact, one of the best things about this dish is that it is incredibly cheap to make.

Perhaps the pub in question had momentarily forgotten that a standard cauliflower from the supermarket will set you back around 80p; an organic cauliflower comes in at between £1.50 and £2.

To us, this is just another reason to make this delicious dish at home!

Flavours and seasoning

Cauliflower acts as a great big sponge for flavour. This is why it’s so good as a main dish; you can flavour it with just about anything and it’ll soak right through to the core of the vegetable.

We love making whole roasted cauliflower with Persian spices, or slathering it in an aromatic Indian spice paste.

Here, we’ve gone for rather simpler flavours, handing the bulk of the work over to our chimichurri sauce. When it comes to the cauliflower steaks themselves, however, seasoning is key.

We love the smoky sweetness of paprika, which complements chimichurri perfectly. After all, in Argentina chimichurri is the traditional accompaniment to grilled meats, sizzled until charred on the parilla. It is quite literally made to pair with smokiness.

Meanwhile, tamari sauce provides savoury depth. You could substitute soy sauce in, if you’re OK with gluten.