Cauliflower has been having a moment the last few years, showing up in all sorts of recipes from gnocchi to pizza crusts. While I love cauliflower in all forms, I have to say my favorite way to make it is roasted.
Roasting vegetables mellows favors and brings out a bit of natural sweetness, which makes getting our kids to eat their veggies much easier at dinner time. Although I frequently roast cauliflower plain, when I want a little extra deliciousness, this is the recipe I go for. The crust on the outside adds the perfect texture against the smooth and creamy whipped feta, with a little brightness from the herbs.
A few notes about this recipe:
- Be sure to keep the stem/core of the cauliflower intact while prepping it. This is essential to creating intact slices.
- You will not be able to get nice “steaks” from the whole cauliflower. The ends will fall apart into florets without a core to keep them together. That is okay though, they are just as delicious as the steaks (and my kids’ favorite). You will get about 3-4 nice steaks and then some extra florets from 1 head of cauliflower.
- I’ve found that spraying the crusted cauliflower with a little olive oil or avocado spray helps them get extra crisp.
- Feel free to substitute panko or regular bread crumbs for the almond flour if desired. Stick to the almond flour if you want it gluten free.
- If the whipped feta is a little thick, add a small amount of extra olive oil (or even a little water) to get a smooth, creamy consistency. This will depend a bit on the feta you use.
- I’ve also made this recipe as dairy-free (and Whole 30 compliant) by using dairy-free feta. Both options are equally delicious.
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- For the cauliflower steaks:
- 1 head cauliflower, washed
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons almond milk (or dairy milk if you prefer)
- 1 cup almond flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray
- For the whipped feta:
- 8 ounces feta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- For the lemon herb topping:
- ¼ cup loosely packed mint
- ¼ cup loosely packed parsley
- 1 lemon, zested
Instructions
- Preheat oven 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with an olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray.
- Remove outer leaves from the cauliflower. Trim the bottom part of the core/stem a little shorter, but be sure to keep it intact. Cut cauliflower into slices about ¾ to 1 inch thick. The outer slices will fall apart into florets, but the middle slices will stay intact as slices (you will get 3-4 thick slices along with the floret pieces).
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg and almond milk. In another shallow bowl, add almond flour and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, dredge the cauliflower steaks and florets in the egg mixture, then in the almond flour mixture. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. Spray tops lightly with olive oil or avocado oil spray, then place in preheated oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, then flip cauliflower and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until tender and golden brown in spots.
- Meanwhile, make the whipped feta and herb topping. In the bowl of a food processor, add feta, olive oil, tahini, and lemon juice. Pulse to combine and continue to mix until very smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Finely chop parsley and mint. Stir in lemon zest.
- To serve cauliflower, spread some of the whipped feta on the plate. Add cooked cauliflower, then top with the lemon herb topping.
Leave a Reply