This gorgeous vegan cauliflower steak is topped with black bean and corn salsa, making it a hearty grilled dinner idea.
Cauliflower is a vegetable that has had a facelift in recent years. From crispy cauliflower tacos to buffalo cauliflower bites, cauliflower is suddenly all the rage. Growing up, Alex and I only ate it raw on a veggie platter or steamed (yuck!). In the meantime we have become big cauliflower fans. So why not add a grilled cauliflower steak to our repertoire? Less a meat substitute, these steaks are another delicious way to eat this on-trend vegetable. Read on for our Grilled Cauliflower Steaks recipe!
Related: Black bean salsa and corn fresca | Black bean salsa
What is a cauliflower steak?
Cauliflower steak doesn’t try to be meat. On the contrary, they’re just a unique way to eat cauliflower! A cauliflower steak is a cross section of a cauliflower, trimmed leaving all the florets intact. Who came up with the idea of calling it cauliflower steak, I don’t know! You can roast or grill cauliflower steaks by cutting the cauliflower in half and then cooking the slices until lightly charred. Grilling the cauliflower adds a smoky flavor and slightly charred edges.
Do you need a grill to cook grilled cauliflower steak? A charcoal grill is our preferred method because it brings in the smoky flavor. You can also do it in a grill pan on the stove.
How to make grilled cauliflower steak
The other day we bought candy corn and cherry tomatoes at our local market (Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market) and were looking for a new way to use them. We had tried grilled cauliflower steaks last winter after seeing them in an issue of Bon Appetit. Although they didn’t work back then, we thought we’d try a grilled cauliflower steak again, this time as a base for a fresh corn salsa. They turned out beautifully and made a filling summer grilled dish – as well as an interesting meatless option!
A cauliflower steak is usually served with some kind of sauce on top. To make our grilled cauliflower an entree, here we served it with a black bean and corn salsa. Using beans adds plant protein to make it a heartier dish!
This recipe for grilled cauliflower steak is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.
The description
This gorgeous vegan cauliflower steak is topped with black bean and corn salsa, making it a hearty grilled dinner idea.
- 1 Bighead Cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, shared
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels (2 at 3 ears)
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
- 15– ounces of black beans
- ¼ cup coriander, chopped
- Juice 2 Lemons
- 2 tablespoons Taco seasoning (or cumin, chili powder, and paprika mix)
- Kosher salt
- Ground fresh pepper
- Remove the outer leaves and the long stalk from the cauliflower head. Starting in the center, slice across the head to create 4 steaks. Steaks can only be prepared with the florets on the center stalk. (The florets that fall off the core can be cooked separately or reserved for another meal.)
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush each side of the cauliflower steaks with olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Grill each side until lightly charred, 3-4 minutes.
- For the fresh salsa, shred the corn, enough for 2 cups of kernels. Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Drain and rinse black beans. Chop the cilantro. Squeeze 2 limes.
- In a medium bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, lime juice, taco seasoning, 1 pinch kosher salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and freshly ground pepper. stir to combine; taste and add more seasonings if you like.
- To serve, place each steak on a plate and drizzle with fresh mounds of salsa.
- Category: main course
- Method: Goal
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Grilled Cauliflower Steak, Grilled Cauliflower, How To Grill Cauliflower, Cauliflower Steaks, Cauliflower Recipes
Looking for cauliflower recipes?
Aside from this grilled cauliflower steak, here are some of our favorite cauliflower recipes:
Looking for more BBQ ideas?
And here are a few more vegetarian and vegan barbecue ideas:
Last update: April 2020
