- January 10, 2023
- Main Dishes
Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks
These Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks make quick and easy roasted cauliflower steaks in just ten minutes or less in the air fryer! Serve with your favorite sauces for a fun appetizer or alongside any meal for added veggies.
Why This Recipe Works:
Delicious & Good For You: I know that cauliflower might not seem like the most exciting vegetable ever, but roasting them in the air fryer creates the perfect, tender cauliflower steaks with crispy edges. Plus, the seasoning here is smoky and savory just as a steak should be! Cauliflower is high in fiber and antioxidants and is the perfect vegetarian replacement for steak.
Roasted to Perfection: The air fryer does a really good job of roasting these cauliflower steaks to perfection. It is important that these steaks have a tender inside and a crispy outside for optimal texture! But don’t worry, if you don’t have an air fryer you can make these in the oven instead.
What Is A Cauliflower Steak?
Cauliflower steaks are large pieces of cauliflower that are cut into a steak-like shape and seasoned and roasted to achieve a meaty-like meal. The beautiful thing about cauliflower steaks is that they taste so good and are also so good for you! There is definitely nothing in this cauliflower steak recipe that you won’t like.
Cauliflower steaks can be served in a number of ways. Try it on a bed of lettuce for a savory salad. Or, on top of lentils or rice for a vegetarian meal. If you eat meat, serve it alongside some roasted chicken or tandoori salmon! And don’t forget to add some sauce like chimichurri or hummus.
Ingredients:
My air fryer cauliflower steaks recipe uses whole ingredients that are super easy to find! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cauliflower: The larger the cauliflower, the better. This will make it easier to get more steaks out of it!
- Olive Oil: I used olive oil to mix with the spices and brush onto the cauliflower. You can use any oil you prefer.
- Seasonings: Garlic Powder, Smoky Paprika, Salt & Pepper make up the easy seasoning for these steaks. Smoked paprika is sometimes called Pimentón.
- Melted Butter: Optional to brush on top when serving.
How To Slice Cauliflower Into Steaks:
- Remove the Leaves: First, remove the leaves from the outer edges of the cauliflower. Make sure to leave the base stalk in tact as shown in the photo below. This will ensure that the cauliflower steaks stay together nicely.
- Cut the Steaks: Place the cauliflower so that the stalk is down and the head is facing up. Using a large chef’s knife, slice 1-1.5 inch thick slices of cauliflower, keeping the bottom stalk attached. You should get 4-5 steaks per head of cauliflower.
Cooking Instructions:
- Season the Cauliflower Steaks: Once you have sliced your cauliflower into steaks, mix together the spiced in a small bowl. Mix in the olive oil into the spices. Lightly Brush the oil and spice mixture onto the cauliflower steaks on all sides until coated.
- Preheat & Roast: Preheat the air fryer to 425 F. Place the cauliflower steaks into the air fryer basket so that they are flat and laying even. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and tender when inserted with a fork.
- Remove & Enjoy: Remove from the air fryer and add melted butter over the top if desired before serving. Enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Give each steak enough space in the air fryer. Make sure to give each cauliflower some space in the air fryer. If they are overcrowded and touching each other, they might not get as crispy. Bake in batches if needed.
- Be gentle when handling each steak. Once tender, the cauliflower should be treated gently to keep it in the full steak!
- Roast the ends too! When you’re slicing the cauliflower into steaks, the ends are going to be smaller and might not be exactly steak-like. Don’t worry, these are still just as delicious roasted up in the air fryer, they just won’t be full steaks.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Instead of using an air fryer, you can use your oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F, and bake the cauliflower steaks for 20-25 minutes until they are fork tender and looking nice and golden brown!
Store any leftover cauliflower steaks in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, pop them in the air fryer at 350 F for 2-3 minutes so they remain crispy. You can also use the microwave, but they might not be as crispy!
More Veggie Packed Recipes to Try:
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- Crispy Roasted Garlic Potatoes
- Salmon Stir Fry
- Roasted Crudite Platter
Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 head Cauliflower
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Smoky Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Pepper
- 4 tbsp. Meted Butter optional when serving
Instructions
- Carefully remove the outside stems of the head of cauliflower but do not remove the stalk (this keeps the cauliflower steaks together).
- Take a large chef's knife and place the cauliflower so the stalk is down and the head of it is facing up. Slice 1-1.5 inch thick slices into the cauliflower, leaving the bottom stalk attached. One head of cauliflower typically yields 4-5 cauliflower steaks.
- In a small bowl combine the spices and set them aside and mix with the olive oil.
- Lightly brush the oil and spice mixture onto the cauliflower steaks on all sides until coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 425 F. Place each cauliflower steak into the air fryer basket so they are flat and laying even.
- Cook the cauliflower steaks for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and tender when inserted with a fork.
- Remove and add the melted butter over the top before serving if desired and enjoy!