Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Purée
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An elegant vegetarian dish: roasted cauliflower steaks atop a flavorful cauliflower purée. Good to eat and good for you!
The idea for this recipe came to me after I discovered an amazing documentary series on Netflix called Chef’s Table, which debuted last year. Each episode of the show focuses on a world-renowned chef and gives an intimate view of their life, their restaurants and their journey to mastering their craft. It’s beautifully done and so inspiring — I binge-watched the entire first season in just a few days. You can watch the trailer below.
One of the featured chefs on the series is Dan Barber, the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill in Manhattan and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York. After learning about him, I was eager to try some of his recipes; a quick Google search led me to his Cauliflower Steak with Cauliflower Purée in Bon Appétit and Food52’s Genius Recipes column. The recipe goes along with Barber’s nose-to-tail, whole-farm eating approach, as he uses the center of the cauliflower to make the “steaks” and the remaining florets to make the purée. I love the idea as a way to jazz up the trendy cauliflower steak, so I decided to feature my own slightly adapted version here.
What You’ll Need To Make Cauliflower Steaks
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, use a sharp knife to cut two 1-inch-thick slices from the center of the cauliflower. Cut the remaining florets into 1/2-inch pieces.
In a medium pot, bring the broth and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the cauliflower and bring back to a boil.
Cover, reduce the heat to low and steam for about 15 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add 1/2 cup of the broth from the pot, along with the butter.
Process until smooth, then add the thyme and process until just combined.
Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower steaks to the skillet, nice side down (whichever side is prettier), and then drizzle the cauliflower steaks with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle each steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Cook until the first side is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the cauliflower steaks over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until tender, about 10 minutes.
Rewarm the cauliflower purée. Then, divide the purée between 2 plates, and top each with a cauliflower steak, nice side up.
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Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Purée
An elegant vegetarian dish: roasted cauliflower steaks atop a flavorful cauliflower purée. Good to eat and good for you!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a sharp heavy knife and starting at top center of cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch-thick slices of cauliflower, cutting through stem end and leaving the leaves intact. Set the cauliflower steaks aside. Cut the remaining florets into ½-inch pieces.
- In a medium pot, bring the chicken or vegetable broth and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the cauliflower and bring back to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and steam for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add ½ cup of the broth from the pot, along with the butter, and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the thyme and process until just combined. Discard the remaining broth and transfer the cauliflower purée back to the pot.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower steaks to the skillet, nice side down (whichever side is prettier), and then drizzle the cauliflower steaks with the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle each steak with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook until the first side is golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Flip the cauliflower steaks over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Rewarm the cauliflower purée over medium heat. Divide the purée between 2 plates, and then top each with a cauliflower steak, nice side up.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (2 servings)
- Calories: 353
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Sugar: 4g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Sodium: 1376mg
- Cholesterol: 49mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is not only beautiful looking (reminds me of a beautiful tree) but just as delicious. The only thing I did different was that I cooked/browned the cauliflower steams in my air fryer. Thank you – it was delish!
Novice cook here… this was fantastic! Delicious, and made me look like a pro. Just challenging enough with making the puree, but easy enough to make for a beginner like me.
Vegetarian entre made with chicken broth? Someone is not editing your copy. I suspect vegetable broth will work just as well. Us vegetarians notice things like this.
Hi Wendy, this recipe would be just as good with vegetable broth and I’ve updated the recipe to indicate that either will work. Enjoy!
I loved the recipe. The purée is amazing with e cauliflower steak. My husband was not a fan, he said it was just too much cauliflower ? I also made the kale chickpea salad with it, loved it!
This is tan excellent recipe for an appealing variation(s) on my normal steamed cauliflower. Pan browning the thick slices produces an excellent flavor and texture. I added a bit of cajun seasoning for an extra zing and used a cast iron skillet which browned them beautifully.
This is so simple and so elegant. I have fresh thyme in my garden right now! It looks particularly nice if you make it with the purple cauliflowers that you see sometimes.
Awesome as usual. So simple and a delicious vegan meal. The puree would be a great as a side dish alone, but the steak made it complete.
I have not made this yet but it looks amazing.. thinking of serving to a large dinner party and wondering if you can grill these steaks on one side and then put in the oven or even grill on both sides.. timing might be tricky?
Hi Robbie, I’d grill on one side and finish in the oven. You could also sear in the oven ahead of time, then finish in the oven before serving. Hope you enjoy!
Yummy! I made this last week and absolutely loved it, especially the pureed portion. For several years I have made cauliflower the same way (roasting with olive oil and hot sauce) so I was long overdue for a change of flavor. This recipe was great, easy and tasty.
I was wondering about using greek yogurt in the puree instead of butter to decrease the fat and increase the protein. What do you think?
Hi Sarah, I think it would work, but the yogurt will make it a little tangy. I’d love to hear how it turns out with the yogurt!