Why is my roasted cauliflower tough?

Have you roasted cauliflower before and it came out tough or mushy? A common problem is either roasting it at too low a temperature or stopping once the cauliflower is tender—both mean that the florets do not caramelize.

How to roast cauliflower Martha Stewart?

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle cauliflower florets with olive oil. Season with salt. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just tender, about 20 minutes.

Why is my cauliflower not softening?

Undercooking It . Overcooking is bad, but undercooking cauliflower is an equally off-putting problem. "When making cauliflower steaks or roasting florets, if you don't roast it in the oven long enough it will be warm but still hard and unenjoyable to eat," says Michalczyk.

Can you cut the brown spots off of cauliflower and still eat it?

While spotted cauliflower might not be the most attractive look, experts agree there's nothing dangerous about it unless the spots are very dark or widespread . So cut them off and roast it, make it into a pizza crust, or dip it in ranch dressing — as we all know, the sky's the limit with this versatile veggie.

Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

The best vegan roasted cauliflower steaks ever! Perfectly seasoned with a blend of garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika and generously drizzled with our cheesy cashew queso or your personal favorite sauce. Anything from chimichurri to pesto or avocado sauce works perfectly here.

Jump to Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks + Video

There are two amazing cauliflower recipes I will make and eat until the rest of times:

this absolutely heavenly cauliflower soup.
these vegan roasted cauliflower steaks!

This is pretty much the same recipe I’ve been using for roasting cauliflower all my life, except it is cut into “steaks” which are simply big and thick slabs cut from the center of the cauliflower head. Roast or grill until caramelized around the edges, place on top of some potatoes or a salad and your dinner is done!

how to choose the cauliflower

go for an extra large head with a tightly packed crown.
if the florets appear loose they will fall apart easily and give you a hard time carving out the thick steaks you desire.

how to cut cauliflower steaks

remove the leaves from around the stem and trim the bottom.
place the cauliflower head on a cutting board with the stem facing upwards.
use a large sharp knife to cut straight through the middle.
slice 1.5 thick steaks, you should be able to cut 4 “steaks” from a large head of cauliflower.
reserve the florets that fall apart to roast together with the steaks or use in soups and mashed potatoes.

what to serve with:

keep it simple with a pinch of parsley + a fresh squeeze of lemon.
drizzled with cashew queso, chimichurri or sun dried tomato pesto.
dipped in mushroom gravy or this vegan aioli
potatoes and mushrooms
alongside this avocado tomato salad or balsamic tomatoes
vegan creamed spinach
olive oil mashed potatoes
butternut squash mac and cheese
with these creamy scalloped potatoes
vegan fettuccine alfredo
creamed peas and leeks.

how to roast cauliflower steaks

preheat your oven to 400”F.
slice the cauliflower into one inch thick steaks. (3 or 4 from 1 head)
brush the cut cauliflower (including the florets) with the olive oil spice mix then season generously with sea salt all over.
roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and soft to your liking. Serve drizzled with your favorite sauce and some extra for dipping.

grilling method

Place the seasoned cauliflower steaks on a hot grill and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or so.
Use a spatula and gently flip the steaks and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until the cauliflower is tender to your liking.

As always, don’t forget to report back if you make this recipe, leave a comment rating below and tag me with #VeggieSociety on Instagram, it always brightens up my day ~ Florentina Xo’s