Cauliflower steaks are one of the easiest ways to turn a simple vegetable into a proper meal. Just slice, season, and whack them in the oven until they’re golden and caramelised on the edges. While they roast, you can quickly throw together a fresh chimichurri sauce for a delicious flavour-packed meal that feels hearty and fresh at the same time.

It’s simple food…but the flavour is anything but boring!! I could just drink this sauce by itself, it is so good! The best part is you can adapt this sauce to whatever’s growing in the garden!

👉 If you haven’t made the sauce yet, you can find my recipe for Chimichurri Sauce with Garden Herbs here.

What Are Cauliflower Steaks?

Cauliflower steaks are simply thick slices cut through the centre of a whole cauliflower. Instead of breaking the cauliflower into florets, you slice it into “steaks” so it holds together during roasting. The result is a hearty, meaty-style vegetable slice that crisps on the outside and stays tender in the middle.

Any leftover bits that fall away during slicing can still be roasted or saved for soups, stir-fries or fritters… nothing wasted.

Cauliflower Steaks with Green Sauce

Roasted Cauliflower is so full of flavour and has subtle nutty flavours. Purple Cauliflower is striking to use but this can be made with any cauliflower variety. This vibrant green sauce is packed full of flavour and would be great used on many chicken or fish dishes too.

Ingredients

1 whole Cauliflower
2 TBSP Oil
1 cup Parsley
1 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Fennel fronts
1/2 tsp Chilli
1 tsp sugar
3 Garlic Cloves
Sea salt flakes to season
Fresh Red Chilli

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. Rinse the Cauliflower and cut into x4 steaks. Cut from the top of the Cauliflower 2cm thick slices.
Drizzle with oil and cook for 30- 40mins or until the edges start to brown up.
While the Cauliflower cooks prepare the green sauce. Add Parsley, Lemon juice, Vinegar, Sugar, Fennel Fronts and Garlic to a mixer or mortar and pestle. Blitz or crush to combine and make a green sauce. Then gradually add oil to combine. Add Chilli flakes and a Pinch of Sea Salt flakes. Taste and balance with more salt if needed.
Place the Cauliflower on a serving dish and drizzle over the green sauce. Garnish with sliced red chilli, fennel fronts and edible flowers ( i used blue cornflowers).
There may be a little extra sauce than needed so you can keep in the refrigerator to use within a few days or freeze in ice cubes to use in cooking.

Notes

Swap or add seasonal herbs such as coriander or mint.

The Real Magic: Chimichurri Sauce

This is where the dish comes alive! The roasted cauliflower is rich, nutty and slightly sweet, while the chimichurri adds freshness, acidity and a burst of garden herb flavour. I like to change mine depending on what’s growing in the garden – parsley one week and sometimes a mix of whatever is looking abundant in the garden (pineapple sage, mint, parsley, a combo!).

Carrot tops, radish greens and fennel fronds all work amazingly too!

👉 You can find the full zero-waste version here: Chimichurri Sauce with Garden Herbs (A Zero-Waste Recipe)

What to Serve With Cauliflower Steaks

This dish works as a main or a side.

Try pairing it with:

Fresh garden salads
Roasted potatoes
Grilled zucchini
Lentils or grains
Extra chimichurri drizzle (always recommended)

It also works beautifully as part of a bigger garden-to-table spread to share with friends and family.

Garden-to-Plate Tip

This is one of my favourite “use what you have” meals. If you’ve got cauliflower in the garden and herbs starting to take off, this recipe pulls everything together in the simplest way possible. You can also switch out the Cauliflower for Broccoli or Romensco.

FAQ

Can I make cauliflower steaks ahead of time?

Yes, you can roast them ahead and reheat, but they’re best fresh with chimichurri added just before serving.

Why do my cauliflower steaks fall apart?

That usually happens if the cauliflower is too small or sliced too thin. Always cut through the core to help it hold together.

Can I cook them in an air fryer?

Yes, just reduce cooking time and check regularly so they don’t overcook.

Do I have to use chimichurri?

No… but it really does make the dish. You can also use other herb sauces or pestos if needed. Try a Creamy Garlic sauce.

Simple Garden Cooking

Slice and roast a cauliflower, make a quick chimichurri and dinner is done. It’s simple, full of flavour and a great way to turn a few garden ingredients into something that feels a little bit special.

Happy Gardening,

Holly 🌱

cauliflower, chimichurri, parsley