Vegan Cauliflower Steak

This beautiful vegan cauliflower steak is topped with black bean and corn salsa, making it a filling grilled dinner idea.

Cauliflower is one vegetable that’s gotten a true branding makeover in the past few years. From crispy cauliflower tacos to buffalo cauliflower bites, cauliflower is suddenly on trend. Growing up, the only way Alex and I ate it was raw on a veggie tray, or steamed (yuck!). We’ve become huge cauliflower fans these days. So why not add a grilled cauliflower steak to our repertoire? These steaks are not so much about a meat substitute as another delicious way to eat this on trend veggie. Keep reading for our grilled cauliflower steak recipe!

Related: Black Bean and Corn Salsa Fresca | Black Bean Salsa

What’s a cauliflower steak?

Cauliflower steak is not trying to be meat. On the contrary, they’re simply a unique way to eat cauliflower! A cauliflower steak is a sliced cross-section of a cauliflower, cut so that all the florets stay in tact. Who came up with the idea of calling it a cauliflower steak, I’m not sure! You can roast or grill cauliflower steaks by slicing the cauliflower down the middle, and then cooking the slices until they become lightly charred. Grilling the cauliflower adds a smoky flavor and lightly charred edges.

Do you need a grill to make a grilled cauliflower steak? A charcoal grill is our preferred method, since it brings in the smoky flavor. But you can also make it in a grill pan on the stovetop.

How to make a grilled cauliflower steak

The other day we picked up some sweet corn and cherry tomatoes at our local market (Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market) the other day and were looking for a new way to use them. We’d tried some grilled cauliflower steaks this past winter after seeing them in an issue of Bon Appetit. While they didn’t work out at the time, we thought we’d try out a grilled cauliflower steak again, this time as a base for a fresh corn salsa. They turned out wonderfully, and were a satisfying grilled summer meal — as well as an interesting meatless option!

A cauliflower steak is typically served with some kind of sauce over it. To make our grilled cauliflower into a main dish, here we’ve served it with a black bean and corn salsa. Using beans adds in plant based protein to make it a more filling dish!

This grilled cauliflower steak recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

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Looking for cauliflower recipes?

Outside of this grilled cauliflower steak, here are a few of our favorite cauliflower recipes:

• Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Dip
• BBQ Grilled Cauliflower (or Grilled Cauliflower)
• Cauliflower Casserole with Gnocchi
• Cauliflower Tacos with Yum Yum Sauce
• Crispy Breaded Cauliflower
• Veggie Burrito Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
• Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich
• Cauliflower Shawarma Pita
• Cauliflower Soup with Moroccan Spices
• Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Tomato Coconut Cauliflower Curry
• Roasted Apples & Cauliflower with Dill
• Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
• Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

Looking for more grilling ideas?

And here are a few more vegetarian and vegan grilling ideas:

• Best Grilled Veggie Burger
• Grilled Vegetable Pasta
• Greek Grilled Portobello Burger
• Grilled Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini
• Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich
• Pesto Portobello Mushroom Burger
• Grilled Eggplant Parmesan
• Tomato & Grilled Eggplant Stacked Sandwich
• Grilled Teriyaki Mango Skewers
• How to Roast Corn on the Grill
• Loaded Grilled Nachos with Salsa Fresca
• Grilled Eggplant Salad with Yogurt
• Greek Grilled Veggie Skewers
• Grilled Carrots with Lime and Cilantro
• Grilled Romaine Lettuce
• Simple Grilled Paella
• 100 Grilling Recipes
• Mint Pesto Grilled Cheese on the Grill

Last updated: April 2020