Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri
Thick-cut cauliflower steaks, roasted until deeply browned at the edges, topped with a garlicky, herb-packed Argentinian chimichurri. A simple vegetarian side substantial enough to steal the show.
- 1-2 heads cauliflower, about 3 pounds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup hot & spicy fresh oregano leaves (or regular with a large pinch of red pepper flakes)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Place the olive oil, parsley, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper into a high-powered blender and blend until very smooth.
- Let the chimichurri sit at room temperature while you prepare the cauliflower steaks, giving the flavors time to meld together. This sauce genuinely improves with time, so making it the night before is worth the extra step if you can plan ahead.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Trim the stem and pull off the leaves of the cauliflower, keeping the core fully intact — the core is what holds each steak together once it's sliced. Stand the cauliflower upright and slice it into four 1-inch thick steaks.
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange the steaks on top. Brush both sides with the olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the coarse salt.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then flip carefully and roast for another 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through. If you like a deeply charred edge, feel free to leave them in a few minutes longer than that.
- Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and spoon about 1/2 cup of the chimichurri over the top. Serve immediately with the remaining chimichurri alongside at the table.
Chef's Note: Keeping the core intact when you trim the cauliflower is what makes this dish work at all — it's the structural anchor holding each slice together as a single "steak" rather than falling apart into individual florets the moment it hits the sheet pan. The chimichurri is doing most of the flavor work here, and it's genuinely one of those sauces that tastes better after resting, so don't skip the room-temperature rest before serving, or better yet, make it a day ahead.
Don't toss the trimmed-off cauliflower pieces — scatter them onto the same sheet pan as florets and roast them alongside the steaks, or save them for another use like a soup or a quick sauté. This recipe's nutrition is calculated as a substantial main-course portion for four; stretched thinner, the same batch will easily serve six to eight as a side.
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