Sheet Pan Crispy Cauliflower Steaks Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds)
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, picked and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (grated)
• 1/4 cup panko
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole flax seeds
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 3-4 cups cooked beans)
• 2 cups multi-colored mini bell peppers, quartered and cored
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• Herbed Mayo:
• 4 tablespoons plant-based mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped

Directions:

1. Arrange rack in upper third of oven and place on it a large, rimmed sheet pan. (See Cook’s Tips.) Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut cauliflower steaks. (See Cook’s Tips.)
3. Lay cauliflower steaks side-by-side on cutting board. Brush tops of steaks with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove hot sheet pan from oven. Carefully lay cauliflower on hot pan, oiled sides down. Brush tops of cauliflower with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper.
4. Return pan to oven and roast cauliflower 15 minutes. Remove pan, flip steaks over, and return to roast another 10 to 15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and lightly browned.
5. While cauliflower roasts, stir together in a medium bowl: 4 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer half of mixture to a separate, medium bowl.
6. Into first bowl, stir in panko, flax, and yeast. Into the other bowl, add beans, peppers, and vinegar; toss to coat.
7. Make Herbed Mayo: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, and thyme. Set aside.
8. When cauliflower is tender and lightly browned, remove pan from oven. With metal spatula, move steaks to one half of pan; spoon herbed mayo over tops of steaks and sprinkle with panko mixture. Pour bean and pepper mixture onto other side of pan and spread in an even layer. Return pan to oven and roast 5 to 7 minutes, until crumb topping begins to brown and beans are hot.
9. To serve, place cauliflower steaks on plates with a side of beans and peppers.
10. Cook’s Tips:
11. Preheating sheet pan helps cauliflower brown more quickly.
12. While any cauliflower will work for this recipe, use purple cauliflower, if available, for a beautiful, colorful, finished plate.
13. To prepare cauliflower: Remove leaves and trim stem. Place cauliflower, stem side down, on cutting board. (Note that to make “steaks” you need to keep the core intact.) Using a large knife, cut cauliflower in half. Measuring from the cut side of each half, cut a 1-inch slice. This should result in two thick steaks made from the center of the head of cauliflower. Save rounded ends of cauliflower for another use.