If you’re still on the cauliflower train, here’s a new recipe for you to try! Actually, it’s three recipes in one — cauliflower steaks, cauliflower and white bean mash, and walnut caper salsa. They’re each delicious, but put them together and your life will never be the same!
Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But still, it’s delicious!
This cauliflower dish is slightly fancier than most of my recipes, so I recommend making it for a date night or for company. My kids loved the mash but wouldn’t touch the salsa. So you could definitely make this dish for the family, but be sure to have a backup plan in case the kids don’t like a lot of flavor.
I’ll admit I’ve been holding on to this recipe for way too long. One of my plant-based friends asked me to recreate this recipe, describing a dish she’d had at a restaurant several months ago. The ingredient combination in the salsa sounded so strange to me, but I trust her (she’s the same person who inspired the Kenyan Maharagwe). I tasted the finished product, and holy cow, it’s fantastic! My only hesitation with the recipe is that it’s difficult to make with no oil at all, but it’s definitely possible.
These cauliflower steaks are perfect for entertaining because the salsa and the mash can be made ahead of time, and the steaks are quite simple to prepare. When all three elements are together on the plate, you have an attractive dish bursting with flavor and containing multiple textures.
I couldn’t photograph this dish quickly enough! Fortunately there were no witnesses when I inhaled the entire dish and some of the leftovers.
The whole recipe seems pretty involved, but when you break it up into three separate recipes, it’s not that bad. I even recommend making the salsa a few hours in advance so the flavors can meld a bit in the fridge.
- 1 head cauliflower florets, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 15-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Heat the broth in a pot over medium heat. Add the cauliflower and boil until fork tender, 10-15 min.
- Transfer cauliflower to a food processor, saving the broth. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and add the hot broth, a few tablespoons at a time, until the mash reaches the consistency of of whipped potatoes.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper as needed.
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1 Tablespoon dried currants
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped parsley
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar, such as white balsamic or red wine, plus more to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spread the walnuts out in a pan or on a baking sheet, and toast 10-12 mins until golden brown. Set aside to cool, then chop into small pieces.
- Heat oil and capers in a pan over medium heat until capers begin to burst and turn golden brown. Remove from heat and pour oil and capers into a heat-safe bowl. Allow to cool before adding the walnuts (leaving most of the walnut skin bits behind) and the remaining ingredients.
- Taste and add more red pepper, salt, or vinegar as needed. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest of your meal.
This salsa recipe is adapted from alexandracooks.com.
- One large head of cauliflower
- Salt to taste
- Optional: 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- To create cauliflower steaks, begin by cutting the stem of the cauliflower head so the base is flat. I like to keep the greens attached because they taste good roasted. Next, cut straight down through the center and make 2 more cuts on either side, about 1.5 inches from the center cut. You will end up with 2 good steaks and several large pieces. You can save the pieces for another day, or you can cook them with the steaks.
- Version 1 (with oil): Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cauliflower steaks and any florets/greens that broke away, if you wish. (If the steaks don’t fit in a single layer, you should use two pans or you won’t get a nice sear.) Cook, gently lifting up cauliflower steaks occasionally to let hot oil run underneath them, until steaks are deep golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn steaks and season with salt. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until cauliflower stems are fork-tender, 15-20 minutes.
- Version 2 (no oil): Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the cauliflower steaks and leftover florets on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Roast until the stems are fork tender, about 15 mins, flipping once halfway through.
To assemble your cauliflower steak dinner, spoon a heaping mound of cauliflower white bean mash in the center of each plate, then carefully place the cauliflower steaks slightly off-center on each mound. Top with a generous amount of walnut caper salsa and serve with lemon wedges.
And that’s it! It seems like a lot of work, but it’s not that bad. Plus, it’s totally worth it, I promise!
Now I’m craving this dish all over again!
♥ ♥ ♥
Also try my Caramelized Cauliflower with Kale, Sorghum, and Pine Nuts!
In the salsa…? Sweet currants? It’s in the description but not in the recipe.
Oh wow, thank you for pointing that out! I updated the recipe 🙂