Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Smoky Romesco Sauce

Roasted cauliflower steaks with romesco sauce deliver one of the most satisfying plant-based meals you can put on a dinner table. Thick slabs of cauliflower, roasted until golden and caramelized, meet a smoky Spanish romesco sauce made from roasted red peppers and blanched almonds. The result is a dish that looks impressive, tastes extraordinary, and comes together in just 40 minutes.

Why Cauliflower Steaks Deserve a Spot on Your Table

Cauliflower has earned its place as the star of modern vegetable cooking, and for good reason. When sliced into thick steaks and roasted at high heat, the natural sugars caramelize into nutty, deeply savory flavors that rival any protein. The exterior develops a satisfying golden crust while the interior turns buttery and tender.

Paired with romesco sauce, a classic Spanish condiment from Catalonia, this humble vegetable becomes a centerpiece worthy of any dinner recipes rotation. Romesco originated as a fisherman’s sauce in Tarragona, but its smoky sweetness and nutty depth complement roasted vegetables even better than seafood.

The Art of Cutting Perfect Cauliflower Steaks

The most important step in this recipe happens before you even turn on the oven. Start with the largest cauliflower you can find, as bigger heads yield wider, more dramatic steaks. Slice the cauliflower straight down through the center, keeping the stem intact. The stem is your friend here. It acts as the spine that holds each steak together.

From each half, cut one thick steak approximately 2 centimeters wide, keeping the core running through the center. You will get four beautiful steaks from a single head. The remaining florets on either side are a bonus. Toss them on the same baking tray and roast them for snacking, or save them for a soup or stir-fry later in the week.

Building Flavor with Simple Roasting Technique

High heat is essential. At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the cauliflower steaks undergo the Maillard reaction, the same browning process that makes grilled steaks and toasted bread so irresistible. A generous drizzle of olive oil ensures even browning and prevents the edges from drying out.

The garlic addition halfway through roasting is a small detail that makes a big difference. By adding sliced garlic with olive oil during the flip, you get mellow, sweet roasted garlic flavor without any risk of burning. The garlic essentially steams on top of the cauliflower, infusing the steak with aromatic warmth.

Romesco Sauce: A Five-Minute Masterpiece

Traditional romesco sauce involves roasting fresh peppers and tomatoes, but using jarred roasted red peppers and tomato puree achieves remarkably close results in a fraction of the time. The blanched almonds provide body and a subtle creaminess that replaces any need for dairy.

Blend everything until smooth, taste, and adjust. The lemon juice brightens the sauce and prevents it from tasting flat. You want a consistency similar to a thick vinaigrette, loose enough to pool on the plate but thick enough to hold its shape under the cauliflower.

This sauce also happens to be one of the most useful condiments you can keep in your fridge. It works on grilled vegetables, spread on sandwiches, stirred into grain bowls, or served as a dip with crusty bread.

The Parsley Dressing: Fresh Contrast

Every great dish needs contrast, and the parsley dressing provides exactly that. Where the romesco is rich and smoky, the dressing is bright, herbaceous, and slightly sharp from the raw red onion. The combination of these two sauces layered on the cauliflower creates a complexity of flavor that feels far more sophisticated than the simple ingredient list suggests.

Chop the parsley finely so it releases its oils and distributes evenly. The red onion should be diced small enough that every bite includes a tiny hit of sharpness. Add olive oil gradually until the dressing is loose and spoonable rather than thick.

Serving and Presentation

Plating this dish properly elevates it from weeknight dinner to dinner-party material. Start with a generous spoonful of romesco spread across the center of each plate, using the back of the spoon to create a swoosh. Place the cauliflower steak directly on top, then drizzle the parsley dressing over and around.

Crusty bread on the side is highly recommended. You will want something to mop up every last trace of sauce from the plate. A simple green salad or roasted grain side rounds out the meal perfectly.

Variations and Additions

While this recipe is perfect in its simplicity, there are several ways to adapt it to your preferences. A squeeze of smoked paprika in the romesco intensifies the smoky character. Toasted pine nuts scattered over the top add another layer of crunch. For a heartier meal, serve the cauliflower steak over a bed of herbed couscous or creamy polenta.

If you enjoy Spanish-inspired cooking, this dish pairs beautifully with other tapas-style plates. Consider serving it alongside patatas bravas, marinated olives, or a simple tomato salad with sherry vinegar. The romesco ties everything together as a unifying flavor.

Make It a Complete Meal

On its own, each cauliflower steak provides a generous serving with 8 grams of protein and only 252 calories. For a more substantial dinner, add a scoop of white beans or chickpeas to the plate. The beans absorb the romesco sauce beautifully and boost the protein content without changing the character of the dish.

For a sweet finish to your Spanish-inspired dinner, try our lemon posset brulee. The bright citrus acidity cuts through the smoky richness of the romesco and makes for an unforgettable meal.

This is the kind of recipe that converts skeptics. Even dedicated meat-eaters find themselves reaching for seconds when a properly roasted cauliflower steak arrives at the table, draped in romesco and glistening with parsley dressing. It proves that plant-based cooking is not about sacrifice. It is about discovering new flavors and textures that stand entirely on their own merit.