Name: Chipotle Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower; 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1-2 chipotles in adobo; 2 Tbsp lime juice; 1 Tbsp adobo sauce from can; 1 Tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp honey or agave syrup; 1 tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp cumin; salt and pepper, to taste

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Chipotle roasted cauliflower steaks are smoky, spicy, lightly charry, with a hint of sweetness. These steaks are a fantastic low-carb dinner side dish.

I would rate these cauliflower steaks somewhere in the middle of a barely-there spiciness to a five-alarm-holy-smokes-I-can’t-feel-my-lips fire. The honey and tomato paste help to balance the spiciness, but you can cut down on the chipotles to reduce the heat.

Close up view of chipotle roasted cauliflower steak on a dark baking sheet.

We created this dish as an answer to the “what veggie are we going to have” debate that my husband and I had during my maternity leave. With a brand new baby, we didn’t have the luxury of being picky or fancy with dinner. We went through an endless loop of broccoli, asparagus, and green beans for our side veggie and we finally had enough of the repeated, reheated greens.

Enter this spicy cauliflower concoction.

This recipe is awesome because it’s pretty simple and quick to put together. It has great flavor. And once it’s in the oven you can basically forget about it (well, until it’s time to flip it). All of that equals a great weeknight dinner side dish.

Ingredients

Cauliflower head – a large cauliflower head should yield 4 cauliflower steaks. You can also use this recipe for cauliflower florets, if desired. Simply toss the florets with the sauce and roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly charred.
Extra virgin olive oil – for flavor and to help achieve the delicious light charring.
Chipotles in adobo and sauce – for the heat factor. If you have a low spice tolerance, consider using just 1 pepper.
Lime juice – for a little brightness.
Tomato paste – to complement the smokiness and spice of the chipotles and seasonings.
Honey – adds a little sweetness to balance the spiciness.
Seasonings – minced fresh garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper round out the seasoning of these cauliflower steaks.

How to Make Chipotle Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Remove the stem and leaves from the cauliflower. Slice the head in half and then slice each half in half again to create 4 steaks.

Combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, chipotles, adobo sauce, lime juice, tomato paste, honey, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper in a small food processor or single serve blender. Blend for 1 minute, or until smooth. Alternately, you can finely mince the chipotles and combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.

Brush one side of the cauliflower steaks with the sauce. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the steaks over and brush with the remaining sauce. Cook another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Chipotle roasted cauliflower steaks on a large baking sheet.

What to Pair With Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower steaks are a great low-carb vegetable side dish option for dinner. Check out what we love to pair with our cauliflower steaks.

Let us know what you think about these chipotle roasted cauliflower steaks by dropping a comment and/or rating on the recipe card below! Also, please consider sharing on social media if you enjoyed this recipe! We really appreciate it!! 💕