Crispy Cauliflower Steaks with a Creamy Tarragon Sauce (Vegan)
January 13, 2021
45 min
easy
4 cauliflower steaks
I’ve been riding the gluten-free train lately , but I wanted to hop off and take the vegan train for a little spin! It’s no secret you guys want healthy recipes this January, but I was surprised at how many of you requested plant-based dishes. That being said, I wanted to make one that would knock your socks off. I didn’t want to just cook a vegan recipe for the sake of doing it…instead, I wanted to create a vegan recipe that I think anyone, no matter their dietary restrictions or lack thereof, would love. If you’re not vegan, feel free to swap out anything you want in this recipe for the non-vegan alternative!
Speaking of those swaps, here is what I would do if I was making this “non-vegan.” What’s the technical word for cooking that isn’t vegan or related to any dietary restriction? I would actually keep the flax egg instead of using traditional egg wash because I love the way the flax seeds crisp up with the panko bread crumbs. I would also add a little Parmesan cheese to the bread crumb mixture because Parm makes everything better in my opinion. I would also use regular whole milk in the cream sauce because I love me some dairy. But, like I said, I love this dish as it is and on a typical weeknight when I’m trying to be healthier, I would gladly opt for this vegan version.
I only found pre-chopped cauliflower florets at the store, can I use these? Yassss you absolutely can!! If you want to use this same method to make cauliflower “nuggets,” please go ahead! You can serve the tarragon sauce as a dipping sauce, or just serve with BBQ sauce or ketchup.
If you’re a visual learner, I gotchu! Here’s a video on how to make this recipe. The best way to go about following any recipe is to look at the method and ingredient list, then if there is a video, to watch it and visualize the process!
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
| Cauliflower Steaks | |
| 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1-2 inch thick "steaks" | |
| 2 1/2tbsp flax meal (or ground up flax seeds) | |
| 6tbsp water | |
| Bread Crumb Mixture | |
| 1 1/2cups panko bread crumbs | |
| 1tsp kosher salt | |
| Zest of 1 lemon | |
| Fresh cracked black pepper | |
| Vegan Tarragon Cream Sauce | |
| 3tbsp olive oil | |
| 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced | |
| Half of a large shallot, sliced | |
| 1/4 cup fresh tarragon sprigs (1 1/2 tbsp if using dried tarragon) | |
| 2/3cup unsweetened almond milk | |
| 1/4cup vegetable broth or stock | |
| 1tsp lemon juice | |
| Kosher salt | |
| 2tsp all purpose flour (or gluten-free all purpose flour) |
Equipment
Directions
For the steaks:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and water. Whisk together until the mixture becomes thick and stretchy (kind of like an egg white!) Congrats! You have made 2 flax eggs! Set the mixture aside to set. If you're not vegan, you can use regular egg wash, of course.
In a large shallow bowl or on a large plate, combine all of the bread crumb mixture ingredients.
One slice at a time, brush the cauliflower steaks (or the florets/nuggets if not going with the cauliflower steaks) thoroughly with the flax egg. You can also dip the pieces of cauliflower into the flax egg mixture. Just make sure it gets in all the nooks and crannies and that you are brushing both sides until sticky!
After coating in the flax egg, transfer the cauliflower to the bread crumb mixture. Flip it to coat both sides, then use your hands to press breadcrumbs along the sides of the cauliflower so it's fully coated. Repeat with all of the pieces of cauliflower.
Place the newly battered cauliflower slices onto a sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown to your liking. You can go longer if you want that extra crunch.
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