Breaded Cauliflower Steaks with Lentil Apple Slaw
Tender crispy Breaded Cauliflower Steaks bursting with flavor and served with a lentil apple slaw and a creamy sweet and tangy maple mustard dressing. The ultimate satisfying main that is both nourishing and indulgent.
I think it is a fact that anything breaded automatically becomes more delicious. I don’t make the rules, but since this is the case, we can use this tip to let cauliflower shine. So we’re breading them as “steaks” and roasting them in the oven until they are golden crispy perfection.
Why You’ll Love These Breaded Cauliflower Steaks
- Full of flavor. The breading and batter are seasoned well to make each bite of cauliflower delicious and memorable.
- Great festive main. If you are looking for a main to entertain with that isn’t tofu, seitan or tempeh, this one is perfectly balanced, satisfying and delicious.
- A fun way to get in your produce. You’re getting multiple nutrient dense veggies in this meal from the tender cauliflower to the tangy sweet combo of lentils, cabbage, apples and celery in the slaw making this a fantastic fiber-rich meal.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cauliflower: Use a large cauliflower to get the most cauliflower steaks out of it. I include some tips below to help you cut the perfect sized steaks.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour, but this can work with a variety of flours. Just note, some flours can be more absorbent than others, so if needed, feel free to thin out the batter if it gets too thick with additional milk.
- Milk: I used soy milk, but you can use other plant-based milks with great results.
- Panko: This will help get you the crispiest texture, so if you can, stick to this type of breading.
- Seasonings: I used a combination of nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme and ground coriander to flavor the breading.
- Dressing: This is a combination of yogurt, tahini, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, lemon, apple cider vinegar and garlic. I used Forager Project cashew yogurt, but you can use your favorite unsweetened dairy-free plain yogurt for this.
- Slaw: A combination of thinly shredded cabbage, celery and apples paired with some cooked lentils and tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing. To make this quick, use canned lentils and a pre-shredded bagged slaw mix and add in the extras you like.
How to Make Breaded Cauliflower Steaks Into a Full Meal
How to Make Breaded Cauliflower
Prep the cauliflower. Trim any excess leaves from the cauliflower, making sure to leave a portion of the stem intact to hold the cauliflower together. Using the stem as a guide, cut the cauliflower into thin 1-inch slabs. Note that the ends you cut will likely crumble if not attached to the stem (totally okay). Either save for another recipe or bread them too. You should be able to get 4-5 whole slabs.
Batter and Bread It. In one shallow bowl combine all the breading ingredients and mix together. In a second shallow bowl, combine all the batter ingredients and whisk together.
Carefully dip the cauliflower slabs into the batter to coat, then shake off excess batter. Next, place the battered cauliflower into the breading bowl, making sure to coat the cauliflower on all sides. Shake off excess and place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining slabs.
Bake It. Spray both sides of the cauliflower generously with a high heat spray oil and place in the oven for 25 mins. Flip, and roast for an additional 5-10 minutes to cook the cauliflower through.
How to Make Lentil Apple Slaw
Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, tahini, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar together in a bowl. Taste and adjust salt and pepper based on preference.
Combine the lentils, cabbage, celery, apples, cilantro and lemon together in a mixing bowl, pour over half the dressing and toss to combine.
To serve, plate the slaw and top with the cauliflower steak then top with extra dressing and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Use the cauliflower stem as a guide to cutting your steaks. Flip your cauliflower so that the stem is facing up when cutting into it. This will help you guide your cuts. Anything attached to the stem should maintain as a full slab without crumbling into florets.
- Opt for larger cauliflower heads. You’ll get more cauliflower steaks out of a larger cauliflower.
- Spray your cauliflower steaks well with oil. This will help give it more of a golden exterior as it bakes.
- Save time by using pre-chopped and canned items. I love to use canned lentils and a bag of shredded cabbage or slaw mix to save on chopping or extra prep work in the kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this vegan and gluten-free, swap the panko crumbs for gluten-free panko crumbs from Kikkoman. You can replace the flour with a gluten-free flour of choice. Rice flour or the all-purpose gluten-free flour from Bob’s Red Mill works great.
Enjoy immediately after baking for best results. If you have leftovers, place the cauliflower steaks and slaw in separate airtight containers. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat the cauliflower, place it on a baking tray and reheat in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes to crisp it back up.
How to Serve
This is a complete meal that contains protein, complex carbohydrates and lots of vegetables. If you are not a fan of slaw, you can serve this cauliflower steak with a quinoa salad or over this warm kale salad.
More Cauliflower Recipes
- Roasted Gnocchi with Caramelized Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower Bowls with Orange Chipotle Tahini Sauce
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
- High Protein Roasted Chickpea Tempeh Bowls
Breaded Cauliflower Steaks with Lentil Apple Slaw
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 cauliflower steaks 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Tender crispy Breaded Cauliflower Steaks bursting with flavor and served with a lentil apple slaw and a creamy sweet and tangy maple mustard dressing. The ultimate satisfying main that is both nourishing and indulgent.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized cauliflowers
- High heat oil spray
Breading
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs (or gluten-free panko)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
Batter
- 3/4 cup ap flour (gluten-free ap flour)
- 3/4 cup almond milk or soy milk
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Dressing
- 1/2 cup thick unsweetened vegan yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Juice and zest of half a lemon
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Slaw
- 1, 15 oz can black or small brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 honey crisp apple, cut into match sticks
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pickled red onions, optional
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Trim any excess leaves from the cauliflower, making sure to leave a portion of the stem intact to hold the cauliflower together. Using the stem as a guide, cut the cauliflower into thin 1-inch slabs. Note that the ends you cut will likely crumble if not attached to the stem (totally okay). Either save for another recipe or bread them too. You should be able to get 4-5 whole slabs.
- In one shallow bowl combine all the breading ingredients and mix together. In a second shallow bowl, combine all the batter ingredients and whisk together.
- Carefully dip the cauliflower slabs into the bowl with batter to coat, then shake off excess back into the bowl. Place the battered cauliflower into the breading bowl, making sure to coat the cauliflower on all sides then shake off excess and place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining slabs.
- Spray both sides of the cauliflower generously with a high heat spray oil and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Flip, and roast for an additional 5-10 minutes to cook the cauliflower through.
- Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, tahini, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, lemon juice and zest and apple cider vinegar together in a bowl. Taste and adjust salt and pepper based on preference.
- Combine the lentils, cabbage, celery, apples, cilantro and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl, pour over half the dressing and toss to combine.
- To serve, plate the slaw and top with the cauliflower steak then top with extra dressing and enjoy.
Notes
Use the cauliflower stem as a guide to cutting your steaks. Flip your cauliflower so that the stem is facing up when cutting into it. This will help you guide your cuts. Anything attached to the stem should maintain as a full slab without crumbling into florets.
Opt for larger cauliflower heads. You’ll get more cauliflower steaks out of a larger cauliflower.
Spray your cauliflower steaks well with oil. This will help give it more of a golden exterior as it bakes.
Save time by using pre-chopped and canned items. I love to use canned lentils and a bag of shredded cabbage or slaw mix to save on chopping or extra prep work in the kitchen.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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