A Marinade Is All You Need To Take Cauliflower Steaks Up A Notch

Some superfoods are celebrated for what they offer in the way of nutrients and flavor. Cauliflower — although it offers health benefits of its own – seems to have achieved its status due to what it lacks. Still, as a low-carb plant-based food that tastes pretty unobtrusive, cauliflower serves a valuable function by standing in for Buffalo wings, mashed potatoes, pizza crust, and even steak. In order to make cauliflower steak truly tasty, though, a marinade is de rigueur.

Mashed recipe developer Miriam Hahn likes to cook cauliflower steaks in the air fryer, but before she does so, she coats them in a mixture of oil, lime juice, smoked paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. This marinade gives the vegetable a hint of smoke, a slight pungency, and a bit of tang, although if you want an even bolder flavor you may add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or hot sauce to the mix. Hahn also suggests dunking the cooked steaks in a dipping sauce of some sort, telling us, "I like to dip [them] in ranch dressing." Still, even without any added condiments, the marinade alone is enough to make these steaks much more appetizing than plain cauliflower could possibly be.

No matter how tasty this marinade may be, cauliflower steaks aren't a true meat substitute, but that's okay. This recipe really isn't so much about trying to pass the vegetable off as actual steak as it is about making it far more flavorful. That being said, it leaves you with a choice of what to do with the cauliflower steaks. Do you want to serve them as a main course? If so, be aware that cauliflower is pretty low in protein with just 2 grams per cup. In order to compensate, it would be best served with a protein-rich side such as baked beans or a hearty salad with eggs, cheese, and nuts.

Of course, cauliflower steaks can also work as vegetable courses, since they do fit the bill. Serve them alongside a beef steak such as our seared filet-mignon and mushrooms as a low-carb side or use them to accompany grilled chicken, pan-seared pork chops, or baked ham. Cauliflower, after all, is among the most neutral of vegetables and the marinade's paprika-lime flavoring shouldn't play havoc with too many potential pairings, either. As a result, these steaks can fit in just about anywhere you might plug in potatoes.