Cauliflower steaks are marinated in a smoky and spicy harissa glaze then baked until lightly charred. To top this delicious offering, an herby and citrusy chermoula dressing is spooned over to create a medley of gorgeous North African flavors for this vegetarian, gluten-free dish.

Prep – 20 minutes mins
Cook – 30 minutes mins
Serves – 4

Ingredients  

For the Harissa Cauliflower Steaks

• ▢ 3 tablespoons harissa paste
• ▢ 2 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1/2 lime, juiced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 large cauliflower
• ▢ Salt
• ▢ Black pepper
• ▢ Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the Chermoula Dressing (or substitute with storebought)

• ▢ 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• ▢ 1/2 cup parsley leaves and tender stems
• ▢ 1 small preserved lemon, seeds removed and coarsely chopped (rind and all)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• ▢ Small pinch of Aleppo pepper
• ▢ 1/2 lime, juiced
• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
• ▢ Salt
• ▢ Black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

Instructions 

• Get ready. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Make the harissa glaze. In a small bowl, add the harissa paste, garlic, honey, oregano, lime juice, and yogurt. Whisk until fully combined.
• Dress the cauliflower. Remove the cauliflower’s outer leaves at the base, then into 1-inch thick planks. Place on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Then brush each side generously with the harissa glaze.
• Roast the cauliflower. Drizzle the cauliflower steaks with olive oil and bake on the center rack until tender and a little charred, about 30 minutes.
• Start the Chermoula. Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with a blade, pulse the cilantro and parsley until they are coarsely chopped. Then add the preserved lemon, cumin, paprika, Aleppo pepper, lime juice, honey, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Blend. With the food processor on low speed, and drizzle in the olive oil. Watch it as it blends. This step should not take very long at all. Don’t over-process the mixture; chermoula is not meant to be a runny sauce! It should still have a little texture to it at the end. Once it looks like the flavors have melded, turn off your food processor. Taste a little and adjust the seasoning or lime juice to your taste.
• Assemble and serve. When the cauliflower steaks are cooked to your liking, remove the tray from the oven. Spread the cauliflower steaks onto your serving dish and then spoon the chermoula dressing over top just before serving.

Notes

• For the herbs: Be sure to trim the tough woody bits off the stem, but not too much as the stems contain a lot of flavor. 
• You can use high quality store-bought chermoula or make ahead of time. Pour the dressing into a sealable container, drizzle a layer of olive oil on top, and place it in your fridge until you are ready to use. 
• If you don’t use all of the chermoula with the cauliflower, this dressing typically lasts up to 5 days in the fridge. Use as a condiment for meat–like our Beef Tenderloin Roast Recipe–sandwiches, salads, and more.

Nutrition

Calories: 322.1kcal
Carbohydrates: 18.7g
Protein: 4.1g
Fat: 27.7g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g
Monounsaturated Fat: 19.8g
Cholesterol: 0.2mg
Sodium: 203.3mg
Potassium: 579.7mg
Fiber: 4.3gSugar: 10.6g
Vitamin A: 1060.1IU
Vitamin C: 87.6mg
Calcium: 70.6mg
Iron: 1.9mg