These Air Fryer cauliflower steaks are a fun and easy way to serve some of that cauliflower you have lying in your refrigerator.
All it takes is a few minutes and a handful of pantry staples to put this vegan, low carb, gluten free dish together.
If you’re not a fan of cauliflower, you’ll be amazed at how incredibly delicious this rather effortless recipe can turn out.
The perfect crispy outside and the soft, tender inside beautifully compliments the savory spice rub generously coating the cauliflower steaks.
Once you give this easy recipe a try, you’ll keep coming back to it, and trying out different variations of it too!
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
What I love the most about this dish is the fact that it can actually be a great way to get more veggies on my plate without too much kitchen time and effort.
This recipe is a great way to start eating healthier foods more consciously and enjoy clean eating at its best.
Plus, you’ll also be getting a good dose of fiber, which is great for your gut and immune system.
Ingredients for the Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks Recipe
- Cauliflower
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Olive oil
- Turmeric powder
- Cumin powder
- Chili powder
- Lemon juice
- Chopped cilantro
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make the Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks
Start by slicing the cauliflower head in about 1 inch thick slices.
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cilantro.
Using a brush, baste the cauliflower steaks with the spice rub until evenly coated.
Air fry the steaks in a greased basket until golden and crisp. Top with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can also sprinkle a bit of parmesan or cheddar cheese over the steaks towards the end of the cooking process for some extra flavor and deliciousness.
- If you don’t have the cumin powder, chili powder and other Indian spices that the recipe calls for, you can just use some Cajun seasoning or any other seasoning mix of your choice.
- You can also try cutting the cauliflower into florets, drizzle the seasoning rub over it and then air fry them. This can be another unique way to serve the cauliflower in smaller, bite sized pieces.
💭Top Tip
This is the perfect recipe to get creative with all the seasonings and spices you want to. Smoked paprika, curry powder, harissa sauce, taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, Old bay seasoning, cayenne are all great choices.
Equipment
Storage
Your leftover Air Fryer cauliflower steaks can be transferred to food safe container and refrigerated for 3 days. You can then reheat it in the air fryer until it crisps up.
You may be tempted to reheat the steaks in the microwave, but that’ll actually cause the steaks to fall apart and turn lumpy as opposed to crisping up.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- If you loved how these air fried cauliflower steaks turned out, you can also try replicating the same recipe with almost any other veggie of your choice. Carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, asparagus, green beans and broccoli are some great choices.
- When picking cauliflower, remember to choose one that has a creamy, blemish-free appearance.
- Also remember to slice the cauliflower head in equal, 1 inch thick slices. Keeping them roughly the same size will ensure that they are all cooked to perfection.
- Make sure you never overcrowd your air fryer basket, regardless of what you’re cooking in there. Layering too many foods together in the basket will cause them to stay undercooked and not have that crispy outer coating you’re looking for.
- When flipping the cauliflower over during the cooking process, remember to be as gentle as you can, or the tender cauliflower may fall apart.
- If you don’t have an Air Fryer, you can also choose to bake the cauliflower steaks instead. Just remember to place them on a sheet of parchment paper, so that they don’t end up sticking to the baking tray.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These crispy Air Fryer cauliflower steaks can be served on their own right out of the air fryer. They are decently seasoned, so you don’t really need to put in any extra effort to serve them.
Just pair them with any of your mains, and you’re good to go.
If you really want to go the extra mile, you can drizzle a bit of your favorite sauce or chili oil or any other condiment of your choice to give it some extra flavor.
I personally love pairing it with my all time favorite creamy avocado ranch. You can also try whipping up this easy 3 ingredient tandoori mayonnaise and serve it as a dipping sauce on the side to go with it, especially when you are serving these steaks to some guests.
FAQs
The best way to check if your cauliflower steaks are cooked through is to poke them in the center using a fork. If the steaks seem soft and tender, they're done and ready to be served.
You can air fry almost any other veggies of your choice in a similar way. Dice them, chop them into cubes and toss them in the seasoning of your choice before air frying them.
Carrots, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, beet and pumpkin are some good options.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- salt
Instructions
- Start by slicing the cauliflower head in about 1 inch thick slices.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cilantro.
- Using a brush, baste the cauliflower steaks with the spice rub until evenly coated.
- Air fry the steaks in a greased basket until golden and crisp. Top with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.
