Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Sweet Potato Purée and Lentils (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Crispy caramelized roasted cauliflower “steaks” served on a bed of lentils and sweet potato puree with a creamy tahini garlic sauce and a tangy chimichurri. Garnished with cilantro and toasted pepita seeds.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp each ground cumin, smoked paprika, and turmeric (optional: add 1/4 tsp cayenne for heat)
- 1 lb (2-3 large or 454 g) sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 15 oz (425 g) can cooked lentils*
- ½ tsp each cumin and garlic powder
- ⅓ cup (85g) tahini
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 4-5 tbsp water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 small bunch cilantro (sub parsley)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ a jalapeño pepper (for heat)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- ½ the flesh of a medium avocado (sub 1 tbsp olive oil)
- 2 tbsp water
- ½ tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400F (205 C). Slice cauliflower into 1-inch steaks, leaving the large stem at the bottom. (There will be loose florets; you can roast these in the pan along with the steaks).
- 2
Place cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle on olive oil and maple syrup, and rub to coat both sides, then sprinkle on salt and the spices. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once halfway, until tender and browned on both sides.
- 3
In the meantime, steam sweet potatoes until soft and fork-tender. Instant pot option: place steamer basket and water in the base of the pot, add whole sweet potatoes, and cook using the manual setting on HIGH for 15 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
- 4
Peel cooked sweet potatoes. Add the 1 tbsp tahini and mash with a fork (or purée in a food processor) until combined and smooth.
- 5
Prep sauces. For tahini sauce, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Add as much water as needed to achieve desired consistency. For green sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor/blender and blend until smooth.
- 6
Combine cooked lentils with spices and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 7
To serve, spoon a layer of sweet potato puree onto plate, then top with lentils, a cauliflower steak, and both sauces. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted pepita seeds.