Got grilling plans but still seeking a vegetarian main? Whether you’re totally plant-based or are an avid meat-lover, you’re going to absolutely fall in love with these grilled cauliflower steaks slathered in teriyaki sauce. The recipe comes from our friends over at Delish, who have included some helpful tips for preparing, grilling, and storing the “steaks.” If you cook these for a crowd, expect them to steal the show.

The “steaks”: Cauliflower steaks can be tricky to fabricate, since only the cross-sections connected to the center cauliflower stem will hold together as cohesive “steaks” once sliced. For best results, use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the cauliflower, and slice the steaks as evenly as possible; this will help them to cook through evenly on the grill. The outer pieces of cauliflower (those not connected through the center stem) will fall apart as you slice, but don’t throw them away. Grill them separately on a wire rack (so the smaller pieces don’t fall through the grill grates) and toss them in the leftover teriyaki glaze or — better yet — save them to make stir-fried cauliflower rice.

The marinade: In a typical teriyaki, the meat is marinated in the sauce to tenderize and flavor it, then basted with more sauce while grilling. Here, the process is slightly different. Briefly “marinating” the cauliflower in soy, rice vinegar, and aromatics lightly seasons the exterior of the steaks (particularly the florets) as well as giving the steaks a gorgeous bronzed color as they grill. And while the marinade here is also cooked down until it thickens into a glaze, I don’t recommend basting the steaks with the glaze while they’re on the grill. The sugars in the glaze quickly burn, charring your cauliflower (and not in a good way!) and wreaking havoc on your grill. Instead, wait until the steaks are cooked through and beautifully marked, then slather them with the sauce once they’re off the heat.

Storage: These cauliflower steaks are best fresh, but any leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Any raw leftover cauliflower scraps can also be stored in a dry airtight container for up to 5 days before roasting. If you have leftover sauce? Toss it with the leftover cauliflower scraps, once you’ve cooked them, or toss it over roasted Brussels sprouts or cabbage wedges. No sauce this good should ever see the trash.

Grilled Teriyaki Cauliflower Steaks

By Taylor Ann Spencer

Yields: 3 – 4 serving(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Cal/Serv: 279

Ingredients

½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, grated
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. grated peeled ginger
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 large head cauliflower
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
⅓ cup light brown sugar
Neutral oil, for grill
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Arrange cauliflower head stem down on a cutting board (trim stem if necessary so bottom of cauliflower can rest on cutting board). Using a sharp knife, cut cauliflower into slices about ¼” thick. (The ends will crumble and that’s okay; reserve pieces for another use. There should be 3 or 4 center “steaks” that hold together.) Arrange cauliflower steaks in a single layer in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, and ¼ cup cold water. Pour over cauliflower and turn to coat. Let sit, turning halfway through, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small pot, whisk cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water until cornstarch is dissolved. Add brown sugar and whisk to combine.
Carefully transfer cauliflower to a metal baking sheet; season with salt.
Pour marinade into pot with brown sugar mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove sauce from heat.
Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium heat (or heat a grill pan over medium heat); preheat 5 minutes. Clean and oil grates with neutral oil.
Arrange cauliflower steaks on grill, spacing evenly apart. Grill, undisturbed, until deeply marked on the bottom, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a large metal spatula, carefully flip steaks. Continue to grill until grill marks appear on the bottom and steak is tender enough to pierce with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes more.
Arrange cauliflower on a platter. Slather with teriyaki sauce. Top with scallions and sesame seeds.