These Cauliflower Steaks with Romesco Sauce and Lemon Caper Butter turn a simple vegetable into a vibrant, flavour-packed main course. The cauliflower is briefly blanched to tenderize it, then sliced into thick wedges and pan-roasted until nicely charred and crisp. The steaks sit on a creamy Romesco sauce made from roasted red peppers, toasted almonds and bright vinegar, and finish with a glossy drizzle of Lemon Caper Butter. Serve as a vegetarian centerpiece or alongside your favourite grilled protein.
Ingredients You Need for the Cauliflower Steaks with Romesco Sauce
- Cauliflower: Choose smaller heads when possible — they cook faster and fit more easily in a skillet for searing. If your head is very large, sear the steaks in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Salt: The cauliflower is blanched in a large pot of boiling water. Heavily season the water (similar to how you would for pasta) so the vegetable absorbs some seasoning while it cooks.
- Red Peppers: Any red pepper works, from sweet bell peppers to red shepherd peppers. In Spain, rehydrated ñora peppers are traditional, but they’re not always easy to find. Use what’s fresh and flavorful.
- Onion: Roasting red onion with the peppers adds a deeper sweetness and complexity to the Romesco. It’s optional but recommended.
- Garlic: Roasted garlic mellows and sweetens, so add as much as you like—roasting reduces the sharp bite and brings a rich depth to the sauce.
- Sherry Vinegar: A good-quality sherry vinegar adds acidity and complexity. If you don’t have it, red wine vinegar is a fine substitute.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use EVOO to roast the vegetables, to sear the cauliflower and to emulsify the Romesco. Adding oil while blending creates a smooth, rich sauce.
- Spices: Dry oregano, smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne balance the sweetness of the peppers and add smoky, savory notes.
- Almonds: Raw, unsalted almonds are traditional and help thicken the Romesco while adding a toasty, nutty flavour. Toast them briefly in a skillet or oven for best results. If you have a tree-nut allergy, substitute hazelnuts, cashews or walnuts, or omit entirely.
Ingredients You Need for the Lemon Caper Butter
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, preferably high-quality or grass-fed for the best flavour.
- Capers: Capers in brine bring a bright, savory tang. A small splash of the brine can be added to the butter for extra punch.
- Parsley: Flat-leaf or curly parsley both work; finely chopped parsley disperses well through the butter.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice provides clean acidity—avoid bottled juice when possible.
What is Romesco Sauce?
Romesco is a thick, red sauce that comes from Tarragona in Catalonia, Spain. Its core ingredients are roasted red peppers, garlic, nuts (traditionally almonds), olive oil, vinegar and spices. Once roasted, the vegetables and nuts are either pounded into a paste with a mortar and pestle or blended until smooth.
Variations abound: some versions include roasted tomatoes, use hazelnuts instead of almonds, or incorporate stale bread for body. You can make it smoky with smoked paprika, spicy with chiles or cayenne, or adjust acidity with more or less vinegar. The key is to adapt the sauce to your pantry and taste—the result is versatile and delicious.
Romesco pairs beautifully with grilled vegetables, fish, meats and as a dip for bread. It also adds depth to soups, stews and grain bowls; many people happily eat it by the spoonful.
What I Love About This Recipe
This recipe is easy, impressive and flexible. Several components can be made in advance, and the Romesco is useful beyond this dish—use leftovers on sandwiches, roasted vegetables or as a dipping sauce. The technique of blanching first and then searing the wedges in a skillet speeds up cooking while maximizing the surface that browns and caramelizes. Compared to roasting an entire head of cauliflower in the oven, these pan-roasted steaks develop more char and flavor in far less time.
The presentation is rustic and elegant at once: browned cauliflower wedges resting on a smear of red Romesco and finished with a glossy Lemon Caper Butter make for a dish that both looks and tastes special.
Do You Really Need to Blanche the Cauliflower First?
Yes—blanching is essential. A quick 7-minute blanch softens the florets, improves texture and allows the cauliflower to absorb salt from the water. If you skip blanching and simply sear raw wedges, the exterior will brown while the interior remains undercooked and relatively flavorless. Blanching ensures tenderness and seasoning throughout.
Can You Make The Cauliflower Steaks Ahead of Time?
For the best texture serve the steaks right after pan-roasting, while they’re hot and crispy. You can blanch the cauliflower up to one day ahead, refrigerate it, then slice and sear when ready. If reheating fully cooked steaks, you may want to finish them in a 400°F oven for a few minutes to ensure they’re heated through without losing their char.
Storing Leftovers
Romesco keeps well: store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Leave headspace for expansion when freezing. Cooked cauliflower is best eaten the same day, but blanched cauliflower can be refrigerated for one day before finishing in the pan.
Recipe: Cauliflower Steaks with Romesco Sauce and Lemon Caper Butter
Prep Time: 15 minutes · Cook Time: 50 minutes · Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes · Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Romesco Sauce
- 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped and seeds removed
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup raw, unsalted almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
For the Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for blanching water)
- 1 head cauliflower, bottom core trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons capers packed in brine
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
For the Romesco Sauce
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a roasting pan, toss the peppers, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Roast until tender and beginning to char, about 30 minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 6–8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables and almonds to a blender. Add the sherry vinegar and blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly stream in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to emulsify until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it’s too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons water; if too thin, add more almonds. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Store Romesco in a sealed jar at room temperature if using the same day, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For the Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add the whole cauliflower, stem side up, and cook until florets are just tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer stem side down to a wire rack and let dry for at least 15 minutes, then slice into four equal wedges.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Place the cauliflower wedges cut side down and cook undisturbed until deeply browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and brown the other cut side, another 5–6 minutes. If the pan dries out, add a little more oil. Transfer the browned cauliflower to a plate and keep warm under foil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Stir in the capers, parsley and lemon juice and cook until warmed through, about 1–2 minutes.
- Spread 1 cup Romesco sauce on a serving platter, arrange the cauliflower wedges browned side up, and spoon the Lemon Caper Butter over the top. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 318 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 27 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g; Polyunsaturated: 3 g; Monounsaturated: 17 g)
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 15 mg
- Sodium: 2052 mg · Potassium: 694 mg
- Fiber: 6 g · Sugar: 7 g
- Vitamin A: 2474 IU · Vitamin C: 154 mg · Calcium: 69 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!