Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce and a side of Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing and Za’atar

Are you looking for a lovely vegan Sunday dinner with all the classics, but without the meat? Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce with a side of Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing with Za’atar is exactly what you need. Hearty, yet fresh, layers of flavour from the fried mushrooms with black garlic, made into a creamy sauce with soy cream. All while your sesame-sumac coated Cauliflower steaks are roasting in the oven. A side of greens with fresh and quick dressing, tying it all together with the addition of Za’atar. No one will miss the meat, trust me.

Why You Want This

Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce is a recipe for the whole family, that feels very much like your classic steak Diane, but fully vegan. The Umami hit of mushrooms with black garlic and thyme is supported by soy sauce (or coconut aminos) and balsamic vinegar, for the acidity and flavour kick that usually Worcestershire sauce would provide. Black garlic adds more nuance to it (though if you don’t have it on hand, fresh garlic will do just fine. Shallot of course, for the all-important backbone of almost any sauce. And thyme, as earthy aromatic herb component. Vegetable broth and soy cream provide the sauce fluid base. As usual, the sauce is the real star of this dish.

Check this post for detailed instructions on how to make your own Black Garlic.

Don’t forget the cauliflower steaks. They are covered with a ridiculously flavourful marinade of Tahini for stickiness, coconut aminos for umami and sweetness, sumac for added lemony notes, thyme, mirroring the sauce. Honey, to balance it all and help the sesame seeds stick for added crunch.

If you have never tried Sumac, it’s available in most supermarkets these days. It’s a dried and ground berry from the middle east, that has a lovely lemony flavour. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll start using it in all kinds of things.

And of course, the classic greens on the side. Here in form of Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing with Za’atar, again picking up the fresh and acidic thyme theme from the other two components.

The Process

Prepare the Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks first. Cut the outer leaves off the Cauliflower but keep the stem intact. You’ll need it to hold the steaks together. You will probably get about 2 full steaks from each head, as only the middle, where the stem is, holds together. Don’t throw out the rest. You can cover them with the remaining marinade and sprinkle with sesame, so they make shapes similar to chicken nuggets, being perfect for kids. Lay all the cauliflower out on 1-2 oven trays.
Mix all the marinade ingredients and brush them over the cauliflower. Do the side you want to point down first, sprinkle with sesame. Then turn the “pretty” side up and do the same.

While the steaks are in the oven, make the Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce. Cut the Mushrooms into quarters or slices (whichever you prefer. I love mine pretty chunky). Fry them in olive oil until nicely browned on medium-high heat. Be patient here and don’t stir too often. You want them slightly crispy and all the fried mushroom flavour you can get, without burning them.

Chop the shallot and garlic finely. I’m using 6-7 cloves of black and 1 fresh garlic. If you only have fresh, use 2-3 cloves. Strip the thyme leaves off the twigs. Take the mushrooms out of the pan and put them to the side. Lower the heat to medium and gently fry shallots and fresh garlic until translucent and soft.
Once both are done, add the vegetable broth and let it simmer until slightly reduced. Add the thyme and remaining ingredients, including mushrooms. Let the sauce simmer for a bit until it thickens a bit. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Quickly whisk together the Tahini, balsamic, lemon juice, Za’atar and 3 tbsp water. Season with salt to taste.

Once the Cauliflower Steaks are golden brown, pierce them to see if they are cooked. They should still have bite and be tender to the knife.

Serve on a big plate or single portions and enjoy.

Meal Prep

I kept the Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks in a glass container with lid that I lined with baking parchment, and stacked them with baking parchment in between, so the coating wouldn’t come off. They will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated until crispy in either air fryer or oven.

The Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce is kept in a separate glass container and reheated in the microwave.

The Lemon Tahini dressing is best kept in a jar in the fridge and the Arugula keeps amazingly well if you wash it (I often let it stand in cold water for 30min to 1h, so it can get really perky and fresh), then line a container with some paper towel and put the washed and spun dry leaves on it with a closely fitting lid. It will happily keep for 4 days at least like this.

Looking to add protein, ideally for dessert? Try my Protein Creme Brulee. 2 variations, so you can pick your favourite.

For more amazing Black Garlic Recipes check these:

Black Garlic Aioli

Black Garlic Butter with Lemon

Burger with Black Garlic Aioli

Black Garlic Cashew Ranch Dressing

Black Garlic Brine for Chicken

Black Garlic Roast Chicken Summer Salad

Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate

Mushroom Spinach Pasta Bake with Black Garlic

Black Garlic Mushroom Salad with Berries and Blue Cheese

Sourdough Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Black Garlic

Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot. 🙂

Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce with a side of Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing and Za’atar

Are you looking for a lovely vegan Sunday dinner with all the classics, but without the meat? Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce with a side of Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing with Za’atar is exactly what you need. Hearty, yet fresh, layers of flavour from the fried mushrooms with black garlic, made into a creamy sauce with soy cream. All while your sesame-sumac coated Cauliflower steaks are roasting in the oven. A side of greens with fresh and quick dressing, tying it all together with the addition of Za’atar. No one will miss the meat, trust me.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Fusion

Servings 6

Calories 280 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
• 1-2 heads of Cauliflower depending on size
• 6 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp sumac alternatively grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp honey
• 6 tbsp sesame seeds
• Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce
• 17 ounce 2 packs mushrooms (I used brown button mushrooms, but you can use whichever you prefer)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 6 cloves black garlic optional but very delicious
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup soy cream or single cream if you aren’t vegan
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
• Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing and Za’atar
• 1-2 bags arugula (depending on how much greens you enjoy
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp lemon juice about the juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 tsp za’atar
• 3 tbsp water

Instructions

 

• Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Cut the outer leaves off the cauliflower heads, leaving the stem intact to hold the steaks together. You'll get about 2 full steaks per head.
• In a bowl, mix tahini, sumac (or lemon zest), fresh thyme leaves, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), minced garlic, and honey to create the marinade.
• Place the cauliflower steaks on prachment lined oven trays. Brush the marinade over both sides of each steak, starting with the side that will be facing down. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the coated side.
• Turn and repeat the process.
• Roast the cauliflower steaks in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and tender with a slight bite.
• Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce:
• Cut the mushrooms into quarters or slices, depending on your preference.
• Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are nicely browned and slightly crispy. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic to the pan. Cook until the shallot is translucent and soft.
• Pour in the vegetable broth and let it simmer until slightly reduced.
• If using black garlic, add the chopped cloves at this stage.
• Add the soy cream, chopped thyme, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and soy sauce (or coconut aminos). Stir well.
• Return the cooked mushrooms to the pan and let the sauce simmer until it thickens. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste. You may want to add salt. I felt it was fine without.
• Arugula Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing:
• In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, za'atar, and water until well combined and smooth. Season the dressing with salt to taste.
• In a large bowl, place the arugula. Drizzle the lemon tahini dressing over the arugula and toss to coat the leaves evenly. (If you plan to keep some for the week, drizzle only the amount you are using today and store the rest in a kitchen towel lined container as described in the meal prep section)
• Serving:
• Plate the sumac roasted cauliflower steaks and drizzle a generous amount of the black garlic mushroom sauce over them.
• Serve the cauliflower steaks alongside a portion of the arugula salad with lemon tahini dressing on the side.

Notes

Calories: Approximately 260-300
Fat: Approximately 18-22 grams
Protein: Approximately 7-9 grams
Carbohydrates: Approximately 21-25 grams
Sugar: Approximately 9-12 grams

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal

Nutrition Facts

Sumac Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce with a side of Arugula with Lemon Tahini dressing and Za’atar

Amount per Serving

Calories

280

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword Black Garlic, For Guests, Healthy, High Fibre, Low Calorie, vegan, Vegetarian

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