Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Pesto
Updated August 13, 2019
We’ve been grilling out a lot this week. It’s too hot to turn on the oven and we are enjoying sitting on our patio. We’ve been grilling up all kinds of vegetables. My new favorite vegetable to grill is cauliflower. I made Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Pesto and they are Tasty with a capital T! My kind of steak for sure!
To make the cauliflower steaks, I cut a head of cauliflower lengthwise into thick slices. I wanted the cauliflower to have a punch of flavor so I made a simple pesto to cover the steaks.
I made a vegan and nut-free pesto-no parmesan cheese and no nuts. So it’s basically a basil oil with garlic and lemon. It’s super simple to make. If you want, you can use our Spinach Basil Pesto or your favorite pesto too. Any pesto will work!
I brushed both sides of the cauliflower steaks with the pesto and put them on the grill. I cooked them on both sides until they were tender, but still firm.
The results were amazing! I loved the smoky flavor from the grill and the basil pesto was the perfect pop of color and flavor. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Pesto are the best steaks I have ever eaten. I know I am not a steak eater, but still, these babies are GOOD!
Make Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Pesto at your next BBQ or just turn on the grill and enjoy a simple summer meal tonight! You have to try these healthy cauliflower steaks! We will be grilling them up all summer long!
And head on over to Cafe Zupas for some Watermelon Cucumber Salsa! Happy weekend!
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower
- 1 cup basil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Cut the cauliflower lengthwise, including the stalk, into 3/4-inch slices. Set aside.
- 2. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the basil, garlic, and lemon juice. Turn on the machine and pulse a few times. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor or blender is running. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Pulse again until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3. Brush both sides of the cauliflower steaks with pesto. Place on a grill over medium heat. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until cauliflower is tender but still firm. Serve warm.
- Note: I made a vegan pesto for this recipe, but the cauliflower steaks are also great with our Spinach Basil Pesto. You can also use store bought pesto if you wish.
Have you tried this recipe?
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This looks like a very deliciously healthy meal.
Looks and sounds incredible!! I’m always up for a simple and light dinner, and I just bought a bunch of Cauliflower at the store yesterday! Looking forward to trying this, thanks!!
What a wonderful idea! I’ll have to try this this weekend!!!
These look awesome! I love that you slathered them in pesto!
I’ve been hearing a lot about cauliflower steaks lately. I love cauliflower, especially roasted, so I know I’d love it grilled!
o.m.g.
These look so scrumptious and healthy, Maria! I love the addition of pesto!
These look simple and oh so healthy!
What a nice way to enjoy some healthy cauliflower in the summer!
Seen this a lot lately and it does look tasty! I gotta try it this summer 🙂
Wow! These look great, Maria!
Really beautiful dish Maria!
Yum! Can’t wait to try this. I adore grilled and baked cauliflower although I normally do it buffalo style and dip in blue cheese dressing. But I should venture out and try something new….
Love cauliflower! Sounds amazing!!
I’m loving grilled cauliflower in this hot Utah heat as well-but pesto will bring it to a new level for sure! As always, thank you so much for a tasty and easy recipe!
I had something like this at a restaurant in Charleston and it was SOOO good. It had an eggplant marinara on top. So yum! Your version looks awesome.
I love cauliflower steaks! And with pesto – sounds amazing!
We have a crazy amount of cauliflower that we picked from the garden in our fridge right now.. so this came at a perfect time, thanks!
As much as I’ve roasted cauliflower, I’ve never grilled it. That needs to change, because this looks delicious! Love the pesto on it as well.
What a great idea! They look tasty.
Yum! I’m going to make these tonight! I have some pesto I bought from the farmer’s market & froze a while back. Will serve it with a yummy lentil salad I made last night. Think I’ll whip up some frozen cadillac margaritas and it’ll be a summer solstice celebration.
YUM! I love cauliflower and am always looking for new ways to cook it. I never would have though to grill it like this. It’s genius Maria and looks fantastic!
I love grilled cauliflower; pesto sounds like the perfect topper!
What a healthy and delicious way to eat cauliflower!
If only it didn’t look like post-mortem slices of brain.
oh this is such a great idea! i’m always looking for new ways to grill veggies. thanks so much!
maybe this is the way I can finally enjoy cauliflower. My husband loves the stuff.
Just pinned this and can’t wait to try it! Love that it’s a new way to eat cauliflower 🙂
I actually don’t think I’ve ever had grilled cauliflower! MAJOR shame on me. sounds fabulous with the pesto!
omg. seriously been dying to make these since I saw them a few month ago here!
I love how healthy this is!
Cauliflower steaks! Be still my heart! They look fabulous!
I love these cauliflower steaks! Such a great idea to smother them in pesto… this totally screams summer!
Yuuum! You always amaze me Maria 🙂
We’ve been firing up the grill too!! This looks so delicious, Maria 🙂
I love the creativity of this recipe.
I would have never thought to do this and I love both so much! This looks great! Thank you!
These looks healthy and delicious, have to bring my grill out soon.
I did not have a grill and so I just used the same recipe to bake and then broil my cauliflower. It was still good. I also sprinkled some thyme and pepper on the steak once done, which gave a extra flavor that I liked.
Thanks Maria! 🙂
This was a great idea
Thanks!
This recipe looks delicious AND it fits the paleo autoimmune protocol (a rare thing). So, thank you! I host a weekly Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable through my blog, and I would love it if you linked up this recipe. I’m trying to expand resources for the AIP community. Here’s the link (you click the blue button at the bottom of the post to add your recipe): http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2014/07/02/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-33/
I made this with premade pesto and it was amazing