Cauliflower Parmesan

  4.7 – 32 reviews  • Main Dish
This delicious, hearty cauliflower parm doesn’t skimp on the flavor and will satisfy everyone, from vegetarians to the most die-hard carnivore.
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Active: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  1. 1 medium head cauliflower
  2. 1 cup all-purpose flour
  3. Kosher salt
  4. 3 large eggs, beaten
  5. 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  6. About 1 cup olive oil
  7. 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce, from a 24-ounce jar
  8. 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  9. 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  10. 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a plate with paper towels.
  2. Pull off the leaves from the base of the cauliflower and cut off the stem, but do not cut out the core. Slice the cauliflower into 1-inch thick slices, aiming for about 3 nice “steaks” from the center. The rest will break into smaller florets, and that is okay.
  3. Mix the flour with 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Put the eggs in another shallow bowl and panko in a third shallow bowl. 
  4. Add 1/4 inch olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  5. Working with the larger pieces first, add the cauliflower to the flour and turn to coat. Shake off the excess, then dip in the egg to coat. Let the excess egg drip off, then coat thoroughly in the panko. Fry the cauliflower in batches to avoid overcrowding, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to the lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining smaller pieces of cauliflower (leave out any tiny crumbly pieces). 
  6. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the fried cauliflower on top, then spoon 1 cup of the sauce on top of the cauliflower. Arrange the mozzarella over the sauce, then spoon the remaining 1/2 cup marinara over the top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake until bubbling and lightly browned in spots, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 6 servings
Calories 725
Total Fat 52 g
Saturated Fat 13 g
Carbohydrates 44 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sugar 8 g
Protein 22 g
Cholesterol 131 mg
Sodium 857 mg

Reviews

Jesse Morales
Meh, not awful certainly not awesome.
Diane Morgan
Made mine lightly ‘fried’ in cast iron skillet. Made pork sausage meat sauce using vodka sauce mixed w/some leftover Alfredo Sauce. Rest of recipe following pretty closely. Used additional shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Finished with fresh basil. Delicious Pinot Noir and light mixed green salad. Perfect .
Todd Hayes
Delicious! Made it with a spicy marinara and added extra seasoning to the flour but otherwise followed the directions completely. Next time we will likely skip the step of “placing sauce on top of steak then mozzarella then sauce again” as we didn’t have enough sauce left! Hearty meal if you cut your steaks thick enough!
Brandon Davis
Who knew cauliflower could taste so good.
Steven Johnson
I’m a meat eater but my friend who came over for dinner is not. I tried this recipe and it was incredible. Very simple to make. I used Rao’s Marinara sauce which is on the pricey side but so worth it. Would make this again and again.
Stephen Edwards
Awesome!!!
Samantha Leblanc
The recipe is delicious. Made as directed. The problem I have with cauliflower steaks is that for some reason I can only ever get two steaks from a cauliflower. Just makes sure you have another use for the extra pieces.
Justin Edwards DVM
We really enjoyed this recipe, very tasty and hearty.  Served it with an arugula salad and homemade sourdough bread…perfect meal!  
William Reyes
Love this.
Jade Oconnell
Deelish & hearty!

 

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