Peri-Peri Roasted Cauliflower Steaks — The Recipe That Converts Meat Eaters

Every time we serve this at a table with meat eaters, the same thing happens. Someone reaches across for a piece of the cauliflower not because there is nothing else, but because it looks and smells better than everything else on the table. Peri-peri does things to cauliflower that nothing else does — the heat draws out moisture from the surface so the edges go almost crispy, the sauce caramelises against the flesh, and the smoke in the sauce creates a savouriness that makes you forget you are eating a vegetable.

This is also genuinely the easiest thing in this collection. One tray. One sauce. 35 minutes.

What You Need (Serves 2 as a Main, 4 as a Side)

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 3 tablespoons STOKE peri-peri sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Half a teaspoon salt
• Half a teaspoon cumin (optional but very much recommended)

For Serving

• Plain Greek yoghurt or tahini
• Fresh coriander
• Lemon wedge
• Toasted pine nuts or pomegranate seeds if you want to make it look like you tried

How to Prepare the Steaks

Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower but leave the core intact — the core is what holds each steak together. Trim the base flat so it sits steady. Then cut straight down through the middle with a large sharp knife to create slices roughly 2 to 3 centimetres thick. You will get two or three good steaks from the centre of the head plus some florets on the sides that will not hold together but roast beautifully alongside anyway.

Mix the STOKE, olive oil, salt, and cumin in a small bowl. Brush this mixture generously over both sides of each cauliflower steak. Do not be shy — you want coverage everywhere, including the edges.

Roasting

Oven at 220°C. As hot as it goes. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the steaks on it in a single layer with a bit of room between them. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip carefully with a flat spatula and roast for another 15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, brush on another layer of STOKE and if your oven has a grill setting, switch to that to get the top surface really charred. The edges should be dark and slightly caramelised and the interior should be completely tender.

To Plate

Spread a generous spoonful of Greek yoghurt or tahini on the plate first — it acts as a base and cuts the heat of the sauce beautifully. Lay the cauliflower steak on top. Scatter the fresh coriander and squeeze a wedge of lemon over everything. Add the pine nuts or pomegranate seeds if you have them. It looks stunning and takes about 30 seconds to put together.

Why This Works

Cauliflower has a natural nuttiness when roasted at high heat that pairs perfectly with the smokiness in STOKE. The sauce does not fight the vegetable — it amplifies what is already there. The result is something that feels substantial and complex even though the ingredients list is short and everything happens in one pan.

This Also Works With

• Whole roasted carrots (30 minutes at the same temperature)
• Sweet potato halves (cut side down, 25 minutes)
• Broccoli florets tossed in STOKE and roasted until the edges are dark

One bottle of STOKE. Endless vegetable possibilities.