Have you ever tried roasted cauliflower steaks? If not, you’re in for a treat!
When you’re first trying to clean up your diet, it can be tough to come up with different and unique spins on old classics that you love. And whether you’re going fully plant-based or simply cutting back on animal-based products, it’s easy to fall into the rut of eating the same dishes over and over.
The result? Dietary sabotage! The good news? You can avoid that by switching it up with inspiring, delicious twists on common plant-based foods. And that’s where this recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Egyptian Dukkah comes into play.
You can serve is as a tasty entree and skip the standard roasted or steamed cauliflower for a flavor twist you’ll love.
So, what are the benefits of eating this delicious dish?
First, the main ingredient in these Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Egyptian Dukkah—cauliflower—offers some pretty powerful health benefits.
Cauliflower is rich in fiber, which supports digestive health. In fact, just one cup of chopped cauliflower contains 2.5 grams of fiber, which is 10 percent of the average daily requirement! [1]
But cauliflower is rich in several nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate. And that same one cup of cauliflower mentioned above also provides more than 46 mg of vitamin C, which is over 75 percent of your daily requirement.
Cauliflower is also a great source of antioxidants. According to a 2013 study, fresh cauliflower had significantly high antioxidant activity, ranking in at 68.91 percent antioxidants! [2]
Largely thanks to its high fiber content, cauliflower is also known to support health weight management. In fact, according to a 2015 analysis of three studies, increased cauliflower consumption alone was associated with a 1.37-pound loss in weight! [3]
But that’s not all the health benefits contained in these Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Egyptian-Inspired Dukkah. Let’s take a moment to discuss the walnuts featured in the Dukkah.
Walnuts also offer some pretty amazing health benefits, from supporting healthy weight management to boosting your mood to lengthening lifespan!
According to a 2012 scientific article, walnuts have the highest free and total polyphenols of all nuts— whether they’re raw or roasted. And a 2010 study revealed that eating a diet rich in the omega-3s found in walnuts actually helped to slow telomere shortening. But there’s more.
The study also revealed that those who didn’t consume enough omega-3s were likely to experience telomere shortening (increased aging) at an accelerated rate. [4]
Additionally, according to a 2017 study, consuming 30 grams of walnuts each day has positive effects on weight loss.
Those who consumed walnuts daily achieved the greatest weight loss after three months (in comparison to other diets) and also reported significant improvements in healthy food choices and eating less junk food.
Plus, those who ate walnuts were able to maintain their weight loss for a solid year. [5]
Finally, according to a 2016 study, men who regularly ate walnuts reported improved moods, on average, by more than 27 percent. [6]
As you can see, these roasted cauliflower steaks offer some amazing health benefits. Now let’s take a look at the recipe so you can start taking advantage of them!
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Egyptian-Inspired Dukkah
Time: 50 minutes
Makes: 2 steaks
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
2 (1.5-inch) cauliflower steaks, cut core to crown
¼ cup olive oil, divided
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
For the Dukkah:
2 tablespoons raw walnuts
2 tablespoons raw macadamia nuts
2 tablespoons raw pistachios
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
½ tablespoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Directions
1. To make the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub each steak with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Season with the salt and pepper.
2. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 25 minutes per side, or until golden and tender.
3. To make the dukkah: In a skillet over medium-low heat, toast the walnuts, macadamia nuts, and pistachios for 1 minute. Add the sesame seeds, fennel seeds, cumin, and coriander and toast another minute, stirring often, until fragrant.
4. Transfer the nut mixture to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Be careful not to over process.
5. Serve the cauliflower steaks drizzled with remaining olive oil and sprinkled with dukkah and enjoy!
