Fried Cauliflower Steaks with Honey and Hot Sauce
Fried cauliflower steaks drizzled with honey and hot sauce. A delicious vegetarian twist on fried chicken!
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (120 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs regular or panko for extra crunch
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
- toasted black sesame seeds
Toppings:
- honey for drizzling
- hot sauce for drizzling
Instructions
- Steam the Cauliflower: Slice the cauliflower into ¾-inch to 1-inch thick steaks (see this post for step by step photos). Some slices might need to be halved if they are too large. The most important step in this process is creating a flat surface on both sides of the cauliflower so they fry evenly (don’t worry if some of the pieces or florets break off).
- Set the steaks (and any leftover trimmed pieces)in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet over medium heat and pour in ¼-inch of water. Do not crowd the pan, this step might need to be done in batches. Bring the water to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and allow the cauliflower to steam until it is barely fork tender, roughly 4 to 6 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cauliflower. Repeat until all of the cauliflower has been steamed.
- Use a spatula to carefully transfer the cauliflower steaks and pieces to a plate or wire rack. Allow them to cool completely, then season with salt and pepper.
- Breading Assembly: Whisk together the eggs in a bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, breadcrumbs, and paprika on a seperate shallow plate or bowl for breading. Season flour mixture with salt and pepper.
- Dip the cauliflower steaks in egg on both sides, then coat in the flour mixture. Be sure to cover the cauliflower as completely as possible. If the cauliflower steaks break up, don't worry, just coat and fry the pieces.
- Set aside a half sheet pan lined with wire rack.
- Add oil to a large skillet until it is at least ½-inch deep. Place over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, gently add the breaded cauliflower steaks. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until they are golden brown and crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Flip and repeat. Transfer them to the wire rack and immediately season with salt and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
- Repeat with the remaining cauliflower steaks, replacing the frying oil if necessary. Serve the fried cauliflower on a large platter and honey and hot sauce for drizzling.
Inspired by the fried chicken dish at Rose’s Luxury.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 325kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 356mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g