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Looking for a satisfying meatless dinner? These golden, tender cauliflower steaks paired with a flavorful tomato chickpea curry offer a delicious, low-carb meal that doesn't skimp on heart-healthy nutrition.
A common question is, "Do cauliflower and chickpeas go together?" The answer is a resounding yes! The earthy, nutty profile of roasted cauliflower perfectly complements the creamy texture of fiber-rich chickpeas and the bright acidity of the tomato curry. This pairing provides a "meaty" mouthfeel without the saturated fat of traditional steaks. While the cauliflower roasts to a perfect golden brown, the curry simmers quickly on the stovetop, making this a nutritious, restaurant-quality meal you can enjoy any weeknight.
Go meatless for dinner a couple times a week and explore our delicious variety of vegetarian dinner recipes.
This plant-forward meal is a heart-healthy alternative to traditional steak dinners, focusing on fiber-rich vegetables and plant-based proteins. By using antioxidant-rich spices and heart-healthy oils, this recipe supports cardiovascular health while delivering bold, satisfying flavors.
This recipe contains approximately 268 calories per serving, including the steak, curry, and sauce.
If using canned chickpeas, they are already cooked and only need to be heated through. If using dried chickpeas, they must be soaked and boiled until tender before adding to this recipe.
In this recipe, the cauliflower is roasted separately for 20–25 minutes to develop a deep flavor and firm texture before being plated with the curry.
For "steaks," fresh cauliflower is required to get the necessary thick slices. Frozen cauliflower florets can be used to make the curry portion, but they will not hold the "steak" shape.
Enjoy more satisfying, meatless dinners with our collection of heart-healthy, plant-based main dishes that focus on high-fiber ingredients and bold, savory flavors.
Elevate your meal with these versatile cauliflower-based sides that offer a low-carb, heart-healthy alternative to traditional grains and potatoes.
Recipe yields 4 servings
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes (if the onion starts to brown, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan to prevent them from coloring). Add the minced garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, mustard, turmeric, cayenne, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and ½ cup water. Bring the curry to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 15-20 minutes. Add the chickpeas and heat through.
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Slice the cauliflower head into ¼-inch thick slices. Place the four center steaks on the baking sheet. (Reserve the rest of the cauliflower, which will be crumblier, smaller pieces, for something else.) In a small bowl, stir together oil, and turmeric. Drizzle spiced oil over cauliflower steaks and rub over to evenly coat, then sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Bake until the steaks are browned on the bottoms and the stalk portion of the steak is tender, 20-25 minutes.
Stir together yogurt, garlic, cumin, cayenne, kosher salt, and cilantro.
To serve, spoon some curry on the bottom of the plate and top with cauliflower steak. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and sprinkle with additional cilantro leaves.
For a heartier meal, serve these steaks over a bed of fluffy quinoa or brown rice to soak up the extra curry sauce. If you want to keep the meal low-carb, a side of Heart Healthy Cauliflower Rice works perfectly. A crisp, cooling side like a simple cucumber salad or Heart Healthy Escarole Salad with Apples provides a refreshing contrast to the warm spices of the curry.
You can swap canola or vegetable oil for extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
If you don't have canned chickpeas, you can use 1.5 cups of cooked dried chickpeas.
For a dairy-free or vegan version, use a plain unsweetened almond or soy-based yogurt for the sauce.
If whole peeled tomatoes are unavailable, diced no-salt-added tomatoes will work, though the texture of the curry may be slightly chunkier.