ABOUT THE RECIPE:
My husband loves cauliflower. Once, he came home from the market with copious amounts of cauliflower and I knew I needed to come up with a new cauliflower recipe . . . and fast! The result is this colorful, impressive, and satisfying cauliflower "steak" casserole that's ideal to serve throughout the year.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 to 3 small heads of cauliflower (or 2 large heads)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow or sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
1 teaspoon tamari
1/4 cup water, divided, plus more as needed
2 cups cremini or white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 sweet red peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cups prepared vegan marinara sauce, divided
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Trim 1- to 2-inches off two opposite sides of the cauliflower heads and set aside for use another time. Steam the trimmed cauliflower heads for 10 to 18 minutes or until they are just crisp-tender. Cool for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the onions, Italian seasoning, tamari, and 2 tablespoons water in a large skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the peppers and 2 tablespoons water, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and stir in 1 cup of the marinara sauce. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the steamed cauliflower is cool enough to handle. Carefully slice each head of cauliflower down the center into two (or three) 1-inch to 2-inch thick slices, as if slicing a loaf of bread.
Spread the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish that is large enough to accommodate the cauliflower steaks. Gently set the cauliflower slices in the prepared casserole dish.
Top each cauliflower slice with a generous amount of the onion and pepper sauce. Cover and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the cauliflower steaks are very tender. Uncover the casserole for the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Cool for 5 minutes. Serve with extra sauce on the side, if desired.