Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese Sauce

Name: Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower; 2 tablespoons olive oil (I use this brand) code kyndraholley for $5 off; sea salt and ground black pepper; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped; 4 green onions, sliced

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 5 reviews

These Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese Sauce are the ultimate in low carb comfort food side dishes. Perfectly seasoned cauliflower, roasted until it is tender with crispy edges, then topped with a rich and creamy cheese sauce, bacon, and green onions.

oven roasted cauliflower steaks, topped with cheese sauce, bacon, and green onions

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Ingredient Notes

ingredients laid out - bacon, cheese, garlic, mustard, cauilflower, green onions, bacon, cheese, salt, and pepper

Ingredients in Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese Sauce

Cauliflower: For this Roasted Cauliflower Steak recipe, I used a whole head of cauliflower and sliced it into 6 equal sized cauliflower steaks, slicing from top to bottom, with the core side down on the cutting board. If you do not have a whole head of cauliflower, you can just roast florets. (Try my Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Recipe)
Bacon: The cauliflower is topped with a deliciously rich cheese sauce and then some chopped smoky bacon. The bacon complements the richness of the cheese sauce perfectly. If you do not have any bacon, this is also delicious with ham, prosciutto, sausage, shrimp, ground beef, or even shredded chicken.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese: The main ingredient for the keto cheese sauce is sharp cheddar cheese. If you are not a fan of sharp cheddar, you can use medium cheddar, Colby jack, or any combination of cheeses you prefer. (more keto sauce recipes)
Heavy Cream: This helps make the sauce thick, but still pourable. You can use half and half in it's place, but the sauce may not be as thick.
Garlic: When I make this, I double or triple the garlic. I believe that garlic is something that can only be measured with your heart. If you do not have fresh garlic, you can also use garlic powder or even dried minced garlic.
Dijon mustard: This adds just a touch of acidity to the cheese sauce and helps to elevate the flavor. You could also add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it's place
Hot sauce: This does not make the cheese sauce spicy, but just adds some complexity to the flavor. You can omit it and the sauce will still be delicious.

Step by Step Instructions

Cauliflower sliced into steaks and spread on a baking sheet, seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper

How to make Oven Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese Sauce

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Cut the cauliflower into 6 equal slices or “steaks,” slicing from the top down through to the core. Place the cauliflower steaks in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Roasted cauliflower steaks on a lined baking sheet, seasoned with salt and pepper

STEP 2: Roast the cauliflower steaks for 15 minutes, then flip and roast for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until fork-tender and browned on the edges.

cheese, cream, hot sauce and seasonings in a sauce pan for a keto cheese sauce

STEP 3: While the cauliflower is roasting, make the sauce: Place the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, garlic, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan over medium heat.

a white sauce pan with a melty cheese sauce inside, with a rubber spatula

STEP 4: Stir continuously until the cheese has melted and the ingredients are well incorporated, then reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally while the cauliflower finishes roasting.

STEP 5: Top the cauliflower steaks with the cheese sauce, bacon, and green onions before serving.

Recipe Tips and Variations

Storage: I recommend storing the leftover cauliflower steaks and keto cheese sauce separately. That way, when you reheat the cauliflower, you can crisp it back up.
Use Cabbage: This is also delicious made with my Oven Roasted Cabbage Wedges in place of the cauliflower.
Serve it on baked potatoes: If you are not concerned with keeping this dish low carb, the cheese sauce and bacon are delicious on top of baked potatoes.
Ditch the cauliflower: If you are not a fan of cauliflower, this is also delicious over broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, sautéed spinach, mixed roasted veggies, or even served over shirataki noodles as a keto Mac and cheese.
Spice it Up: Kick things up a notch and add more hot sauce to the keto cheese sauce for more of a nacho cheese flavor.
Candied Bacon: Replace the bacon with some of this Keto Candied Bacon for a hint of sweetness to balance out all the savory.
Make it vegetarian: Skip the bacon on these roasted cauliflower steaks to make this the perfect vegetarian keto side dish.
Make a taco variation: Sprinkle some Taco Seasoning over the cauliflower before roasting and add a can of diced tomatoes and green chilis to the cheese sauce, then top it with some taco seasoned ground beef. YUM!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen cauliflower in place of fresh cauliflower?

Yes, you can use frozen cauliflower florets in this recipe, but they may not get as crispy when roasting.

How can I make a dairy free cheese sauce?

To make this recipe dairy free, you can use almond milk or coconut milk in place of the heavy cream, and then use any of your favorite vegan cheeses in place of the cheddar and parmesan. Some of my favorite plant based cheese brands are Miyokos and Daiya. You can even buy a pre-made dairy free cheese sauce. I like this one a lot.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this alongside these Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Pair it with this delicious Herbed Butter Roasted Chicken
These Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese Sauce are excellent served alongside these Lemon Thyme Pork Chops
Sop up some of that delicious cheese sauce with this Cheddar Jalapeno Bacon Biscuits

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

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Comments

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Joanna says

March 10, 2022 at 12:26 am

This was so good! Ended up not even making my protein to accompany this “side dish” because this was so delicious and filling!

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Heidi says

January 16, 2022 at 4:55 pm

I recently made this, and my whole family loved it! A couple of my "steaks" fell apart, put I just roasted the pieces and it worked out well. The cheese sauce is great, and the little bit of char on the cauliflower made the meal delicous!

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Anita C says

September 20, 2021 at 9:42 pm

This was sauce was amazing! I made it mostly dairy free by subbing out the heavy cream for Ripple Half n Half! Will definitely be making it again!

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Judy says

September 04, 2021 at 4:44 pm

Best cauliflower ever. Even my hubby liked it. Will definitely be a recipe to use over and over.

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Sandy Joran says

August 24, 2021 at 1:19 pm

This was sooo good! Will definitely make it again😀

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Jennifer J says

August 18, 2021 at 2:23 pm

OMG. Yes, yes, yes! This was so damn good. I ate two servings and made a meal of it. So rich and filling.

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