Thick slabs of cauliflower are pan seared and roasted with spices before being stuffed into sandwich rolls with spicy guacamole in these sloppy-good Mexican inspired sandwiches.

Can I just say something? Don’t take this the wrong way, but cauliflower steaks sound like such a terrible idea. Keep in mind, this is coming from a person who can count the number of non-veggie steaks that she’s eaten in her life on one hand, and never even liked the things. I’m here, so I’m obviously all about creating delicious plant-based versions of traditionally meat based foods, but sometimes I have to laugh at myself, and yes, occasionally I get a snarky comment when I post a recipe for something like carrot burgers before I realize how amusing the idea must be to someone who isn’t me.

Cauliflower steaks instantly hit me as stereotypical vegetarian food when I first heard about them, and it took me a while to give in and try them for myself. Guess what? Stereotypical vegetarian food can be pretty darn good, at least if you do it right. And cauliflower steaks rock.

Taking things a bit further, Mexican spiced cauliflower steaks on sandwiches topped with sloppy guacamole is kind of mind blowing. This is one of those recipes that gets me hungry just writing about it. Taking the photos was rough, as I got the spices all over my hands while cooking, and every time I leaned in to get close to the camera I got a whiff of the spicy Mexican goodness that I’d only yet had a little taste test of.

Can you tell I liked these sandwiches?

When you make these, you probably wont end up with four to six cauliflower steaks. What you’ll likely get is two or three “steaks” and an assortments of florets. Don’t worry. Just shove the florets into a couple of sandwiches and proceed as if nothing’s amiss. The person you’re feeding will be none the wiser, I’m quite sure, as all the cauli gets smooshed in a soft layer of creamy guacamole.

Print Mexican Cauliflower Steak and Guacamole Sandwiches Thick slabs of cauliflower are pan seared and roasted with spices before being stuffed into sandwich rolls with spicy guacamole in these sloppy-good Mexican inspired sandwiches. Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 4 -6 Author Alissa Ingredients For the Mexican Cauliflower Steaks 1 medium cauliflower crown

2 tbsp. olive oil divided

1 tbsp. lime juice

1 garlic clove minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

salt to taste For the Guacamole 2 ripe avocados pitted and peeled

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

3 tbsp. lime juice

1 medium tomato seeded and diced

1/2 red onion diced

1 jalapeño pepper minced

1 garlic clove minced

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper For Serving 4-6 sandwich rolls sliced open

shredded lettuce

cayenne pepper hot sauce Instructions Make the Mexican Cauliflower Steaks Preheat oven to 400º. Remove outer leaves from cauliflower and trim stem. Place on a large cutting board, stem side down. Starting at the center, cut into 1 inch thick slabs, retaining any florets that break off in the process. Coat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, arrange cauliflower slabs and any stray florets in skillet and cook until lightly browned on bottoms, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on opposite sides, about 2 minutes more. Coat a large baking sheet with remaining oil. Arrange cauliflower on baking sheet and sprinkle with lime juice, garlic, cumin, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Make the Guacamole While cauliflower roasts, place avocados in medium bowl and mash well with a fork or potato masher. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, tomato, onion, jalapeño, salt and pepper. Make the Sandwiches Stuff rolls with cauliflower steaks and top with guacamole, shredded lettuce and hot sauce.

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