Cauliflower Satay

Name: Cauliflower Satay
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 appetizer servings or 2 main-course servings
Ingredients: 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk; 1 large shallot, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 2 tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass (from the base of 1 stalk); 1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger (or 2 teaspoons finely chopped); 2 teaspoons fish sauce or soy sauce (if you want to keep this dish vegetarian); 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed, florets cut into 1-inch wedges; Salt; 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste; 1/3 cup smooth, natural peanut butter; 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

By Sue Li

Published March 4, 2025

Cauliflower Satay — Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(30)
Comments: Read comments

In this party-friendly appetizer, roasted cauliflower is paired with a shortcut version of the rich, creamy coconut and peanut butter satay sauce often served with chicken. To coax out deep, nutty flavor from the cauliflower, first roast it simply slicked with oil to help it caramelize, then coat it in a blended mixture of coconut milk, shallots, lemongrass and spices to bump up moisture and flavor and roast until tender. While your cauliflower roasts, you’ll prepare a supersimple peanut sauce by simmering coconut milk with red curry paste and peanut butter. (The salt and heat levels in store-bought curry pastes vary widely, so season your satay sauce accordingly.) Intended as an appetizer, this recipe is hearty enough to work as a main course when served with rice, but also pairs well with crispy or grilled tofu, grilled chicken or steamed vegetables, and can dazzle as the centerpiece for a main-course salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 appetizer servings or 2 main-course servings

1(14-ounce) can coconut milk
1large shallot, finely chopped
2garlic cloves, finely grated
2tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass (from the base of 1 stalk)
1(1-inch) piece peeled ginger (or 2 teaspoons finely chopped)
2teaspoons fish sauce or soy sauce (if you want to keep this dish vegetarian)
2teaspoons brown sugar
1teaspoon ground cumin
1teaspoon ground coriander
1large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed, florets cut into 1-inch wedges
Salt
4tablespoons vegetable oil
2tablespoons Thai red curry paste
⅓cup smooth, natural peanut butter
2tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven while it heats.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup of the coconut milk with half the shallots, plus the garlic, lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar, cumin and coriander; set aside.
Step 3
In a large bowl, season cauliflower with salt and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and toss to coat. Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven, spread the cauliflower in an even layer and roast until golden brown on both sides, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 4
While the cauliflower is roasting, make the peanut sauce: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are golden on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste is slightly darker in color, about 1 minute. Stir in peanut butter and the remaining coconut milk and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors meld, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt if needed. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
Step 5
Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Gather the cauliflower in the center of the baking sheet, drizzle it with the lemongrass-coconut milk mixture, and gently toss to coat using a spatula. Arrange again in a single layer, spacing the cauliflower out evenly, then roast until the sauce thickens and the cauliflower is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 6
Arrange the roasted cauliflower on a platter; serve with the peanut sauce and lime wedges.

Ratings

4 out of 5

30 user ratings

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Comments

Sadie B3 months ago

I followed directions exactly and found the cauliflower to be quite droopy after being basted in the initial lemongrass-coconut milk mixture. I did like the taste of this mixture and I liked the peanut sauce a lot. I'd recommend roasting the cauliflower and then heating both sauces to use them separately for dipping. I believe the curry/peanut sauce could be halved. I ended up with quite a lot that I will use for another recipe.

Trudi Cohen3 months ago

I just made this, and it was AMAZING!!! I highly recommend using fresh lime juice, it dresses up the satay deliciously!

Suzanne H3 months ago

Cauliflower was a bit soggy but good flavor. I would cook it in a hotter oven next time. The dipping sauce is delicious. Glad that it makes a lot as now I'm going to roast some broccoli to go with it.

TamileeH2 weeks ago

Like other reviewers, I found the cauliflower to be overdone at the end, swimming in a puddle of sauce. Next time, I would roast it at 450⁰F and add the sauce a lot earlier. The peanut dipping sauce was too thin (it didn't thicken much even after cooling) - I added some cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. Otherwise it was quite tasty. We served it Gado Gado-style with cucumber wedges, steamed/chilled green beans, and fried tofu triangles. I would make it again - nice to have a meal with no wheat or rice.

Karen SF1 month ago

Easy and very tasty. This makes a lot of peanut sauce but I'm sure we'll use it up on something else.

Susan Voss1 month ago

Wish I could have awarded it 0 stars. I bought all the ingredients and carefully followed instructions of this recipe. It was an absolute disaster tasting much like old tires and soggy cauliflower that mushed up sitting on your fork. After I realized how bad it was, I ried to help it by incorporating some ingredients from a Tom Douglas recipe, but even he couldn’t save it. Don’t waste your time and money.

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