Have you ever smoked a whole cauliflower on the barbeque?! Well today’s the day! This smoked whole cauliflower has a tender, flavour-infused inside and a caramelized and smoky crust. It’s smothered with a delicious combination of steak seasonings, then smoked using my Napoleon BBQ and some maple wood chips to give it that roast look and feel we’ve all become accustomed to at Holiday time. I serve it with a herbed tahini and caper sauce, and my favourite holiday sides to finish it off perfectly.
This is a great recipe for any dinner party and makes a great plant-based Thanksgiving “roast” option for the veggies in your family. Plus, since it’s made on a barbecue, so you can walk away while it cooks and focus on preparing other things inside the kitchen. Or, you can hide outside by the BBQ with a glass of wine and leave the kitchen more available for others to cook the rest of the meal during busy dinners. *wink*.
Related Recipe: Fried Cauliflower Bites
Smoked Whole Cauliflower
I have been dying to use my Napoleon Rogue 425 XT as a smoker, and just needed the perfect excuse. So when a friend of mine requested a whole cauliflower as the star of our Friendsgiving meal– this was my chance! Sure, I’ve roasted a whole cauliflower head in my oven, but what you get from smoking a BBQ cauliflower slow, and low is just sooo much better. The flavours are robust and bold, and that crust….oh that crust can’t be beat.Â
I have made it my mission to make a plethora of plant-based alternatives on my barbecue so people can have a veggie alternative that packs the same punch of flavour as any meat option you can cook on there. This recipe is unique, well-balanced, is the perfect centrepiece and conversation starter, and pairs perfectly with other dishes like mashed potatoes, and brussels sprouts. And if you don’t have access to a barbeque, you can also make this in the oven. It just won’t be smoked.
I love my Napoleon barbecue, and over the last couple of years, I have loved learning how to cook with it. It’s reliable and built to last with premium steel construction and corrosion resistance. If you haven’t started your fall and winter grilling- this is your sign to start! Is there anything cozier?!
INGREDIENTS FOR SMOKED CAULIFLOWER (VEGAN):
- Wood Chips (I used maple wood chips)
- Water or Apple Juice
- Vegetable Broth
- Cauliflower
- Olive Oil
- Soy Sauce
- Maple Syrup
- Tomato Paste
- Dijon Mustard
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Mushroom Seasoning or MSG
- Black Pepper
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT:
- Napoleon Barbeque or Oven, I used my Rouge XT 425 for this recipe)
- Measuring Utensils
- Mixing Bowls
- Smoker Box or Tin Foil
- Stock Pot
- Wire Rack
- Cast Iron Pan
- 1-2 cups wood chips of your choosing (I used maple wood)
- water or apple juice
- enough vegetable broth to cover the cauliflower completely
- 1 cauliflower head, leaves removed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp mushroom seasoning or MSG
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Soak your wood chips in water or apple juice for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Place your wood chips into a smoker box, or wrap them in tin foil and poke some holes into the foil.
- Preheat your BBQ to 350F for indirect grilling with wood chips placed into your BBQ above your heat source.
- Boil the cauliflower in vegetable broth for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove it from the broth and place it on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes to drip dry.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together olive oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, tomato paste, dijon mustard, and seasonings: paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, mushrooms seasoning and black pepper.
- Place cauliflower into a cast iron pan and generously rub with the marinade/ sauce we just made.
- Place cast iron pan with the cauliflower on the grill away from the main heat source and smoke the cauliflower for 45-75 minutes or until fork-tender. Don't open the lid too much or else you will disrupt the smoking process.
- Serve drizzled with herbed caper sauce and garnished with fresh herbs and capers (optional).
Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!
Looking For More Vegan Barbecue Recipes?
Made this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating & comment below. It truly helps me & I really appreciate any support! Feel free to share your food photos on social and tag me @edgyveg so I don’t miss it!Â
Jen says:
Can you use a smoker instead of a BBQ for this recipe?