These cauliflower scallops are a 20‑minute, vegan way to get that restaurant-style seared scallop vibe at home. They’re golden on the outside, tender and buttery in the middle. The secret is treating the cauliflower stalk like the star: steam just until fork‑tender, then pan‑sear hard so you get real browning and those caramelized edges. In the post, I’ll show you exactly how to cut the stalk into “scallops,” how to nail the steam‑then‑sear timing, and how to push the color to that just‑shy‑of‑char sweet spot without drying them out.
I usually serve these cauliflower scallops one of three ways, depending on how hungry we are. For something light, they’re perfect alongside a bright, composed salad and I lean to my Golden Beet & Goat Cheese Salad. When I want something cozier, I’ll nestle the scallops on top of creamy mashed potatoes, or, my favorite, spoon them over mushroom and pea risotto, where their seared exterior and tender center feel right at home.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
Take your fresh cauliflower head and remove the florets. Set them aside for another recipe, or blend them into cauliflower rice or a crust. Trim the side of the stalk so that the stalk is a uniform thickness all the way down. Remember to trim off the woody bottom part of the cauliflower, too. 
Now cut the stalk into 1-inch thick discs to recreate that scallop thickness. Add them to a steamer and steam until they are fork-tender, which should take about 5-10 minutes. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of flavorless oil (you can also use butter) in a non-stick pan or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add in the steamed cauliflower discs. Season the cauliflower with a little salt and pepper and sear the top and bottom until they are golden brown. It usually takes 1-3 minutes per side.
Appearances matter for this recipe!
Candice Recommends
To make the stalks look as much like scallops as possible, I trim the bottoms of the florets. This is cosmetic only, and helps to keep them looking uniform.
You can push the cooking time to get the cauliflower just past golden brown and get a little more of a char, which is delicious!
Cauliflower Scallops
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower stalk
- flavorless oil like canola, vegetable, sunflower seed, or avocado. Butter also works.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the florets from the cauliflower and set them aside for another recipe.
- Trim the stalk so the sides are close to parallel to each other. It is OK if the bottoms of the floret stalks remain. You want to keep as much of the cauliflower as possible, but you want each piece to be a similar size. Also, trim the woody part off the bottom of the stalk.
- Cut the stalk into 1-inch thick discs. Add them to your steamer and steam until fork-tender, 5-10 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add in the steamed cauliflower discs. Season with salt and pepper and sear the top and bottom until golden brown, 1-3 mintues per side.
Notes
Nutrition
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