PLNT Burger co-founder and chef Spike Mendelsohn is planning on skipping the dairy and meat in his 2021 Thanksgiving menu, which features this whole roasted cauliflower with mushroom gravy as the main course. It's so flavorful and satisfying, you won't miss the turkey!
Check out the rest of Spike's vegan Thanksgiving menu here: Meatless Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing Casserole and Cranberry Orange Sauce.
For the gravy, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add the mushroom bacon and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a very small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the vegetable broth and the cornstarch to make a slurry, then set aside.
Add the thyme, rosemary and wine to the mushroom mixture and reduce until the wine is almost evaporated. Stir in the remaining 1 ¾ cups vegetable broth and the tamari and broth and bring to a boil. Whisk in the slurry and bring to a boil again. Season with the pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.
For the cauliflower, preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, garlic and sage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the cauliflower stem-side down in a Dutch oven or other baking dish and coat completely with the butter mixture.
Cover the cauliflower with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and roast until tender, 10 to 20 minutes more.
Turn on the broiler to high. Sprinkle the cheese all over the cauliflower and broil until the cheese begins to turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the mushroom gravy.