Island Cauliflower Po’Boy- Slutty Vegan

Traditional New Orleans po’boy sandwiches are a signature of the city. The best are usually fried oysters and shrimp or roast beef dripping with juicy debris. Finding a vegetarian-friendly option can be a challenge. In this vegan version, Aisha “Pinky” Cole, Founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan ATL and Bar Vegan builds texture and spice by tossing the cauliflower florets in a mixture of almond butter, hot sauce, garlic, and nutritional yeast.

“You might have thought that as a vegan, you had to give up on enjoying a traditional po’boy, but this cauliflower po’boy brings all the heat, the sauce, and the bite of the New Orleans classic,” shared Cole.

This recipe is one of 91 in Cole’s forthcoming book, Eat Plants, B*tch published by 13A of Gallery Books Group, a division of Simon & Schuster (November 2022).

Serves 4

Ingredients

Cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 / 4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 / 4 cup of water
• 1 / 4 cup hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Po’Boy Sauce:

• 1 / 2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 / 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 / 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 / 2 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For assembly: 4 vegan sub rolls, sliced pickles (optional), shredded lettuce (optional), and sliced tomato (optional).

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the cauliflower florets into a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water, hot sauce, almond butter, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder until combined. Pour the sauce mixture over the cauliflower and toss until evenly coated.
4. Spread the florets out in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
5. Po’boy sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, pineapple juice, dill, chives, parsley, garlic powder, ginger, and onion powder until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Place several cauliflower bites into a sub roll, bathe it with plenty of po’boy sauce and add pickles, lettuce, and tomato, if desired.

Dedicated to reinventing vegan food culture, Slutty Vegan ATL draws locals and visitors eagerly waiting in now-famous lines down the block for vegan burgers, sandwiches, and more. Sluttified fans include celebrities Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Jermaine Dupri, Taraji P. Henson, Tyler Perry, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, and many more.  In February 2021, Cole opened Bar Vegan at Atlanta’s iconic Ponce City Market.

Slutty Vegan currently has locations throughout Georgia as well as in Birmingham and Brooklyn, NY. www.sluttyveganatl.com Follow @sluttyveganatl @pinky907