Cauliflower schnitzel sandwiches are here, and they’re delicious.
Prepare for a super crunchy, flavorful bite: crispy breaded cauliflower, tangy pickled cabbage, silky caramelized onion mayo and a few peppery microgreens to finish. It’s a satisfying sandwich that manages to feel both indulgent and fresh.
This recipe is my playful take on an Oktoberfest-style schnitzel, but made with cauliflower instead of meat. If the idea sounds surprising, trust me: the result is excellent. The sandwich comes together in a few steps but it’s well worth the effort.
Start by slicing the cauliflower into large, slab-like pieces. These make great sandwich “cutlets” — if some pieces break apart, you can still bread and cook them. Pan-frying first gives the outside a deep golden crisp, and finishing in the oven keeps the crust intact while cooking the cauliflower through so it’s tender inside.
While the cauliflower is cooking, make a quick pickle of thinly sliced red cabbage. It only needs about 30–60 minutes at room temperature to develop a bright, briny crunch, and it also adds a gorgeous neon-pink-purple color to the sandwich.
Don’t skip the caramelized onion mayo. Slowly caramelized onions stirred into mayonnaise become deeply sweet and savory, and they transform ordinary mayo into something remarkable. You can make the onions ahead of time and mix them into the mayo just before assembling the sandwiches.
What you’ll build
Each sandwich is layered with caramelized onion mayo on the bottom bun, a handful of microgreens, the breaded and oven-finished cauliflower cutlet, and a generous pile of pickled cabbage. Add more mayo to the top bun if you like. The textures — crunchy exterior, tender inside, crisp pickles and silky mayo — all work together for a balanced, craveable bite.
Cauliflower Schnitzel Sandwiches
Cauliflower Schnitzel Sandwiches
2 to 4 people
30 mins
1 hr
1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
Pickled cabbage
- 1 small head red cabbage, chopped or shredded into thin pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Caramelized onion mayo
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise (your favorite)
Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small baguettes, sliced for 2–4 sandwiches
- 1 cup microgreens
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and place a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with olive oil or nonstick spray.
- Make the pickled cabbage: put the cabbage in a jar or bowl. Whisk the warm water with sugar and salt until dissolved, then whisk in the apple cider vinegar. Pour over the cabbage and let sit at room temperature 30–60 minutes (or refrigerate if making ahead).
- Caramelize the onions: heat a large skillet over medium-low, melt the butter, add the sliced onions and salt, and cook, stirring often, until deeply caramelized, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
- Slice the cauliflower into 1-inch slabs. Beat the egg on one plate and mix the breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and pepper on another plate.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the olive oil. Dip each cauliflower piece in the egg, press into the breadcrumbs to coat, and fry until golden and crunchy, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack on the baking sheet as you go.
- Once all pieces are breaded and seared, bake on the rack in the preheated oven 15–20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender inside.
- Stir the caramelized onions into the mayonnaise to make the onion mayo.
- Assemble sandwiches: spread mayo on the bottom of the baguette slice, add microgreens, top with a cauliflower cutlet (use multiple pieces if needed), and finish with pickled cabbage. Spread extra mayo on the top bun if desired.
- Serve immediately, with chips or a simple side.
Did you make this recipe?
Share a photo and tag your post if you’d like — it’s always wonderful to see how these sandwiches turn out.
This sandwich packs a serious flavor punch: crisp, tangy, sweet and savory in every bite. Enjoy.