A crispy Sticky Sesame Cauliflower recipe coated in a rice flour batter and made with a savory, sticky sauce.
Amidst potty training a 2 year old, deciphering toddler sentences, and removing marker stains from the couches, we made this Sticky Sesame Cauliflower recipe. It's delicious, helps you get in your vegetable intake for the day (because you MAY eat all of it!), and vegan.
Benefits of Cauliflower
First of all, did you know that cauliflower is a great source of:
- Vitamin C
- Folate
- Vitamin K
So, of course, we should add vegetarian recipes with cauliflower into our hungry little family's menu somewhere, right?! I made this sticky cauliflower with rice flour because I liked the slight texture it gives over using regular all purpose flour. You can also make this recipe gluten free by using tamari or coconut aminos. It's inspired by flavors of Chinese cauliflower recipes. Baking it takes a little bit of time but it's so easy to make.
Ingredients
For the sticky sauce:
For the Sticky Sesame Cauliflower:
Instructions
- First, you make the batter, coat the cauliflower in the batter, and roast it in the oven. I have not tried these out in an air fryer but think they would work wonderfully this way also!
- Then you make the sauce and add it to the cauliflower after it's roasted. If you prefer it saucier, add some extra liquid ingredients to your sauce and let it simmer for a tad bit longer. Garnish it with sesame seeds, green onions, or cilantro.
- You can serve this as a side dish or turn it into a meal and serve it with some rice and my easy tofu recipe.
I recommend eating them fresh the day of as they get a little soggy the following day. If you do have left overs, I like to pop them in the air fryer and they taste great. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did!
Other Similar Recipes
- Edamame Truffle Dumplings
- Vegan Tofu Tacos with Peanut Sauce
- Vegetable Pad Thai with Marinated Tofu
- Vegetable Lettuce Wraps with Crispy Tofu
If you loved this Sticky Sesame Cauliflower recipe, let me know in the comments below! I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! Subscribe for my weekly emails at the bottom so you never miss a new recipe!
Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil sesame or olive oil works great
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower; ~4-6 cups of florets
- 1 clove garlic; minced
- ¼ cup rice flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Garnishes
- sesame seeds
- scallions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450°F and prepare the cauliflower and sauce.
For the Cauliflower:
- Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets.
- In a medium bowl, mix cold water and corn starch until smooth without any lumps.
- Add in garlic, rice flour, and salt to the bowl and whisk together until smooth. The batter should be the consistency of a thick paste. Add more rice flour if needed.
- Pour over cauliflower florets and mix until florets are well coated.
- Roast the cauliflower on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 15-20 mins. Flip florets and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until desired crispiness.
For the Sauce:
- Heat the oil in a small pan at medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Lower the heat slightly and add the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and sesame seeds.
- Mix together cornstarch and cold water and add to the sauce. Let it simmer for 1 minute until it starts to thicken. Be careful not to over cook.
Putting it all together:
- Add the roasted cauliflower to the prepared sauce and combine until florets are well coated. Place back onto the baking sheet and cook for an additional 5 minutes (optional).
- Sprinkle additional sesame seeds and scallions on top and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cut the cauliflower pieces smaller if you want them extra crispy!
- The sauciness of the dish depends on the size of your cauliflower and your preference. If you want to make your cauliflower more saucy, add an extra ¼ cup of water, ¼ cup soy sauce, and an extra tablespoon of brown sugar (if you prefer the sweetness).
- If you feel like you overcooked the sauce, turn the heat to low and warm water 1 tablespoon at a time and stir until no longer lumpy and you reach your desired consistency.
I like crunchy things. This one would be perfect.
I can't wait for you to try them!
Made this the other night and it was delicious! Super easy to make. Excuse me while I go chow down on my leftovers!
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked them!
This was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you loved it!
I loved these! I didnt have brown sugar and used honey instead. Yeah
I'm glad you loved these! Honey is a great substitute if you don't have brown sugar. Also, maple syrup!
These turned out so delicious!! Even my husband couldn’t stop eating it and gave it a 10/10. I paired these with some toasted French bread to soak up the sauce - which was also amazing on its own. I think next time I will keep some sauce aside to dip my bread in! Definitely recommend putting it back in the oven after mixing it in sauce, like the recipe recommends. It really helped get all the juices inside.
I'm so happy to hear that you guys loved it! That sounds like such a good idea to pair it with some bread and keep some extra sauce!
I Love cauliflower and this recipe looks yummy
Thank you so much!