Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Skip the takeout and make a lighter version at home. This Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is battered and baked to perfection, then smothered in a spicy, sticky-sweet sauce. It's heavenly!
Servings 4 People
Calories 290kcal
Equipment
- Large Pan
Ingredients
Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower , cut into bite-sized florets (about 1.5 lbs)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup non-dairy milk , , unsweetened
- ½ cup water , more if needed
Sauce
- ¼ cup tamari , low sodium (sub soy sauce)
- ¼ cup agave nectar (sub maple syrup or light brown sugar)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , peeled and grated (sub frozen or paste)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced or crushed
- ½ cup vegetable broth , low sodium
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For Serving (Optional)
- 3 green onions , sliced
- 2-3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 3 cups cooked rice
Instructions
Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Now pour in the milk and water and whisk to combine well. The batter should be thick, but still pourable. If it's too thick, add a few tablespoons of water.
- Place a handful of cauliflower in the bowl and toss to coat well. Lightly shake off excess batter and place on baking sheet, leaving room in between each piece. (to make it faster, I put a bunch of battered cauliflower on a cooling rack to drain with parchment paper underneath) Place in the oven for 20 minutes to lightly crisp. Flip over pieces at the halfway mark.
Sauce
- To a large pan over medium heat, add the tamari, agave, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, ginger, and garlic. Whisk to combine well and bring to a slight simmer.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and vegetable broth and pour it into the pan. Let it simmer until it thickens up and becomes sticky. About 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning and turn down the heat if needed.
- Add the baked cauliflower and toss to coat well. Remove from heat and top with green onions and sesame seeds if preferred. Top on rice and serve!
Video
Notes
- The listed sauce amount is enough to coat all the florets nicely. However, if you want it extra saucy, feel free to double the amount.
- Gluten-Free Option - swap out the all-purpose for a 1.1 gluten-free flour. Make sure to use a gluten-free tamari sauce too (most are gluten-free).
Nutrition
Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 724mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin C: 104.4mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2.7mg