General Tso's Cauliflower

General Tso's Cauliflower is battered and baked cauliflower pieces covered in savory Asian inspired sauce! Better than Thank out and a healthier, meat free option!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 198kcal

Author Arman Liew

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower chopped into bite sized florets
1 cup milk I used unsweetened almond milk
1 cup all-purpose flour gluten free, if needed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the sauce

1 teaspoon oil I use vegetable oil
3/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, flour, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined. Dip each piece of cauliflower in the batter until completely covered. Place the batter-covered cauliflower on the lined baking dish. Repeat until all the cauliflower is covered in the batter.
Bake the cauliflower for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway through. While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the sauce.
In a small saucepan, add the oil and heat on medium. When it is hot and the oil is sizzling, add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, and brown sugar. Heat up for 2-3 minutes until warm. Add the cornstarch and whisk into the sauce mixture. Allow it to simmer for a further 5 minutes to thicken.
Once the cauliflower is golden brown remove from the oven. Place in a large mixing bowl, and pour the sauce all over it. Toss until all the cauliflower is covered in the sauce.

Notes

Air fryer option: To do this, batter the cauliflower, then place it in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 180C/350F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. You will likely need to air fry in two batches to avoid overcrowding.

TO STORE: If you don't plan on eating this dish straight away, keep the sauce and cauliflower separate. They can both be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.

TO FREEZE: Place the cauliflower in a ziplock bag and the sauce in a shallow container. Store both in the freezer for up to 2 months.

TO REHEAT: Sauce can be heated up in the microwave. However, to keep the cauliflower crispy, reheat in the oven or air fryer.

Variations

Add some heat. This sauce is more sweet and salty, less spicy. If you want to add heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes or diced red chili into the sauce mixture.
Aromatics. For a brighter flavor, stir some freshly minced garlic and ginger into the sauce.
Garnish. Top the cauliflower with sesame seeds or green onions.

Nutrition