Appetizer Recipes

Baked Gobi Manchurian – Cauliflower Manchurian

In this lightened-up take on the Indian-Chinese restaurant-favorite Gobi Manchurian, cauliflower florets are baked up until crispy, then drenched in…

  • Ready 1 hour
  • Serves 4
  • Prep 15 minutes
  • Cook 45 minutes
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Baked Gobi Manchurian – Cauliflower Manchurian

I’m always excited when I can present you with an easy spin on a restaurant favorite and today I have a good one for you! One of those special-occasion restaurant menu items that we all love to order when eating out but never considered making at home. Cauliflower Manchurian! This makes a great addition to the festival menu!

What is Cauliflower Manchurian?

Gobi Manchurian, or Cauliflower Manchurian, is a super popular take-out and restaurant menu item. This  Indo-Chinese dish is typically fried but I prefer to bake the florets in the oven. Baking gives cauliflower an amazing texture; you won’t miss the greasy, fried coating.

The crispy oven-baked florets are then tossed with a delicious sweet, spicy, and tangy Manchurian sauce! This easy vegan dish makes for the most delicious appetizer but it can also be served as a main  when paired with rice.

a white bowl with vegan gobi Manchurian topped with thinly sliced scallions

The ingredient list for making cauliflower manchurian is on the longer side but don’t be intimidated by that. Most ingredients are pantry staples and the preparation is so easy so it’s so worth it!

vegan cauliflower manchurian in a saucepan

Manchurian sauce is a very versatile sauce. You can add some Crisped tofu,  veggie meatballs or vegan chicken to the sauce or add in some noodles.

MORE CAULIFLOWER RECIPES

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Ingredients:

  • cauliflower – cut into same-size florets
  • batter: the dry ingredients are a mix of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and garlic powder. The baking powder will help the cauliflowers crisp up in the oven.
  • batter: as wet ingredients, we use a blend of water, oil, and soy sauce
  • a small amount of panko makes these bake up extra crispy
  • sauce: we create a typical Manchurian sauce base by sauteeing onion, garlic, ginger and chili
  • finely chopped bell pepper and celery add some texture to the Manchurian sauce
  • for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, Asian chili sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, black pepper, and sugar
  • a cornstarch slurry will help thicken up the sauce slightly and add a glossy shine.

Tips:

  • Make sure that the florets are not too small and all the florets are of a similar size so it bakes evenly in the oven.
  • Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper will make it less messy!
  • You can sub some of the cauliflower with firm tofu, rehydrated soy curls, or seitan for added protein.

How to make Baked Gobi manchurian (step pics)

dry mix for cauliflower manchurian batter in a white bowl

Add all the dry ingredients except for the panko and mix well.

batter for cauliflower manchurian in a small white bowl

Add the soy sauce,oil and 1/3 cup water, and mix. Then, add water 1 tbsp at a time to make a thick smooth batter.

cauliflower florets being added to batter to make gobi manchurian
battered cauliflower florets being tossed with panko to make cauliflower manchurian

Add cauliflower florets to the bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle the panko over the cauliflower in the bowl once it has been coated. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

battered cauliflower florets on a lined baking sheet

Bake at 415 F for 25-28 minutes. Check if the cauliflower is done at 25 mins. Remove from the oven when done and set aside.

minced chili, garlic, ginger and onions in a sauteeing pan

For the sauce, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilis and stir. Cook until the garlic is golden for 2-3 minutes. Now, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until golden brown. 8 minutes.

finely minced sauteed ginger, chili, garlic and onions in a pan

Add in the sauces. The Asian chili sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, black pepper, and sugar and bring it to a boil.

cauliflower manchurian sauce ingredients in a saucepan

Mix together corn starch in 1/2 cup of water then add it to the skillet. Cook until the sauce comes to a good boil and thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning. Adjusting the soy sauce and salt and heat with black pepper or Asian Chili Sauce.

cauliflower manchurian sauce in a saucepan
breaded baked cauliflower florets being added to Manchurian sauce in a pan

Once thickened, add your baked cauliflower and toss to coat.

vegan cauliflower manchurian in a saucepan

Top with green onions and serve.

a serving of cauliflower manchurian in a white bowl with a golden fork on the side

Recipe

Baked Gobi Manchurian (Cauliflower Manchurian)

In this lightened-up take on the Indian-Chinese restaurant favorite Gobi Manchurian, cauliflower florets are baked up until crispy and then drenched in a delicious sweet and spicy sauce! Serve it as an appetizer or main dish. Gluten-free option.

  • Serves 4
  • Prep 15 minutes
  • Cook 45 minutes
  • Total 1 hour

Ingredients

For the cauliflower:

  • 1 small head of cauliflower (chopped into florets, 4 cups)

For the batter:

  • 7 tablespoons of flour such as rice flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup of cornstarch or other starch such as tapioca starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/3-1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup panko

For the Manchurian sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons of oil
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 1 inch knob of ginger peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 of a green or red chili seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red or white onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped celery (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon Asian Chili Sauce such as Sambal Oelek or other
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-3 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1/2 cup of water

Instructions

  1. 1

    Add all the dry ingredients for the batter in a bowl and mix well(flour, starch, garlic powder, salt, baking powder). Add the soy sauce, oil, and 1/3 cup water, and mix. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to make a thick smooth batter.

  2. 2

    Add cauliflower florets to the bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle panko aon the florets. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

  3. 3

    Bake at 415 F(210 C) for 25-28 minutes. Check if the cauliflower is done at 25 mins. Remove from the oven when done and set aside

For the sauce

  1. 4

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilis and stir. Cook until the garlic is golden,2-3 minutes.

  2. 5

    Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until golden. 8 minutes.

  3. 6

    Add in the sauces. The Asian chili sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, black pepper, and sugar and bring it to a boil.

  4. 7

    Mix together corn starch in 1/2 cup of water then add it to the skillet. Cook until the sauce comes to a good boil and thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning. Adjusting the soy sauce for salt and heat with black pepper or Asian Chili Sauce.

  5. 8

    Once thickened, cool for 5 mins, then add your baked cauliflower and toss to coat. Top with green onions and serve immediately. See notes for storage

Notes

Baked manchurian is best served immediately. If planning to serve later as in not later than a few hours. Keep the Baked cauliflower and sauce separate. Heat the cauliflower in the oven again for 7-9 mins then toss in the warmed Sauce and serve You can sub some of the cauliflower with firm tofu, rehydrated soy curls, or seitan for added protein.

Nutrition

  • Calories219 kcal
  • Carbohydrates39 g
  • Protein7 g
  • Fat5 g
  • Saturated Fat1 g
  • Sodium784 mg
  • Potassium689 mg
  • Fiber5 g
  • Sugar8 g
  • Vitamin A186 IU
  • Vitamin C96 mg
  • Calcium90 mg
  • Iron2 mg