Appetizer Recipes

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Recipe

This Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is a crowd pleaser! Cauliflower is battered and baked , then coated in sticky spicy sesame…

  • Ready 1 hour
  • Serves 4
  • Prep 15 minutes
  • Cook 45 minutes
Jump to the recipe
Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Recipe

When you need some sticky sweet tangy delicious sauced something, cauliflower fits right in. Cauliflower florets are tossed in a rice flour and starch batter and baked to crisp. The sticky sesame sauce uses sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy/tamari, vinegar, maple syrup and some sriracha for heat for a addictive flavor profile. Brush this sticky sauce on the baked cauliflower and serve, or bake again for more sticky crispy cauliflower!

Serve it over rice, by itself or in lettuce wraps! I use sesame oil in the batter and the sauce for extra sesame flavor profile. For additional protein, add in some firm tofu, seitan or soycurls with the cauliflower. Lets make this!

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Vegan Sticky Sesame Cauliflower over rice in a white bowl

Ingredients for Sticky Sesame Cauliflower and substitution options

  • The Sticky Sesame Sauce has sesame oil, garlic, ginger, tamari/soy sauce, maple syrup for sweet, rice vinegar, Sriracha, and starch to thicken.
  • You can use coconut aminos to make this soy-free
  • Maple syrup can be subbed with sugar or other sweetener
  • Omit the Sriracha for lower heat.
  • The batter for the crispy cauliflower has –
  • rice flour, that makes the batter crisp and non doughy on baking. You can use a mix of half all purpose flour and half starch as a substitute.
  • corn or tapioca starch to add lighter and crisp texture
  • sesame oil for more sesame profile
  • black pepper, salt and garlic for flavor
  • garnished of lightly toasted white sesame and black sesame seeds and scallions.

How to make Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

Ingredients in bowls for battered cauliflower for our Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Battered Cauliflower for Our Sticky Sesame Cauliflower in a white bowl

Transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet or dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Battered Cauliflower for Our Sticky Sesame Cauliflower in a white baking dish

Meanwhile, assemble the sauce ingredients. Saute the ginger and garlic in sesame oil for a minute, then add the soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha and maple syrup and bring to a boil.

Add cornstarch slurry and cook to thicken.

Garlic for the sauce for our Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

Brush the sticky thick sauce on the cauliflower florets or add the florets to the sauce and mix gently. Then bake again.

Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve over rice.

Vegan Sticky Sesame Cauliflower glazed in a baking dish

Tips to make Crispy Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

  • For a nicely crispy result, bake the cauliflower on a baking sheet.
  • Bake the sauce coated cauliflower for longer.
  • Use smaller size cauliflower florets

If you plan to serve the sauced cauliflower without baking, you can add another tsp starch for extra thick sauce that will glaze the cauliflower.

Vegan Sticky Sesame Cauliflower over rice in a white bowl

More Cauliflower Recipes

Vegan Sticky Sesame Cauliflower over rice in a white bowl

Recipe

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Recipe (Gluten free Vegan)

This Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is a crowd pleaser! Cauliflower is battered and baked, then coated in sticky spicy sesame sauce and baked again. Serve as is or with rice or in lettuce cups. Vegan Gluten-free Nut-free Refined sugar free Recipe

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

Ingredients

Sesame Soy Sauce:

  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 2 cloves of garlic (, minced)
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tsp cornstarch or 1.5 tsp tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup cold water

Cauliflower:

  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 3 tbsp tapioca or corn starch.
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • dash of black pepper and cayenne
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 small head of cauliflower (, chopped into equal size florets)
  • Garnish: sesame seeds and scallions

Instructions

  1. 1

    Sticky Sesame Sauce: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Cook the garlic ginger for a minute. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple and bring to boil. Mix cornstarch in the water and add this cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil to thicken, Take off heat.

  2. 2

    Cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 425 deg F (220 C). Line a baking sheet or dish with parchment. In a large bowl add the dry ingredients for the batter and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients and min until smooth.

  3. 3

    Add the cauliflower and mix to coat. This batter keeps thickening as it sits, so mix and toss quickly.

  4. 4

    Transfer to the the lined baking sheet. and bake for 30 mins. Make the sticky sauce in the meanwhile if you havent yet.

  5. 5

    Once baked, you can do one of the following: 1. Brush the sauce over the cauliflower florets and bake for additional 10 to 15 mins (time depends on how crisp and sticky you want the sauce) 2. Wait for a few mins then transfer the florets to the sauce. Mix gently to coat. Serve immediately or transfer to the baking sheet to bake for 10 to 15 mins.

  6. 6

    Sprinkle black and white sesame seeds and chopped scallions and serve as is, or over rice or in lettuce wraps!

Notes

Sub some of the cauliflower with firm tofu, rehydrated soy curls, or seitan for added protein. Nutrition is for 1 serve, does not include rice

Nutrition

  • Calories229 kcal
  • Carbohydrates43 g
  • Protein4 g
  • Fat5 g
  • Saturated Fat1 g
  • Sodium652 mg
  • Potassium310 mg
  • Fiber2 g
  • Sugar14 g
  • Vitamin C37.5 mg
  • Calcium43 mg
  • Iron0.8 mg