Description
Orange Cauliflower is a delicious vegan twist on the classic Chinese Orange Chicken, featuring crispy baked or fried cauliflower florets tossed in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plant-based milk or water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp oil (for baking or frying)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (for sauce)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (fresh or bottled)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp water (to mix with cornstarch)
- Sesame seeds and chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) or heat oil for frying.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper with plant milk or water until smooth.
- Dip cauliflower florets into the batter, coating evenly. Shake off excess.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crispy, flipping halfway. Alternatively, deep fry until golden.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and sesame oil.
- Mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry, then add to the sauce. Stir until it thickens.
- Toss the cooked cauliflower in the sauce until well coated.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve hot over rice or noodles.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour and tamari for a gluten-free version.
- Adjust sweetness and spice level of the sauce to taste.
- Best served immediately to maintain crispiness.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the oven to crisp up again.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg