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Skip the takeout and try this General Tso’s cauliflower instead! Crispy, saucy, and downright addictive (peep the dozens of 5-star reviews!), this plant-based twist on the Chinese classic delivers all the flavor without the frying—or the meat. Bonus: it’s ready in 30 minutes and can be baked or air-fried!
save this recipe!This Is Way Better Than Takeout
This General Tso’s cauliflower is an oldie but a goodie—and for good reason. It tastes just like your favorite sticky, flavor-packed Chinese takeout, but with a plant-based twist that’ll knock your socks off.
Yes, it’s made entirely from cauliflower, and yes, the texture is mind-blowingly tender and meaty. Smothered in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy General Tso’s sauce, this dish brings bold, addictive flavors you’ll want to drizzle on everything!
Reader rating
“This was super tasty, even my meat loving husband rated it highly. And I loved that it was baked not fried.” —Cheryl
Here’s What You’ll Need
It really doesn’t take much to make this General Tso’s cauliflower!
Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements—this is an overview.
- Cauliflower: Cut your cauliflower head into bite-sized florets for even baking and tender bites.
- Breading: To create a crispy coating without frying, we’ll bread the cauliflower in flour, egg, and salt and pepper-seasoned panko. You can use regular breadcrumbs in a pinch, but your florets won’t be as crispy.
- Sauce Flavor Makers: We’ll combine sesame oil, fresh garlic and ginger, veggie broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and tomato paste to create our flavor-packed General Tso’s sauce. Feel free to spice it up with a pinch of red chili flakes!
- Cornstarch: Lastly, we’ll thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and cold water).
Craving More Takekout?
For another takeout-inspired twist on cauliflower, try my bang bang cauliflower (with chickpeas!).
General Tso’s Cauliflower (Baked or Air Fried)
Ingredients
Cauliflower
- ½ head cauliflower
- ½ cup flour, 60g
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 50 g
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
General Tso's Sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 15 mL
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
- ½ cup vegetable broth, 120 mL
- ¼ cup soy sauce, 60 mL
- ¼ cup rice vinegar, 60 mL
- ¼ cup brown sugar, 50 g
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 30 g
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp (30 mL) cold water, 15 g
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C)*. Arrange workspace, placing flour, egg, and panko in separate bowls. Mix salt and pepper into panko. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
- Dredge: Working in batches, coat the florets in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crispy.
- Sauce: Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, then add remaining sauce ingredients except the cornstarch mixture. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. While whisking, slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture. It should thicken quite quickly; if not, continue simmering until thick.
- Assemble: Drizzle sauce over the baked cauliflower and gently toss to coat.
- Serve cauliflower over warm rice or quinoa.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Very Good!!
Thanks for this recipe! Is there a good alternative for the egg in this recipe?
Yes! You can use milk (dairy or plant-based), yogurt, or buttermilk for a light coating, or try a flour-and-water slurry, cornstarch-and-water mix, or aquafaba (chickpea liquid) for better adhesion.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Love hearing that, thanks for trying it!
This is so good but I might try leaving out the tomato paste next time. I don’t think it was needed. We still enjoyed it quite a bit thought! I added some chili flakes too. Thanks for the recipe!!!
I loved this. My wife loved this. It’s a keeper! The cauliflower was crispy. I used a convection oven. The ingredients were simple. Parchment paper on the roasting pan made clean-up a breeze. And the sauce? Scruptious. Use real ginger, a game changer. We’ll be making this again. Thanks for the great recipe, Sarah!
Thanks so much Lee, so happy to hear that you loved the recipe!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Delicious
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks Bronwyn!