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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 under an hour minutes and can be baked or air-fried!
save this recipe!This Is Way Better Than Takeout
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!
After making this more times than I can count for both weeknight dinners and skeptical meat-eaters, here’s what makes it worth having in the rotation:
- The panko coating gets crispy and holds the sauce without going soggy
- The sauce has the sweet, tangy, garlicky depth of a proper General Tso’s
- Works as a main dish over rice, a side, or a game day appetizer
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 into evenly sized bite-sized florets so everything cooks at the same rate and fits comfortably in one bite once sauced.
- Panko breadcrumbs: The breading ingredient that makes or breaks the texture. Panko is lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs and produces a coating that actually holds up once the sauce is added.
- Rice vinegar: The acid that gives General Tso’s sauce its characteristic tang. Don’t substitute with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar since both have a different acidity profile that changes the flavor significantly.
- Brown sugar: Balances the vinegar and soy sauce with a molasses-forward sweetness that regular white sugar doesn’t provide in the same way.
- Tomato paste: Adds savory depth and a slight umami richness that makes the sauce taste more layered. A little goes a long way here.
- Cornstarch slurry: Thickens the sauce to a glossy, coating consistency. Dissolve it in cold water before adding to prevent lumps. The sauce thickens quickly once the slurry hits the heat.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: Both go in at the start of the sauce in sesame oil to bloom before the liquid is added. Don’t use dried ginger here. The fresh version produces a completely different aromatic quality.
Serve over steamed white rice for the classic presentation, or my cauliflower fried rice for a lower-carb option that keeps the vegetable theme going. For a full takeout-style spread, my General Tso’s tofu alongside doubles the protein options and uses the same sauce. And if you love crispy sauced cauliflower in general, my air fryer buffalo cauliflower is the spicy American counterpart worth making next.
For another takeout-inspired twist on cauliflower, try my bang bang cauliflower (with chickpeas!).
General Tso’s Cauliflower (Air Fryer or Baked)
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 cold water
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C)*. Cut ½ head cauliflower into bite-sized florets.Arrange workspace, placing ½ cup flour, 2 large eggs (whisked), and 1 cup panko breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Mix ¼ tsp each salt and pepper into panko.
- 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 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), and 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.Stir in ½ cup vegetable broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 2 Tbsp tomato paste. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. While whisking, slowly pour in 2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water. 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 is calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist, and should be taken as an estimate. For the most accurate nutritional information, calculate it using the actual ingredients in your recipe.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Turned out so deliciously!! The only issue we had was not enough sauce and egg. We had an abnormally large head of cauliflower, probably GMO unfortunately LOL. Also the egg and breadcrumbs ran out, and the sauce didn’t drench the cauliflower like traditional General Tso’s would. I suggest doubling the sauce recipe, and the egg and breadcrumbs if you have a bigger head of cauliflower like we did hehe. This turned out amazing, nonetheless! Thanks Sarah!
Thanks for letting us know how it went! 😀
I had this last night and it was soooo good. Only thing I changed up was how I breaded the cauliflower. I made a pancake like batter out of flour and almond milk, dipped the cauliflower in that, then rolled it in the bread crumbs. Worked amazing, way less messy, and one less step!
Sounds like a great idea, I’ll have to try that!
Does this recipe work with frozen cauliflower? If you are not sure, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Sarah! I think it would work, but definitely thaw the cauliflower completely first then dry it a bit before breading.
Gluten free version?
You could us an all-purpose GF flour 😀
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and I can safely say that it’s foolproof! My only adjustment is that I use 2 tbsp of rice vinegar instead of 1/4 cup, but that’s just my flavor preference. I also like to bake the cauliflower for the full 20 minutes to get it really crispy. A really delicious, filling, and healthy meal.
So happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀
I added dried arbol chilies to the sauce whole, while cooking like at the take away. It was delish.
Was not a fan of the sauce or the cauliflower…
Really good! Served with fried rice!
Yooo, this was delicious! We added onion as well for the sauce and carrots in beginning, just added more ummff to the flavour, also we did more sauce because it seemed like it would be to little for the amount of cauliflower we had and it was good decision. Thank you for the recipe!
YUM! Sooo delicious. And fun to make! Will be making this again and again. I think I’ll add sriracha or chilli crisp to the sauce next time for a little bit of heat. Thank you!!