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–+ servings
Orange cauliflower on a white plate.
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4.86 from 14 ratings

Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower (30 Minutes!)

With over a dozen 5-star reviews, this baked sesame orange cauliflower is ready in just 30 minutes and is always a hit! It tastes like takeout, with a crispy baked coating and flavor-packed Asian-style sauce. So go ahead and skip the online ordering and make this instead!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Dishes, Side Dishes
Cuisine: Chinese
Diet: Halal, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
Keyword: cauliflower fakeout, orange cauliflower
Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegetarian
Occasion: Birthdays, Game Day
Time: 30 minutes or less, 45 minutes or less
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Sarah Bond

Ingredients

Crispy Cauliflower

  • ½ to 1 head cauliflower
  • ½ cup flour 60 g
  • 2 large eggs whisked
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 50 g
  • ¼ tsp each salt and pepper

Sticky Orange Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil 15 mL
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • ⅔ cup orange juice 160 mL
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar 60 mL
  • ¼ cup honey 60 mL
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce 30 mL
  • 2 Tbsp orange zest
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water can sub arrowroot starch

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.
  • Shake & Bake: Cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets. 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, or until crispy.
    An orange cauliflower floret is coated in flour, then dipped in beaten egg, and finally covered in breadcrumbs in three separate bowls.
  • 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.
    A whisk stirring a thick, orange-brown sauce for orange cauliflower in a small black saucepan, with steam rising from the mixture.
  • Assemble: Drizzle sauce over the baked cauliflower and gently toss to evenly coat. Serve cauliflower over warm rice.
    A plate of white rice topped with breaded orange cauliflower, sauced and garnished with sliced green onions; chopsticks, orange halves, and scallions are nearby.

Video

Notes

Storage: While this is best enjoyed fresh (like takeout), it will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. When ready to enjoy, reheat the cauliflower in the oven or toaster oven to ensure it is still crispy.
Gluten-Free? Try swapping 1:1 gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs for the flour and breadcrumbs.
Can this be made into vegan orange cauliflower?
Yes! By using an egg substitute like Just Egg, this will be a vegan dish. Thankfully, with the cauliflower, this dish lends itself well to being a vegan orange "chicken" cauliflower dish with just the simple egg swap.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.1g | Protein: 9.4g | Fat: 8.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 904mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3.2mg
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