Better Than Takeout Sesame Cauliflower
A healthy, gluten free, vegan spin on a classic takeout favorite - sesame chicken! This oven-baked recipe uses a lightly breaded, tender cauliflower instead of chicken for a crispy on the outside soft on the inside texture, and is coated in a flavorful sweet and savory sesame sauce!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 488kcal
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into medium-sized florets, stems removed
Batter
- ¾ cup water or plant based milk
- 1 cup brown rice flour gluten free all purpose works well too
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
Sesame Sauce
- ¼ cup coconut aminos or tamari
- ¼ cup sweetener of choice coconut sugar, maple syrup, swerve, agave, etc.
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp chili flakes optional
- ⅛ tsp salt and pepper
- 2 tsp tapioca flour, arrowroot powder, or cornstarch combined with 2 TBSP water
To Serve
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 3 green onions sliced
- 2 cup jasmine rice cooked according to package
- 2 bunches broccolini steamed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with olive oil to coat.
- Mix together all ingredients for batter, except breadcrumbs, in a bowl. Batter should be slightly thinner than pancake batter. Add cauliflower florets to bowl and toss to coat.
- One by one, remove cauliflower from batter with a fork, letting excess drip off, and transfer to oiled parchment lined baking sheets, being sure not to overcrowd. Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs. Spray with a very light coat of olive oil. (optional for extra crispiness!)
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Prepare sesame sauce by adding all ingredients except tapioca flour to a small saucepan. Bring to a steady simmer and let thicken. Mix tapioca flour with water and stir into sauce little by little until desired texture is achieved.
- Remove cauliflower from oven and let cool for 3-5 min (this step is very important as it prevents the cauliflower from getting soggy!)
- Transfer cauliflower to a bowl and toss gently with sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and broccolini.
Notes
- This recipe is best eaten right away, but can be reheated in the oven (for best results) or the microwave.
- The sauce and batter can be prepped ahead of time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1240mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1800IU | Vitamin C: 151mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 4mg
