Better Than Takeout Vegan Orange Cauliflower
A vegan, gluten-free, healthier version of classic Chinese takeout-style orange chicken. Lightly breaded, baked instead of fried, and oil free!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 276kcal
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into medium sized florets, stems removed
Cauliflower batter
- 1 cup brown rice flour or gluten free all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant based milk or water
- 1 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup gluten free bread crumbs optional
Orange Sauce
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
- ¼ cup sweetener of choice coconut sugar, swerve, maple syrup, agave. adjust based on sweetness of OJ
- crushed red peppers to taste
- 1½ tsp tapioca flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder
To Serve
- green onions chopped
- broccolini steamed
- jasmine rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- 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 if using. Spray with a very light coat of olive oil. (optional for extra crispiness!)
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Purée all ingredients for sauce in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan over low heat. Adjust spice, sweetness, and saltiness to your liking. Simmer for 5-10 min.
- 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 green onion.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and broccolini!
Notes
*macros do not include optional serving ingredients
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 97mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg
