Baked General Tso’s Cauliflower
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This Baked General Tso's Cauliflower is every bit as delicious as the fried version. It's quick and easy to make and is super delicious!
The first time I told my handsome man we were having General Tso's Cauliflower for dinner, his response was, “That's it?” I watched his face turn from confused to desperate as I confirmed that dinner would be cauliflower and rice. No meat. No other veggies.
I turned down pleas to add some peppers or onions or A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. else to the pan. Not that some extra veggies are a bad idea, but this baby's all about the cauliflower.
What happened to his face after the first bite was nothing short of a transformation. He declared that it was the best cauliflower he'd ever eaten. He started talking about opening a restaurant that sells only General Tso's Cauliflower. He told me we (read: I) need to make this every week from now on.
The guy's got a point, this is some really good cauliflower.
I've been wanting to make General Tso's Cauliflower for a while, but I've only ever seen recipes that call for deep frying the cauliflower first. I don't have anything against deep frying veggies (have you tried Najib's Lebanese Cauliflower yet?) but I wanted something a little healthier.
Rather than pulling out a pot of oil I used a little trick to make the cauliflower taste like it's been deep fried when really it's baked …
By coating the cauliflower in a little corn starch before you bake it, you'll get cauliflower that is a little crispy and very much like the deep fried version.
It tastes sinfully delicious without piles of calorie heavy oil.
And then there's the sauce. We need to go here for a minute, or ten. The other thing I heard from my handsome man, between mouthfuls of General Tso's Cauliflower, is that we need to bottle this sauce and put it on everything. The guy's got a point.
It's sweet with the tiniest bit of tangy and it practically begs you to lick every last drop of it off of your plate. It also winds its way around each piece of cauliflower and sticks in all the grooves. With each bite of cauliflower, you'll taste a delicious spoonful of the sauce, too.
This meatless Monday dinner is 1000x better than any Chinese takeout, and almost just as easy. You will love it!
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FAVORITE ASIAN RECIPES
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Sesame and Ginger
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- Sweet and Spicy Asian Eggplant
- Spicy Kung Pao Chicken
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Baked General Tso's Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
The Cauliflower
- 1 large cauliflower (cut into florets)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 4 green onions (sliced)
The Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons EACH: honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl and toss with the oil and then the cornstarch. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway.1 large cauliflower, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the sauce. Add the sesame oil to a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring them to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thick.1 tablespoon finely minced ginger, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons EACH: honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- Once the cauliflower has browned, remove it from the oven and place it in a large bowl. Toss with the sauce and then the sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately.1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 4 green onions
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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