Baked General Tso’s Cauliflower
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This general tso’s cauliflower is a lighter version of a Chinese takeout favorite. Cauliflower florets are baked instead of fried, then tossed in an irresistible sticky-sweet sauce with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve it with rice for a delicious light meal that’s ready in just 35 minutes!
General Tso’s Cauliflower is a super tasty spin on the always popular General Tso’s Chicken. The crispy baked cauliflower makes a great stand-in for chicken, and the sticky, tangy sauce takes this dish to the next level. It’s a quick and easy vegan snack or appetizer that can be turned into a light meal with basmati rice, a protein, or other vegetables.
Key ingredients needed
You only need a few ingredients for this general tso’s cauliflower recipe, and most of them you’re likely to have in your kitchen.
- Cauliflower: look for a large cauliflower with fresh lively leaves!
- Cornstarch: a dusting of cornstarch is the not-so-secret ingredient that helps the cauliflower become nice and crispy as it bakes.
- Sesame oil: sesame oil gives the sauce a distinctly nutty and earthy Asian flavor.
- Ginger + garlic: ginger and garlic are a dynamic duo that enhances the sauce and makes it warm and spicy. If you love ginger, feel free to add more to taste.
- Hoisin sauce: hoisin is a rich, salty, and tangy sauce with a similar profile to barbecue sauce. You can find it in most grocery stores alongside other Asian sauces.
- Honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce: honey makes the sauce sweet and sticky but you can use maple syrup to keep it vegan. Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari if needed.
How to make General Tso’s Cauliflower
This baked version of General Tso’s Cauliflower is delicious, and you don’t need to fry anything! Here’s how to make it at home in a few easy steps:
- Toss the cauliflower florets with oil and cornstarch, then bake until browned and crispy.
- To prepare the sauce, sauté the ginger and garlic in sesame oil until fragrant. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until everything is smooth and thick.
- When the cauliflower is ready, toss it in a bowl with the sauce mixture, sesame seeds, and green onions, and serve warm with some basmati rice. That’s it!
What to serve with general tso’s cauliflower
Serve general tso’s cauliflower over basmati rice or with another grain for a delicious light meal. It’s also perfect for enjoying as a snack or appetizer and pairs well with our winter rolls or sweet and spicy Asian eggplant.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use flour instead of cornstarch?
Not for this recipe. Unlike flour, cornstarch has the unique ability to give the cauliflower a crispy coating.
How long do leftovers keep?
For the best taste and texture, the cauliflower is best served right away. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It loses its crispiness after a few hours, but it’ll still taste delicious.
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
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More cauliflower recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of my dinner ideas!
A bit too sweet for my taste but that’s easily enough fixed next time, and there WILL be a next time.
Happy you liked it! And yep, changing the sweetness level will be very easy. 🙂
Fixed this last night for dinner using 2 heads of cauliflower …. and it completely disappeared. Everyone loved it!!! I go through 3-4 heads of cauliflower a week because it’s one of my favorite veggies. Nice to find a new way to prepare it. The cornstarch didn’t add any crispiness, so next time I’ll just roast the cauliflower with coconut oil. Definitely going in my regular rotation. The sauce is to die for!!!
Again, this is NOT vegan. Please know your facts before publishing things online. People will believe what you publish.
How so, K? The only ingredient in here that some people who are vegan don’t eat is honey, and if you read the notes you’ll see that it can be substituted with maple syrup or cane sugar. 🙂
Made this tonight FABULOUS!!! Easy and absolutely delicious. Only substitute was vegetable oil instead of grapeseed oil because that’s what we had on hand. Adding to the rotation!!. Hubby was right the sauce is to die for. Thanks so much❤
I’m so happy to hear you love it like I do!
Why grapeseed oil? Could another be used? Excited to try this recipe!
I always use grapeseed oil because of its neutral flavour. You can use any oil as long as the flavour is neutral!
oh my gosh! just had this for dinner tonight & it was amazing. now looking for more vegan inspiration on your blog. thanks for a fab recipe!
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe!
Whoa! Can I just applaud you, Kristen, for this AWESOME recipe!!!! This is the first recipe that I’ve ever made (in the several years I’ve been following recipes) where I’ve tasted it and said WHOA! Who is this lady?!
Just spectacular. It is soooo good. Extra bonus points since it is lighter and doesn’t involve meat. That is pretty hard to do. Thanks so much.
What a compliment! Thank you!!
Me too! The only way I used to eat it is is it was covered in cheese sauce. It’s so boring when it’s steamed! This cauliflower is totally not boring, though. I think you’ll love it!
I love this lighter vegetarian version, I’ve been eating less meat and this looks like a must try dish.
This is a great meat-free dish. I also like to eat less meat so am always looking for vegetarian dishes. 🙂
The deep fried version is so good, but definitely WAY more work!
Kristen, I made this for my family last night and we all loved it. I actually used broccoli instead and powdered ginger and garlic because I forgot to buy fresh, and it worked perfectly. Thank you!
Great idea to use broccoli. I’m going to try that next time, too!
I don’t know what’s the thing between men and cauliflower, but I’ve noticed that this is the most neglected vegetable by them (maybe because resembles flowers, so it’s too girly?!) Anyway, I love baked cauliflower, and when I decide to make this recipe, with what could I replace a hoisin sauce?
Oh, cool… will do just that! ;).
Me too! You will love this one. 🙂
I’ve been so obsessed with cauliflower lately. I could seriously eat it everyday!
This looks so, so tasty! I love that it’s baked instead of fried, so totally guilt free too 😉
It’s totally guilt-free! I love when I can go back for seconds and feel good about it. 🙂
Oh my gosh this looks delicious! I wanna make this ASAP.
Thanks, Mel! It really is crazy delicious. 🙂