Sticky sesame cauliflower bites are the tastiest meatless nuggets ever! Vegan sesame cauliflower is coated with bread crumbs and baked until crispy. The baked cauliflower bites are then tossed in a flavorful maple and sesame oil sauce loaded with garlic, ginger and a bit of sriracha for a hint of spiciness.
Baked cauliflower bites are easy to prepare and can be made gluten free. Serve over rice for an incredible vegan Asian cauliflower recipe, or enjoy them as you would boneless wings or nuggets. Best of all, these Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites are ready in about 40 minutes for a tasty main dish or appetizer.
If you love vegan recipes, try my Red Thai Vegan Curry or Easy Vegan Chili.
Why You’ll Love Baked Cauliflower Bites
- It’s vegan. This recipe is made with all plantbased ingredients and can also be adjusted to be gluten free, so it’s the perfect diet-friendly recipe.
- Tastes just like sesame chicken. Meat-eating sesame chicken lovers will not believe this is a vegan recipe. The texture and flavor are spot on!
- Perfect as a meal or appetizer. These cauliflower bites are filling and can be served with rice or noodles as a complete meal. Easily convert it to a party appetizer by adding toothpicks and serving it with your favorite Asian dipping sauces.
Sesame Cauliflower Ingredients
To season the cauliflower
- Cauliflower: Wash and cut a head of fresh cauliflower into florets.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or substitute a one-to-one gluten free flour if desired.
- Almond Milk: You can use other plantbased milk options as desired or use cow’s milk.
- Seasonings: season with paprika, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs will give you the most crunch. You can also use gluten free panko.
To make the sticky sauce
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil gives a classic Asian flavor and is a must for this sauce.
- Aromatics: Minced garlic and grated ginger add aroma and flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Low sodium soy sauce helps to control saltiness. Substitute gluten free tamari or amino acids.
- Maple Syrup: Add maple syrup or a bit of honey for sweetness.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is mild and sweet, use apple cider vinegar instead.
- Sriracha: For a bit of spiciness. Control the heat level by adjusting the amount you add.
- Slurry: Combine water and cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle with white sesame seeds for crunch and presentation.
- Chopped Chives: to garnish.
How To Make Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Trim the cauliflower. Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets. Set it aside.
- Season and batter. In a wide bowl, combine flour, almond milk, paprika, salt, and ground pepper. Mix until smooth. Add the cauliflower florets and mix until the batter is well coated.
- Dredge the cauliflower. Dredge the cauliflower florets into the breadcrumbs pressing to coat evenly. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower florets and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Coat the cauliflower florets with cooking spray and bake them for 25-30 minutes turning the cauliflower halfway through until crisp and cauliflower are cooked through.
- Prepare the sauce. Meanwhile, heat a skillet with sesame oil, add garlic and ginger and saute for a minute. Stir in the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and sriracha; bring it to a simmer for 2 minutes.
- Thicken the Vegan Sesame Cauliflower sauce. In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch and add the prepared cornstarch slurry to the sauce mixture. Mix it until the sauce thickens. Add the sesame seeds and remove from heat.
- Toss with sauce and serve. Add the baked crispy cauliflower to the sauce and coat the sauce evenly. Garnish with fresh chives, and serve the cauliflower bites with rice.
Tips To Make Crispy Cauliflower Bites
- Cut the cauliflower into similar sized pieces for even cooking.
- The cauliflower needs to be dry or the batter won’t stick. After washing, drain well in a colander and dry with paper towels if necessary.
- Use amino acids or tamari and gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free.
- Don’t forget to line your baking tray!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Leave space between the cauliflower bites for maximum crispiness.
- Flip the cauliflower halfway through baking.
- For maximum crispiness, serve the sauce on the side and use it as a dip.
- Easily double or triple this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
The batter will not stick to wet cauliflower. Thawed frozen cauliflower tends to have a lot of moisture, so I would not recommend using frozen cauliflower for this recipe.
It is super simple to make this vegan recipe gluten free as well. Use gluten free flour and breadcrumbs, and swap the soy sauce for gluten free tamari or amino acids.
Remove the leaves and cut the cauliflower in half. Remove as much of the core as possible and use a sharp knife to trim apart the florets. You can see our step by step process here. Remember to cut even sized pieces for even cooking.
You can store these cauliflower wings in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in an oven until warmed through or use an air fryer.
Freezing is not recommended because the cauliflower gets mushy.
Serve these bites with any protein meal or noodles for a complete meal.
More Cauliflower Recipes
- Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bread Sticks
- Cauliflower Pizza
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Vegetarian Cauliflower Pita Wrap
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Asian Cauliflower recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites
Ingredients
To bake cauliflower
- 1 head of medium cauliflower
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
To make sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger grated
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Chopped chives to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets. Set it aside.
- In a wide bowl, combine flour, almond milk, paprika, salt, and ground pepper. Mix until smooth.
- Add the cauliflower florets and mix until the batter is well coated.
- Dredge the cauliflower florets into the breadcrumbs pressing to coat evenly. Repeat the same with the remaining cauliflower florets and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Coat the cauliflower florets with cooking spray and bake them for 25-30 minutes turning the cauliflower halfway through until crisp and cauliflower are cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet with sesame oil, add garlic and ginger, and saute for a minute.
- Stir in the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and sriracha; bring it to a simmer for 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch and add the prepared cornstarch slurry to the sauce mixture. Mix it until the sauce thickens. Add the sesame seeds and remove from heat.
- Add the baked crispy cauliflower to the sauce and coat the sauce evenly.
- Garnish with fresh chives and serve the cauliflower bites with rice.
Notes
- Cut the cauliflower into similar sized pieces for even cooking.
- The cauliflower needs to be dry or the batter won’t stick. After washing, drain well in a colander and dry with paper towels if necessary.
- Use amino acids or tamari and gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free.
- Don’t forget to line your baking tray!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Leave space between the cauliflower bites for maximum crispiness.
- Flip the cauliflower halfway through baking.
- For maximum crispiness, serve the sauce on the side and use it as a dip.
- Easily double or triple this recipe.
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