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Home » Dinner » Sticky Sesame Cauliflower (Baked)

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower (Baked)

January 7, 2017 By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 123 Comments

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Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

I’ve been on a roll lately with the soups and stews, and actually have a few more of those ready to share. (Along with several desserts!) But for today at least, I’m changing it up with this sticky sesame cauliflower recipe.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower | Yup, it's Vegan. Baked battered cauliflower smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce.

We have been making cauliflower wings every week or two since last fall. In fact, I shared a teaser of this same recipe on Instagram a while back. I ended up redoing the pictures because during that passage of time, I got my new macro lens and love the cozier feel that my photographs have now. I’ve made so many different wing flavors that I just now got around to sticky sesame again.

That being said, I’m actually not going to classify this particular recipe as “wings”. The cauliflower and breading become light and tender when mixed with the sticky sesame sauce, making them super delicious but not really viable as finger food unless you want to make a colossal mess. This is great with a side of some steamed vegetables or cauliflower rice. I don’t find that I want or need actual rice with it because there’s already plenty of heartiness from the batter. (If you’re looking for a great, CRISPY, hand-held cauliflower “wings” recipe, check out my Thai peanut cauliflower wings recipe from last year).

Closeup of gluten free asian inspired baked cauliflower coated in a homemade sticky sesame sauce featuring garlic, ginger, agave, and sriracha, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds

I’m a known consumer of gluten, but I specifically prefer to make recipes like this gluten-free. With regular all-purpose wheat flour, you have to be a lot more careful when mixing the batter not to overmix it and allow gluten strands to form, which can make your baked cauliflower tough and dense. With gluten-free flour, that’s much less of a concern, although it’s still good to avoid overmixing. I keep my pantry stocked with my favorite store-bought gluten-free flour blend, which is widely available in stores here and works in a variety of recipes.

Quick and easy vegan sticky baked cauliflower bites with a light breading, a rich and hearty sauce, a satisfying crunch, served with a side of tomatoes on a blue dish

Another bonus? This sticky sesame cauliflower recipe is really really easy. I know the batter recipe by heart now – and there’s no added steps of dredging or dipping in breadcrumbs. Just mix together one bowl of batter, dip the florets in it, and you’re done. I often just wing it with the sauce too (sesame or otherwise) until I get something tasty. Of course, I measured the exact quantities for my sauce this time before sharing it with you, but it’s very open for experimentation! As a general rule, add as little liquid as possible to your sauce to get the best textural result with this cauliflower. That’s why you don’t see a cornstarch slurry in my sticky sesame sauce, which many similar non-cauliflower recipes include.

The amount of agave nectar in this recipe is prone to sending me into a food coma, so reduce it if you like, but know that that’s where the “sticky” sesame comes from. I keeping meaning to try this out with brown rice syrup instead, so I’ll update here if I do.

Close up of healthy vegan appetizer - light and tender baked cauliflower bites with homemade sweet and spicy sesame sauce topped with green onions and crunchy seeds

If you make this sticky sesame cauliflower, let me know how you like it in the comments! And/or tag me on Instagram with @yupitsvegan and #yupitsvegan to show me your creations. Bon appetit!

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4.88 from 66 votes

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

Battered, baked, and smothered in a sweet and spicy sesame sauce, this sticky sesame cauliflower is sure to be enjoyed by everyone!
Course appetizers, Asian
Cuisine gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword sticky sesame cauliflower
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 2 to 4 servings
Calories 449kcal
Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

For the baked cauliflower:

  • 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water plus more as needed
  • 1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets (scant 4 cups of florets)

For the sticky sesame sauce:

  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil divided
  • 1/2 inch ginger minced or grated
  • 2-3 cloves garlic (to taste), minced or grated
  • 3 and 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar (or less, to taste)
  • 2 and 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste like sriracha

For the sticky sesame cauliflower:

  • battered cauliflower (above)
  • sticky sesame sauce (above)
  • toasted sesame seeds for serving
  • chopped green onions for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of water and stir. Continue adding water 1 tablespoon at a time until a pancake batter-esque consistency is reached. You want batter that is thick enough to stay on a cauliflower floret but thin enough that you can easily shake off the excess. I usually need another couple of tablespoons of additional water.
  • One by one, dip the cauliflower florets into the batter, gently shake off extra batter, and place them onto the baking sheet. Leave plenty of space between florets on the baking sheet so that they can get crispy. You may not be able to quite fit a whole head of cauliflower on two baking sheets.
  • Bake the battered cauliflower for 20 minutes, rotate the position of the trays, and then bake for another 5-10 more minutes or until crispy and browned.
  • Meanwhile, heat two teaspoons of the sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and ginger and saute over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 60-90 seconds, or until the garlic and ginger are softened and fragrant.
  • Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir well. Continue cooking on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and thickened slightly. Turn the heat to low and leave on the burner, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Stir in the remaining sesame oil just before mixing with the cauliflower. (I do this to make sure there's a nice noticeable sesame flavor).
  • Once the cauliflower is done baking, use a spatula to gently mix it together with the sauce in a bowl or the saucepan if large enough. Spread it back out on the baking sheets, and return it to the oven for just 2-4 minutes, to thicken the sauce onto the cauliflower. Watch it carefully, as the sticky sesame sauce can burn quickly. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired.

Notes

The final result of this recipe will NOT be super crispy, but rather, sturdy yet tender after the sauce is added. I don't recommend eating it by hand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1half recipe | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 964mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 198mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 4.9mg

Other Asian-inspired recipes from the blog:

General Tso's Chickpeas | Yup, it's Vegan

Thai Green Curry Guacamole | Yup, it's Vegan

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dinner, Popular Tagged With: Asian-inspired, gluten-free, high-vegetable, meat analogues, nut-free, nuts and seeds, refined sugar-free

« Yup, it’s Vegan: Top Recipes of 2016
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Comments

  1. Brian says

    March 10, 2022 at 22:17

    5 stars
    To avoid a soggy bottom, I placed a rack on the tray, worked perfectly. For the sauce, I used honey and a little bit of brown sugar. Cooked the sauce on low longer than it says.

    Reply
  2. Judy Ameche-Kromschroder says

    October 19, 2021 at 17:33

    5 stars
    5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Used Gf flour and Tamara for my celiac husband and it was so delicious!!!
    Better than anything similar I’ve ever eaten in a restaurant!
    Thank you so much for sharing and making me feel like a chef in my own home❤️

    Reply
  3. Kristine says

    January 30, 2021 at 01:52

    Delicious. I used regular all purpose flour and hot sesame oil instead of toasted because it’s what I had. I didn’t have sriracha but would have omitted anyway because the heat level for me was perfect with the hot sesame oil. It had a good kick. I doubled the sauce recipe as some others suggested because I do love a good sauce and I was glad I did. I also ran out of time and did not return to the oven after tossing it in the sauce and it was not a problem although I did let the sauce cook a little longer than indicated while my cauliflower was still browning. Over all I really like this recipe and will probably make it again and again.

    Reply
  4. Deborah says

    January 12, 2021 at 16:14

    4 stars
    Lovely weeknight recipe! It’s not super crispy as stated but has a lovely slight sesame, tangy flavour. I didn’t double the sauce like other readers did as just having the florets over jasmine rice was enough for me. The flat batter bottoms in the oven were also an issue for me similar to other readers but not so much that it ruined the dish. Any solutions to that particular problem is welcomed!

    Reply
  5. Regnia says

    January 2, 2021 at 12:14

    5 stars
    This is so so easy, so yummy and so good looking! We loved it. Thanks for the receipe!!

    Reply
    • Debs says

      February 5, 2021 at 12:30

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe, all the family loved it! Thankyou 😋

      Reply
  6. Taskeen says

    November 30, 2020 at 10:38

    5 stars
    Delicious. Very clever recipe. I doubled the sauce recipe and it was just right.
    I tried pan frying some caulis to speed it up – but oven roasted was better.
    Ideal side or main for veg day.

    Reply
  7. Anika says

    November 14, 2020 at 06:45

    5 stars
    Yuuum!! So delicious, I used rice flour as the flour and tomato sauce instead of paste 😁

    Reply
  8. Robert says

    August 13, 2020 at 17:37

    5 stars
    AMAZING. My mom’s words: If I buy three heads of cauliflower, can we make that much tomorrow???!

    Reply
  9. K says

    June 14, 2020 at 17:37

    Loved the recipe and enjoyed the process of making!! Thanks thanks thanks

    Reply
  10. R. Patrick Jenkins says

    May 11, 2020 at 21:49

    This is awesome! I make just the sauce whenever I need a dipping sauce for spring rolls or dumplings! Just yummers!

    Reply
  11. Karlie Slowiak says

    April 10, 2020 at 09:33

    5 stars
    great recipe! Subbed Ketchup for tomato paste and maple for agave and turned out wonderful!

    Reply
  12. Anne Nguyen says

    March 18, 2020 at 21:16

    5 stars
    One of my favourite new recipes. I don’t think I have ever felt strong enough about a recipe to rate it before so that’s an indication of how impressed I was.

    Reply
  13. Joe Lovell says

    February 29, 2020 at 10:29

    “I don’t recommend eating it by hand.”

    Well what fun is that? 😉

    Going to try this tonight.

    Reply
  14. Stela says

    February 18, 2020 at 21:33

    5 stars
    After reading some of the other comments I was wondering if this recipe will turn out ok for me, but I just made it for dinner for my hubby and I, and we were both pleasantly surprised how awesome it tasted! The florets turned out deliciously crispy, sticky and tangy, just like the photos! I followed the recipe closely, except that I substituted the agave for maple syrup, and the sesame oil for pecan oil, as I didn’t have any. I’m putting sesame oil on my shopping list for next time! The only change I would make next time is to double up the amount of the sauce, as another reader had suggested, for we would’ve loved to have more coating on the florets. Delicious, thank you for posting this wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Susan Riley says

      February 27, 2020 at 12:39

      I am going to make Sticky Califlower tonight to bring to a book club at a friend’s home.
      Can I just follow directions as is and bring to the get together warm and reheat in microwave there or is it imperative to mix the sauce after baking the first time, bake again and serve immediately?

      Reply
      • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

        March 2, 2020 at 16:01

        I don’t think this would be very nice reheated in the microwave unfortunately.

  15. Kathie says

    January 9, 2020 at 20:15

    Yeah, I had the same flat bottom problem as others did. Seems to be that way with any cauliflower wing recipe I’ve tried. In this case, the cauliflower was mushy, but the little flat bottoms were crispy. The flour mixture was thick like pancake batter, so I don’t know! Good flavor, but I probably won’t make them again. Maybe an air fryer is the answer.

    Reply
    • Emily K. English says

      June 3, 2020 at 22:02

      5 stars
      Delicious! I agree with other comments that more sauce would be nice (especially if it’s going over rice too) so I do recommend doubling that part. I also accidentally skipped the last step where it goes back in the oven after coating with sauce, and it still came out great. Also was lucky that my florets got nice and crisp in the oven – I think the trick might be shaking off as much batter as possible. I also used wheat flour which may have helped the texture.

      Reply
    • April says

      September 22, 2021 at 18:06

      Try adding dipping it in panko after the wet batter. It came out quite crispy and delicious.

      Reply
  16. Helen says

    December 6, 2019 at 07:59

    5 stars
    One of my new faves! I used regular flour instead of gluten-free and it worked a treat. Very tasty.

    Reply
  17. Amanda PSN di Grazia says

    November 13, 2019 at 14:49

    Amazing recipe, can’t wait to try again. I did not see in the recipe if you leave them whole or cut them in half? I found that my cauliflower in the over ended up with this hard flat bottom because of the coating- what can I do to avoid this? Flip them? Thanks in advance I LOVE this recipe!

    Reply
    • Kara says

      November 26, 2019 at 13:22

      3 stars
      the coating turned out thin with the 1:1 ration of water and flour, my batter all ran down and formed flat cakes. so wasn’t able to re-create the author’s dish as per the photo… it was ok in the end but wish I had the same texture as in most Chinese dishes of this kind…

      Reply
  18. Plantbasedbarb says

    November 6, 2019 at 13:01

    5 stars
    Made this recipe last night and it tasted delicious! Next time I’m going to try omitting the sesame oil as we are oil free eaters.

    Reply
  19. Grace says

    October 17, 2019 at 11:03

    I’m making this tonight for my dinner and omitted the spice for my son who is 13 months old, and added gochujang instead of sriracha for my version. Am excited, the kitchen smells very good!

    Reply
  20. Alana says

    October 17, 2019 at 08:41

    5 stars
    Totally delicious – also used maple syrup instead of agave and turned out really well.

    Reply
  21. Chickpea Express says

    August 31, 2019 at 14:07

    5 stars
    I made a similar cauliflower recipe to this one but it’s inspired by Doritos Sweet Chili Heat chips!! I used a sweet chili heat sauce instead of sesame, which is nice to switch it up once in a while. Love how the cauliflower turns out in the oven with the flour and water coating! Thanks for the idea! If you want to check out my sweet chilli heat version of these cauliflower bites you can see it on my website Chickpea Express.

    Reply
  22. Tara says

    August 18, 2019 at 13:02

    5 stars
    Just tried this recipe, every one loved it. Even my 8 yr old!! I didn’t make enough sauce but trial and error. It was like eating a clean Chinese 💓

    Reply
  23. Bethany says

    August 12, 2019 at 17:47

    5 stars
    Wow I cannot rave enough about this recipe!!! Any kind of Asian food has always been my weakness so when I started changing my eating habits and decided to try going vegan I knew that my Chinese takeout would be one of the foods I missed the most. But boy does this hit the spot for me! I used oat flour since it was all I had on hand and it worked out perfectly. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes.

    Reply
  24. Emily English says

    July 11, 2019 at 23:33

    Delicious recipe!! I would definitely suggest doubling the sticky sauce if you like a lot of sesame flavor! I doubled it and it was just the right amount of sauce for one head of cauliflower. I also used maple syrup instead of agave. When using the maple syrup you do have to cook at a lower head as the sugar in the syrup starts to bubble. Would definite recommend to any cauliflower lovers!

    Reply
    • Emily English says

      July 11, 2019 at 23:34

      *lower heat not head 😂

      Reply
  25. alice.mcdevitt says

    June 17, 2019 at 21:41

    this was a life a saver with becky and the reading club – i highly suggest adding some happy herb for an incresase in flavour and crisp texture – 10/10 would recomend!

    Reply
    • eve bat says

      June 5, 2020 at 03:57

      what is happy herb?

      Reply
  26. ELIZABETH says

    February 24, 2019 at 14:40

    My daughter served this at dinner a few days ago. She shared the recipe with me so i am making it today!! It was so good!! Thanks

    Reply
  27. Carolyn says

    January 31, 2019 at 01:52

    5 stars
    Added the prepared cauliflower to a noodle bowl and it was a massive hit with the kids. Thank you.

    Reply
  28. Yuyu says

    September 19, 2018 at 19:55

    5 stars
    This sounds delicious! Is it ok to use almond flour or oat flour? Which would be better?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      September 25, 2018 at 10:46

      Oat flour would definitely be better than almond flour – with almond flour you’d nee to reduce the liquid quite a bit and dip the cauliflower in some sort of egg substitute first. I haven’t tested oat flour but I think it would work more closely to AP flour.

      Reply
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I'm Shannon, founder of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. I create healthy plant-based recipes that everyone will love, using seasonal produce and global inspiration.
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