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    Home » Salads, Dressings and Bowls » Teriyaki Cauliflower (Oven-Baked)

    Teriyaki Cauliflower (Oven-Baked)

    Published: Feb 8, 2021 · Modified: Mar 12, 2023 by Jessica

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    This teriyaki cauliflower is made by tossing oven-baked breaded cauliflower bites in a sweet, sticky and easy-to-make homemade teriyaki sauce. It is so delicious and perfect as a satisfying dinner, finger food or even a fun party appetizer.

    Showing are teriyaki cauliflower bites garnishing a rice bowl with avocado, edamame, pineapple and green onion. On the side, there is a grey hand towel and a set of chopsticks on the side of the bowl. You can also see more of the sauce, sliced green onion and more cauliflower bites on the side of the bowl.

    If you love take out Asian food, then this recipe will be right in your alley. It has the same addictive rich and savory flavor than the one from delivery, but in a much healthier way. This recipe is a must-try!

    Why you will love this teriyaki cauliflower

    • Very satisfying
    • Great texture without using any oil (no frying)
    • Healthy
    • Easy and tasty way to eat more vegetables
    • Kid friendly
    Showing are teriyaki cauliflower bites garnishing a rice bowl with avocado, edamame, pineapple and green onion. In the background, there is a bowl with more teriyaki sauce and sliced green onion.

    How to make teriyaki cauliflower

    Just like in this orange cauliflower, breading cauliflower florets before cooking them brings lots of interesting texture and makes them more hearty and filling. You will cover the pieces with a batter (flour and water based) and then roll them in panko. This will help get the cauliflower pieces get nice and crispy, even without using any oil. And it is very easy to make!

    1- Make the oven-baked breaded cauliflower bites

    Chop the cauliflower in florets. Keep them large enough, see the picture below.

    Close up on a hand holding a cauliflower floret to show the size recommended

    Prepare the batter: combine the flour, water, onion and garlic powder and whisk until there are no clumps anymore (expect a thick batter). Place the panko breadcrumbs on a plate or shallow bowl.

    • Ingredients needed to make this recipe showing vegetable florets, panko breadcrumbs, whole wheat flour, garlic powder and onion powder.
    • Showing is a batter in a white bowl with a hand holding on the bowl and another hand holding on a whisk.

    Dip the floret in the flour-water batter one at the time. Don't be afraid to get your hands covered!

    Then, roll each florets in the panko to completely coat the pieces.

    There is a hand breading cauliflower floret. You can see a bowl with the batter, a plate with panko, a bowl with the floret to be breaded and a baking sheet with the breaded cauliflower.

    Place the covered cauliflower pieces on a parchment paper covered baking sheet and cook in the oven.

    There are battered and panko covered floret of vegetable on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.

    2- Make the homemade vegan teriyaki sauce

    While the cauliflower bites are cooking, make the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, green onion and corn starch together in a sauce pan and cook, while whisking, for about 5 minutes until bubbly and thick. That's all!

    • Showing are the ingredients needed to make a homemade teriyaki sauce displayed in small white bowls. There are soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, green onion and cornstarch.
    • There is a homemade teriyaki sauce in a sauce pan cooking.

    3- Combine cauliflower + teriyaki sauce

    Once the cauliflower bites are done and the sauce is nice and thick, then simply toss the breaded florets in a little more than half of the sauce, just enough to coat the pieces. Keep the rest of the sauce for drizzling!

    • There are battered and panko covered floret of cauliflower on a parchment paper covered baking sheet that just got out of the oven.
    • There are breaded vegetable being tossed in a Asian sauce in a white bowl. You can see a hand holding on a spoon and stirring.

    Watch how to make it

    Tips when making this oven-baked teriyaki cauliflower

    • When preparing the cauliflower bites, keep the florets big enough rather than small. This will prevent the vegetable from getting too soft while giving enough time for the breading to cook and brown.
    • When breading the cauliflower florets, try to remove the exceeding batter before rolling them in the panko breadcrumbs. To do this, after covering the florets, simply hold them by the stems and hit the side of the bowl for the extra batter to drip (see video).
    • Using a panko type of breadcrumbs helps the florets get crispier without frying. You could also use regular breadcrumbs if that's all you have, but it won't be as crispy. I actually made it without the panko all together while testing the recipe and it was still good.
    • When placing the breaded cauliflower on the baking sheet, give enough space in between the pieces. If too close to each other, the florets could steam instead of roasting, which might make the bites less crispy.
    • I love making my own teriyaki sauce, but if there is a brand that you already love, then you can simply use a store-bought one. In this case, you can skip all the ingredients to make the sauce, bread the florets then toss them in your warmed up teriyaki sauce.
    • When tossing the cooked cauliflower in the teriyaki sauce, I recommend you use only a little more than half of the sauce you prepared. I found that coating the pieces with less sauce prevented the cauliflower bites from getting softer, plus it gives leftover sauce to drizzle on top at serving.
    • If you know you will want lots of sauce (especially if you make a rice bowl), then don't hesitate to make double batch of the sauce for more drizzling!
    Showing are teriyaki cauliflower bites garnishing a rice bowl with avocado, edamame, pineapple and green onion. On the side, there is a grey hand towel and a set of chopsticks on the side of the bowl.

    How to make teriyaki cauliflower gluten-free

    If you are following a gluten-free diet, then this recipe is very easy to adapt to your diet needs:

    • Choose a gluten-free flour when making the batter. Any type of flour will work well here, like rice flour and gluten-free wheat flour.
    • Choose gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. I love this panko from Kikkoman.
    • Choose tamari instead of regular soy-sauce.
    Close up on a cauliflower bite being hold with chop sticks with more of them in the background.

    Serving suggestions

    This teriyaki cauliflower can be served in so many ways! I like to serve it as part of a meal and top brown rice, quinoa or noodles with it. It also makes for a perfect appetizer or finger food served at parties. Or make a teriyaki cauliflower buddha bowl as seen in the pictures!

    How to make a teriyaki cauliflower buddha bowl

    My favorite way to enjoy teriyaki cauliflower is to include it in a colorful and nourishing buddha bowl. It's simple, very appetizing and easy to customize. Here is how I make it:

    • Brown rice. Start cooking the rice before making the cauliflower bites as it can take up to 40 minutes to cook on the stove. You can also keep some in your freezer so it's ready within 2 minutes! I love this frozen cooked brown rice from the brand 365.
    • Diced pineapple. Adds a fresh and sweet touch to the meal and pairs so well with the teriyaki sauce. I use fresh pineapple, but frozen then thawed or canned works too. Kids love mixing up sweet fruits in savory meals!
    • Edamame. Adds a nice bright color and extra valuable protein. I buy these frozen and already shelled edamame from the brand 365. When in a rush, I simply thaw them in a bowl filled with water in the microwave for about 2 minutes, then drain.
    • Avocado. Adds healthy fats and a delicious creaminess.
    • Top with sliced green onion and a good drizzle of the leftover teriyaki sauce.
    Showing are teriyaki cauliflower bites garnishing a rice bowl with avocado, edamame, pineapple and green onion. On the side, there is a grey hand towel and a set of chopsticks on the side of the bowl. You can also see more of the sauce, sliced green onion and more cauliflower bites on the side of the bowl.

    Recipe variations

    • I love adding garlic and onion powder when making the flour-water batter, but you can be creative and use the spices of your choice. Red pepper flakes, black or white pepper or ginger powder would also work well.
    • You can also add pineapple (fresh, frozen or canned) right to the sauce pan when making the teriyaki sauce. It adds extra sweetness and a fun texture! To do this, simply dice the fruit in small cubes and add about ½ cup to the sauce pan with all the other ingredients.

    Can I prepare teriyaki cauliflower ahead of time?

    Yes, you can, although you will loose some of the crispy texture as the breading from the cauliflower bites will absorb the sauce during storage. When I make this recipe, I still make a lot so we have leftovers for lunch the day after and it remains very good.

    If you want to give the recipe a head start, then you could make the teriyaki sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to coat the cauliflower bites. I recommend you to reheat the sauce and give it a good whisk before coating the veggie (if it thickens too much during storage, then thin it with a splash of water).

    Other easy Asian recipes you might like

    • Healthy vegetable stir-fry
    • Ginger scallion oven baked tofu
    • Spicy garlic noodles
    • Sweet and spicy orange sauce
    • Sweet and sour tofu
    • Sticky tofu
    • Vegan chow mein
    • Orange cauliflower
    • Baked tofu teriyaki buddha bowl

    I hope you enjoy this teriyaki cauliflower as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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    Showing are teriyaki cauliflower bites garnishing a rice bowl with avocado, edamame, pineapple and green onion. On the side, there is a grey hand towel and a set of chopsticks on the side of the bowl. You can also see more of the sauce, sliced green onion and more cauliflower bites on the side of the bowl.

    Teriyaki Cauliflower (Oven-baked)

    This teriyaki cauliflower is so delicious with its crispy breading and sweet sticky teriyaki sauce. It is a oil-free recipe and such a tasty way to eat more veggies!
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Servings 4 people
    Author Jessica Laroche

    Ingredients
      

    To make the teriyaki sauce

    • ½ cup soy sauce - or tamari for a gluten-free option
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 2-3 cloves of garlic - crushed
    • 1 tsp fresh ginger - grated
    • 2-3 green onions - sliced, plus more for serving
    • 1 ½ tbsp corn starch - or 2 tbsp of arrowroot powder

    To make the cauliflower

    • 1 small head of cauliflower - chopped in large florets
    • 1 cup whole wheat flour - or the flour of your choice, choose gluten-free if necessary
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 ½ tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs - gluten-free if necessary

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, water, onion and garlic powder until there are no clumps anymore. Set aside.
      In a medium shallow bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Set aside.
    • Then, one at the time, sink the florets completely in the flour-water batter, remove the excess (I simply hit the side of the bowl with the floret) and then roll the pieces in the panko to cover them as much as you can. Place the pieces on the baking sheet and keep going until all the cauliflower pieces are covered.
    • Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, then flip the pieces and cook for 15 more minutes.
    • While the cauliflower bites are cooking, make the teriyaki sauce: In a small sauce pan, combine all the sauce ingredients and whisk until there are no clumps anymore. Cook on medium-high heat until bubbly while stirring often. Once bubbly, keep whisking for 30-60 seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
    • When the cauliflower is done, transfer them to a large bowl and pour over about half to ¾ of the sauce (or just enough to cover the pieces, I like to keep some for drizzling). Stir gently until all the pieces are covered with the sauce.
    • Serve over cooked brown rice with a side of veggies and drizzle with the extra teriyaki sauce. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • This recipe works better with larger piece of florets so the vegetable does not get too soft while cooking while allowing enough cooking time for the batter to brown.
    • A panko type of breadcrumbs works better than a regular type to create more texture and a crispier coating without using oil. I love the panko from Kikkoman (they make gluten-free panko).
    • When transferring the breaded cauliflower bites on the baking sheet, leave enough space in between them to prevent steaming the vegetable (it helps brown and crisp them).
    • I prefer coating the cooked cauliflower with a little more than half of the sauce. Doing so helps keep some texture to the cauliflower pieces and prevents the batter surrounding the veggie from getting too soft. Then, drizzle your plate with the remaining sauce.
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    ABOUT JESS


    Profile picture for Plant Based Jess in the kitchen.

    Hi there! I’m Jessica, a pasta obsessed French Canadian now living in beautiful Maine. I’m a mom of two, experienced foodie and ninja meal planner. I believe everyone can make stress-free plant-based meals with wholesome ingredients that your family and friends will love. 

    Join me in my kitchen to discover fun and creative recipes or click to find out more. Welcome!

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