Spicy Orange Cauliflower (Oven-Baked and Vegan)

Front angle view on a pile of spicy orange cauliflower bites that are on a large rectangular white plate. There is a large serving spoon on the side as well as more orange sauce and sesame seeds in the background.

5 from 1 vote

Spicy Orange Cauliflower (Oven-Baked and Vegan)

This sweet and spicy vegan orange cauliflower is such a treat! Made with a simple breading including panko breadcrumbs that turns the cauliflower bites extra crispy plus an amazingly delicious orange sauce. This meal is definitively better than Chinese take out, and healthier too!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: Vegan, vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

For the oven-baked cauliflower bites

1 small head of cauliflower chopped in large florets
1 cup flour all-purpose or white whole wheat
1 ½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup water
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs

For the sauce

2 batches of spicy orange sauce see notes, can be made ahead
green onions for garnishing, optional
sesame seeds for garnishing, optional

Instructions

Make the oven-baked cauliflower bites

Pre-heat the oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder and onion powder with the water and whisk to combine (I use a fork).
Transfer the panko breadcrumbs in a second medium bowl.
Taking one floret at the time, dip the cauliflower bites in the flour-water batter until completely covered, then gently hit the side of the bowl to remove the excess of batter.
Then, completely covered the battered cauliflower with the panko and transfer on the prepared baking sheet. Keep going until you covered all the cauliflower pieces.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

Make the orange sauce

Follow the instruction on this sweet and spicy orange sauce, be sure to double the recipe for a saucier cauliflower. Once the sauce is done, set aside so it has time to slightly cool down.

Combine

Simply transfer the oven-baked cauliflower bites to a bowl and pour some of the orange sauce over. Be gently when stirring the pieces so you don't break their breading. You might have some extra orange sauce you can use to drizzle over rice or noodles or keep in the fridge for a later usage.

Video

Notes

Storage: This recipe does not keep very well in the fridge as the cauliflower will soak on the sauce and get softer over time. If expecting leftovers, then try to toss only the cauliflower with some of the sauce that you will eat at that seating. Keep the remaining cauliflower and sauce apart in the fridge and reheat the cauliflower bites in the oven for a few minutes to revive some of its crispy texture.
Be sure to use extra sweet Navel orange to make the sauce. If your oranges are more tart, then add a splash of extra maple syrup.
When preparing the cauliflower, it is important to keep the cauliflower pieces on the larger side.
Your cauliflower bites will have a better texture if there is not too much batter around. You want the batter to be all around, but not too thick. So, once dipped in the batter, be sure to remove the excess before diving into the panko.
Space out the cauliflower pieces on your baking sheet. They will roast and crisp better that way.
Right after baked, the cauliflower bites are at their best crispiness. Once tossed in the sauce, they will absorb some of it and become less crispy (still really good though). So I recommend you combine the cauliflower with the sauce just when ready to eat for optimal texture.
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition