This sticky sesame cauliflower recipe is full of flavor! It tastes just like sesame chicken, but offers a great meatless option of my favorite dish. This is one of my favorite healthy, and easy to make dinner recipes.
You don’t even realize that it’s all vegetables when you’re eating it. Served over a bed of rice, this dish is unbeatable. Kid-approved (and requested!)
Sesame Cauliflower Recipe
I am always looking for clever ways to sneak more vegetables into our diets at home. One of the easiest ways I have found to do that is to substitute cauliflower for meat in some of our favorite dishes. This Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is one of my personal favorites, and it’s been a hit in my house as well.
After the cauliflower has been breaded and lightly fried, it becomes soft yet crunchy and it’s amazing when coated in sauce. The Sauce is so delicious. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tangy. It’s bursting with flavor and it coats the cauliflower perfectly.
You are going to love this unique and healthy version of sesame chicken, made with cauliflower. It’s a delicious, guilt free recipe made at home. If you haven’t tried cauliflower recipes before, then you are really in for a treat with this one! You’ll be hooked.
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower:
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- Vegetable oil for frying, it should be about 2 inches deep in the skillet
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ tbsp water
For the Garnish:
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 5 green onions, sliced
Substitutions & Additions
Rice: You can use any type of rice to go with your sesame cauliflower! Personally, I love to use white rice. Jasmine is my favorite. You can use brown rice as well. Another option for keeping this low carb is to veggie rice, such as cauliflower rice, broccoli rice or serve it over zucchini noodles!
Sesame Oil: If you don’t have sesame oil, you can substitute olive oil in its place. If you prefer, sunflower oil or avocado oil would work as well.
How to Make Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
- Cook white rice.
- Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, sesame oil, light brown sugar, garlic paste, ginger paste, and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until lumps are gone and add to the saucepan (turn on low and stir occasionally).
- In a large skillet add 2 inches of vegetable oil and let simmer at medium heat. You want the temperature to be about 350 degrees. TIP: use a meat thermometer. You don’t want the oil too hot or it will burn the cauliflower!
- In a separate bowl whisk together lour, cumin, chili powder, coriander, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Pour the buttermilk into a small bowl.
- Work in batches to cook the cauliflower in the following order:
- take 1-inch cauliflower pieces and dip them in the flour mixture.
- Then dip them in the buttermilk.
- Then dip them back in the flour mixture.
- Tap excess flour off of the cauliflower pieces and add to the hot 350-degree oil.
- Cook cauliflower on both sides for 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer. Remove cauliflower from hot oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- When all the cauliflower is cooked, place it in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot sesame sauce over the top of the chicken. Use tongs or a large spoon to “toss” the cauliflower with the sesame sauce.
- Serve over white rice and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Tips for Making Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
You might struggle to find sesame oil at the grocery store. You can usually find it in two places. It can be found in the baking aisle in the oil section. You can also find it with the Asian foods as well.
It is usually cheaper if you pick the oil that is in with the Asian foods. For some reason, they charge twice as much for the sesame oils that are located in the baking aisle.
More Great Cauliflower Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Popcorn | Cauliflower Breadsticks | Simply the Best Cauliflower Pizza Crust | Cauliflower Fried Rice | Cauliflower Mac and Cheese {Low Carb & 10 Minute Prep) | Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Video
Ingredients
Cauliflower:
- 1 head cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- Vegetable Oil for frying,it should be about 2 inches deep in the skillet
Sauce:
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ tbsp water
Garnish:
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 5 green onions sliced
Instructions
- In a medium pot cook white rice per package directions. Set aside once done cooking.
- In a medium saucepan combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, sesame oil, light brown sugar, garlic paste, ginger paste, and chicken broth. Whisk together and bring to a boil.
- In a small separate bowl combine cornstarch and water. Whisk until no lumps remain.
- Once the sauce is boiling, slowly whisk in cornstarch. Turn heat to low and let simmer while you prepare the cauliflower. Stir occasionally.
- In a large skillet over medium heat vegetable oil until it is about 2 inches deep. Turn heat to medium and let sit until the temperature reaches 350 degrees. It’s important that you test the temperature with a meat thermometer. If it’s too hot it will burn the exterior of the cauliflower.
- In a large bowl combine flour, cumin, chili powder, coriander, onion powder, and black pepper. Whisk together. In a separate bowl add the buttermilk.
- Work in batches to cook the cauliflower in the following order. Take the 1 inch cauliflower pieces and dip them in the flour mixture. Then dip them in the buttermilk. Then dip them back in the flour mixture. Tap excess flour off of the cauliflower pieces and add to the hot 350 degree oil.
- Cook cauliflower on both sides for 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer. Remove cauliflower from hot oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.
- When all the cauliflower is cooked, place it in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot sesame sauce over the top of the cauliflower. Use tongs or a large spoon to “toss” the cauliflower with the sesame sauce.
- Serve over white rice and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Nutrition Info
I can’t say it enough, this recipe is so darn good. It’s a healthy, easy to make option for family dinner night. The cauliflower is fried to a soft, yet crunchy perfection and then coated in the homemade sauce that is tangy and sweet. Place it on a bed of rice and you have a complete meal that the whole family will love.
