20 MINUTE Sesame Cauliflower Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (2024)

Sesame Cauliflower is a delicious, incredibly flavorful way to put an Asian-inspired vegetarian meal on the table any night of the week. It’s a super simple recipe that takes just 20 minutes to make.

20 MINUTE Sesame Cauliflower Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (1)

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Back in my vegetarian days, using cauliflower as a replacement for starchier foods or meat wasn’t anywhere near as popular as it is now. I believe mashed cauliflower and cauliflower rice were the two ways cauliflower was being used the most.

There really weren’t many, if any, Chinese cauliflower recipes. I remember I used to order “broccoli in brown sauce” whenever we ate takeout. I’m not even sure if that’s the correct term for the sauce, or if the sauce is even vegetarian.

This is why I rarely ate out. It can be hard to know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating. Unless, you make it yourself.

Why This Recipe Works

The combination of crispy cauliflower in a sweet, sticky sesame sauce is absolutely delicious. It’s family friendly, but it you want a spicier dish, simply add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce.

This Sesame Cauliflower recipe has all the same delicious flavors of take out sesame dishes, but without any questionable ingredients. The homemade sesame sauce recipe is 100% vegetarian and can easily be made vegan. Simply swap out the honey for agave.

This dish can be made gluten free, as well.

How to Make Sesame Cauliflower

What You Need To Make This Recipe

20 MINUTE Sesame Cauliflower Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (2)

For The Cauliflower:

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets. You should have 4-5 cups.
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons oil for frying (I use vegetable or olive oil)

For The Sesame Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or agave to keep vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh, grated ginger)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (whisked with 1 tablespoon of water)
  • sesame seeds (optional, garnish)
  • sliced green onions (optional, garnish)

Prep!

Cut the cauliflower into bite size florets and mince the garlic.

If you are serving this dish with rice, noodles, or spaghetti squash, you will want to get that cooking, as well.

Create!

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Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. It will be somewhat thick.

In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets with the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture. Toss well.

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Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the battered cauliflower florets.

Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and crispy. This will take anywhere from 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the florets. Remove to a plate.

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Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the sesame sauce in a medium bowl and whisk well.

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Pour the sauce into the same skillet used for the cauliflower and raise the heat to bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the desired thickness is reached. This typically takes just a minute or two.

Stir the cauliflower back into the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce.

Present!

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Serve over rice, noodles, or even spaghetti squash.

Want to make it even fancier? You can serve this dish (or any similar dish) in really cool chopstick bowls. Garnish with sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions, if desired.

Tips and Techniques

  • Use low sodium soy sauce for a less salty tasting recipe.
  • You can make this a spicy sesame cauliflower recipe simply by mixing a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper into the sesame sauce.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-5 days.

How to Make This Recipe Gluten Free

To make this recipe gluten free, just be sure to use gluten free soy sauce and serve over rice, gluten free noodles, or spaghetti squash.

More Recipes With Cauliflower to Try

If you love cauliflower, you’ve come to the right blog.Here are a few of my favorite cauliflower recipes, but there are many, many more:

  • Loaded Cauliflower Bites
  • Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Rice
  • Keto Cauliflower Au Gratin
  • Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
  • Cauliflower Pizza Crust
  • Roasted Cauliflower Corn Chowder
  • Cauliflower Chicken Chowder

I also have a post on How To Cook Cauliflower with 7 different methods and one on How To Rice Cauliflower that you might find helpful.

Love this Sesame Cauliflower recipe? Follow me on Pinterest,Instagram, andFacebookfor more!

20 MINUTE Sesame Cauliflower Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (8)

Print

Sesame Cauliflower

Sesame Cauliflower is a delicious, incredibly flavorful way to put an Asian-inspired vegetarian meal on the table any night of the week. It’s a super simple recipe that takes just 20 minutes to make.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Chinese, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 194kcal

Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

Cauliflower

Sesame Sauce

Instructions

Cauliflower

  • Whisk together 3 tablespoons of soy sauce with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to create a thick slurry.

  • In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets with the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture. Toss well.

  • Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the battered cauliflower florets.

  • Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and crispy. This will take anywhere from 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the florets. Remove to a plate.

Sesame Sauce

  • While the cauliflower is cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the sesame sauce in a medium bowl and whisk well.

  • Pour the sauce into the same skillet used for the cauliflower and raise the heat to bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the desired thickness is reached, about 1-2 minutes.

  • Stir the cauliflower back into the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce.

  • Garnish with sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions, if desired. Serve on its own or over rice, noodles, or spaghetti squash.

Notes

Tips and Techniques

  • Use low sodium soy sauce for a less salty tasting recipe.
  • You can make this a spicy sesame cauliflower recipesimply by mixing a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper into the sesame sauce.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.Use within 3-5 days.

How to Make This Recipe Gluten Free

To make this recipe gluten free, be sure that your soy sauce is gluten free and serve over rice, gluten free noodles or spaghetti squash.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 1545mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was originally published on June 6, 2017. It was updated with an improved recipe, new images, tips, and techniques in April 2020.

20 MINUTE Sesame Cauliflower Recipe - Delicious Little Bites (2024)

FAQs

20 MINUTE Sesame Cauliflower Recipe - Delicious Little Bites? ›

Overcrowding the baking tray will result in mushy and not evenly cooked cauliflower. Choosing a proper cooking fat ensures roasted cauliflower goodness. The two I recommend are avocado oil and grass-fed ghee, both of which can tolerate high-heat cooking.

Why is my baked cauliflower soggy? ›

Overcrowding the baking tray will result in mushy and not evenly cooked cauliflower. Choosing a proper cooking fat ensures roasted cauliflower goodness. The two I recommend are avocado oil and grass-fed ghee, both of which can tolerate high-heat cooking.

How do you eat raw cauliflower? ›

You could also use the shredding disc of a food processor or the side of a box grater. Put the cauliflower into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. While you get the remaining ingredients ready, the salt will begin to soften the cauliflower making it very palatable to eat, even raw.

Why isn't my roasted cauliflower crispy? ›

Crowding the Baking Sheet

Cauliflower has a very high water content, so it won't get crispy if you bake the florets crowded together. "Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

How to cook cauliflower Gordon Ramsay? ›

Cooking instructions

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the cauliflower florets and cook for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Drain and refresh in iced water, drain again and transfer to a large ovenproof dish.

Can you eat raw cauliflower? ›

Cauliflower may be just what you're searching for. This versatile veggie can be eaten raw, cooked, roasted, grilled, baked into a pizza crust, or cooked and mashed as a substitute for mashed potatoes. You can even rice cauliflower and serve it in place of white rice.

What is the flavor of cauliflower before cooking? ›

Here's the thing about cauliflower. You like it raw because it has a great, crunchy texture. Also, the volatile oil - the same one occurs in cabbage, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts - changes in flavor from a pleasantly pungent bite in the raw vegetable to a persistent and annoying odor in the cooked versions.

What part of cauliflower is not edible? ›

Every part of a cauliflower is edible, even the tough outer skin. However, we do recommend peeling this part before cooking as it's a bit tough to chew.

How many times a week should you eat cauliflower? ›

Even better from a health standpoint, enjoy cauliflower and other vegetables from the cruciferous vegetable group 4-5 times per week, and increase your serving size to 2 cups.

What brings out the Flavour of cauliflower? ›

There are two really simple techniques that bring out the best in cauliflower: grilling and pickling. Dumping cauliflower florets in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for 45 minutes to an hour turns them into spiky little flavor bombs, delivering high-pitched squeaks in salads, sandwiches or the stew recipe here.

Can you eat too much cauliflower? ›

While everyone's tolerance is different, too much cauliflower can create G.I. distress, like excess gas and bloating. “Make sure to drink enough water to move it through your system,” suggests Lincoln. Cooking it can also dial back digestion woes.

What color cauliflower is healthiest? ›

Purple. Purple cauliflower is the healthiest option, with numerous advantages. The purple hue is due to the antioxidants called anthocyanins. These are the pigments present in various other plants and plant-based products, including red cabbage and red wine.

How do you get moisture out of cauliflower? ›

The best way to deal with the liquid is to put the riced cauliflower in a covered microwave-safe dish, heat it thoroughly to get all the liquid out of it you can, then drain it. If you have to cook it on the stovetop, add as little water as possible and stir frequently to keep it from sticking to the pan.

How do you fix mushy roasted vegetables? ›

But, they'll turn out soft and soggy instead of crispy and caramelized. The solution: Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F to 425°F. The high heat will quickly coax out all those naturally sweet flavors while keeping the vegetable tender-crisp. Everything will be golden brown and delicious!

How do you keep roasted vegetables from getting soggy? ›

The next time you roast vegetables, add some cornstarch. Yes, cornstarch—that box in your pantry is the secret to a super-crispy exterior on veggies, from potatoes to cauliflower.

How do you fix soggy vegetables in the oven? ›

You might be able to dry them out by cooking for longer but you will never restore their turgidity. A dusting of carb -sugar flour or starch- clinging to the oily surface will create a crispy crust after a short hot roasting time.

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