Crispy baked cauliflower pieces are coated in an orange sauce. It’s like orange chicken but with cauliflower instead!
Yes, I’m still making cauliflower recipes. I really love cauliflower-izing everything. I’ve made several variations on orange chicken in the past, but this is my first time replacing the chicken with cauliflower.
The addicting sauce, as you can imagine, works wonderfully with the crispy baked golden cauliflower pieces that are first coated in panko bread crumbs.
Love love how this turned out and hope you will too!
If you love orange sauce, check out my other orange chicken variations. You can also check out my cauliflower recipe collection.
Baked Orange Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs Kikkoman brand preferred for even baking
- 2 large eggs whisked
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp vinegar
- 1/8 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp ginger minced
- 1 tsp sriracha if you find this to be too much spice, you can replace half of it with ketchup to get the orange color without affecting flavor too much
- 1 tsp ketchup
- 2 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set aside whisked egg in a small mixing bowl. Add about 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs into a Ziploc bag. Line an extra-large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dip cauliflower in egg mixture and then shake a few times so that excess egg drips off. You don't want to dampen your breadcrumbs with excess egg because then they won't stick to the cauliflower. Set aside dipped cauliflower on a cutting board or plate, so that more excess egg has a chance to drip off. Repeat with remaining cauliflower.
- Take an egg dipped cauliflower and place into a bag of breadcrumbs. Seal and shake a few times until it is completely covered in breadcrumbs. Remove and place onto baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cauliflower, adding an additional 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs to the bag whenever you run out. You can do a few cauliflower at a time, but I don't recommend more than 3-4 because your cauliflower won't be as well covered in breadcrumbs.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until coating is a dark golden brown and crunchy.
- While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce. Using a small saucepan, add all ingredients listed except the last set (1 tbsp water + 2 tsp cornstarch). Bring sauce to a low boil, stirring constantly. In a small bowl, completely dissolve cornstarch in water, then add to the mixture. Stir until sauce boils again and cook until sauce thickens. Drizzle sauce over cauliflower. Add fresh chopped scallions if desired.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
These were delicious! Made mine in the air fryer
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you…
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
We found the sauce overly sweet with the need for more vinegar to balance and enhance the sour taste. The cauliflower did not brown and crisp in time the recipe called for in oven, so sprayed with oil after 20 minutes and cooked for 15 minutes longer. Next time, I will make adjustments as stated above and I would sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
thank you for sharing your experience
Just made this and it is AMAZING. It’s taking everything in me not to consume every single bit of it right now, tonight, by myself. I served it over brown rice and topped it with some sesame seeds and green onion. Will most definitely make again. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Good recipe! Only issue was the sauce was way to sweet – I would cut the sugar by half or more. Also added way more sriracha. Otherwise delicious. Will definitely make again with the modifications.
In my experience, orange sauce is usually pretty sweet but of course you can adjust for your own personal preference
So delicious!!! Pairs good with Jasmin rice and brocolli.
I’m so glad you like it!
This recipe is soooo f***ing good. I don’t ever leave reviews on recipes mostly because I’m lazy but, here I am taking the time to let everyone reading this recipe know how damn good it is. I absolutely loved everything about it. I made it with some white rice and it was so damn tasty. Thank u so much for this!!!
I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this review. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!