Crispy, panko-coated baked cauliflower is coated in an orange scented garlic sauce for a delicious meal.
One of my favorite cauliflower dishes has been my Honey Garlic Cauliflower. But with summer just around the corner, I’ve been trying to incorporate more citrus and fruits into my meals. So I made an orange garlic sauce with a few tweaks.
I omitted the honey because I was afraid it would overpower the orange. I sweetened it with a little sugar instead. It doesn’t have the same glossy look but it still tastes similar. I kept the garlic, of course, and actually added more garlic flavor. And I added orange juice and orange zest. The zest is the key to really bringing out the orange flavor because the orange juice does get a little lost with all the garlic. The end result is a sweet, savory, garlicky orange sauce.
Orange Garlic Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower cut into bite sized florets, stems trimmed off
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs (see note)
- 2 large eggs whisked
for the sauce
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (see note)
- 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 6 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice slightly less than 1 orange
- 2 tsp grated orange zest
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 10 tbsp water + 5 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set whisked eggs aside in a small bowl. Set panko crumbs aside in a separate bowl. Dip cauliflower pieces in egg and then roll in panko until fully coated and place on a baking sheet. (Please see tips below for coating cauliflower). Repeat until all cauliflower is coated.
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until coating is a dark golden brown and crunchy.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, make the sauce on the stove. Add all sauce ingredients except the cornstarch + water. Bring to a simmer and stir until completely mixed. In a small bowl, completely dissolve cornstarch in water, then add to the mixture. Stir until sauce reaches a simmer again and cook until sauce thickens (about 1-2 minutes). Pour sauce over cauliflower. Garnish with fresh chopped scallions if desired.
Notes
- I recommend Kikkoman brand panko breadcrumbs.
- Regular soy sauce will make your sauce saltier and darker in color
- When you prepare to coat the cauliflower make sure that you thoroughly whisk your eggs. Unwhisked egg whites will be slippery and likely slide right off the cauliflower.
- Make sure to fully coat the cauliflower in the whisked egg. Also, allow the excess egg drip back into your egg bowl to avoid adding extra moisture to your panko breadcrumbs. When moisture hits the panko, it tends to clump up and doesn't stick as well onto the cauliflower. Obviously, you will have to bring in some moisture from the egg on the cauliflower, but you want to avoid excess dripping liquid egg as then too much of your panko crumbs will clump up and you won't have enough to coat your cauliflower.
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.
