General Tso's Cauliflower
Crispy baked cauliflower tossed in a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy glaze — a vegetarian centerpiece that costs a fraction of the classic chicken version.
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 2 green onions sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, water, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a smooth batter. Dip each cauliflower floret in the batter, letting excess drip off, then roll in panko breadcrumbs to coat.
- Arrange the florets in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
- While the cauliflower bakes, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin, sriracha, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Toss the baked cauliflower gently in the sauce right before serving. Garnish with green onions and serve over rice.
Notes
A whole head of cauliflower typically costs less than a pound of chicken and stretches further, making this a genuinely economical main dish.
For the crispiest results without deep-frying, make sure florets aren't touching on the pan and don't skip the flip halfway through baking.
Leftover sauce keeps well in the fridge for a week — double the batch and use it on roasted broccoli or tofu later in the week.