This easy Orange Cauliflower recipe is made of crispy, baked cauliflower pieces coated in a richly sweet, sticky orange sauce. Plus, this vegan dinner is so much better than your favorite Chinese fast-food takeaway!
Chinese food lovers, you will love this tasty vegan dinner packed with vegetables. You might have already tried my Orange Tofu Recipe, so here’s the veggie version. This orange cauliflower recipe is packed with crispy, sticky pieces of cauliflower coated with a sweet orange sauce.
It’s a delicious Chinese-inspired dinner loaded with vegetables, like my Szechuan Tofu or Vegan Stir Fry. We love making these regularly as it tastes delicious, even the kids love it, and it’s still (relatively) healthy!
Ingredients and Substitutions
To coat the cauliflower florets you need:
- Cauliflower Head – cut into tiny 1.5-inch florets (3cm).
- All-Purpose Flour or white spelt flour.
- Panko Crumbs – This is optional but adds a crispy texture to the baked florets.
- Almond Milk or any plant-based milk you love.
- Orange Zest from a fresh, untreated orange.
- Garlic Powder – for flavor. You can also use crushed fresh ginger.
- Ginger – fresh or ground.
For the orange sauce, you will need the ingredients below:
- Sesame Oil or coconut oil
- Garlic Cloves – crushed fresh garlic, but you can also use powdered garlic.
- Ginger – I used ground ginger, but you can also use crushed fresh ginger.
- Orange Juice – From a fresh orange.
- Soft Brown Sugar – You can also use demerara sugar or coconut sugar.
- Soy Sauce – I prefer using low-sugar soy sauce.
- Rice Vinegar – Or apple cider vinegar. Rice vinegar brings the best flavor.
- Cornstarch – You can also use tapioca starch or arrowroot flour.
How To Make Orange Cauliflower
It’s very easy to make this recipe but it takes a bit of preparation because there are many ingredients involved. But overall, no need to be an expert cook to master this delicious dinner.
- First, clean the cauliflower head and remove its feet and green leaves. Discard and compost these parts.
- Next, using a small sharp knife, cut the cauliflower into 1.5-inch florets (3cm). Set them aside in a bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 410°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil the paper with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
- In another bowl, prepare the coating: sit flour, almond milk, salt, ginger, orange zest, and garlic powder. Next, place the panko crumb in a separate bowl.
- Dip each cauliflower floret using two forks, one at a time, into the milk flour mixture. Wait for a few seconds above the bowl to let the extra run down the bowl.
- Then roll them into the panko crumb and place the florets on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the florets have been coated.
- Spray cooking oil spray onto the florets and bake them for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You can shake the tray halfway and spray some extra oil to ensure the breadcrumb crisp well on all sides.
- Ten minutes before the cauliflower is fully baked, start the sauce. In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat warm oil and cook garlic then add all the remaining ingredients. Whisk and cook on low medium heat until the sauce is bubbly and thick.
- Remove the cauliflower florets from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes to cool down lightly. Then, place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the orange sauce on top of the crumbed cauliflower florets and toss them to coat them evenly.
Serving
Serve the orange cauliflower with:
- Jasmine Rice or try my Coconut Jasmine Rice for an extra boost of flavor
- Rice Noodles
- Sesame Seeds
- Green Onions
- Red Chili Pepper Flakes
Storage Instructions
You can store this orange cauliflower recipe in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days in a sealed container. Another option is to freeze leftovers in an airtight box where they last for one month.
Thaw in the fridge and rewarm in a microwave-safe bowl or over the stove over medium heat.
Allergy Swaps
If you have food allergies, try some of the options below to adapt the recipe.
- Gluten-Free – Use all-purpose gluten-free flour to coat the florets. Next, pick wheat-free soy sauce like coconut aminos or tamari sauce. Finally, use gluten-free panko crumbs or skip the crumbs.
- Oil-Free – You can cook all the orange sauce ingredients together, minus the oil, with great success.
- Nut-Free – Replace the almond milk with any plant-based milk you love, like coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
- Corn-Free – Replace the cornstarch with tapioca starch or arrowroot flour. Both are also gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are my answers to your most common questions about this recipe.
You can place the coated cauliflower florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry at 395°F (200°C) for 15 to 18 minutes.
Shake the basket halfway and set aside the air-fried cauliflower on a plate covered with foil to keep it warm.
Then, repeat these steps to air-fry the remaining florets.
You can boost the protein content of the dish by serving the recipe with edamame beans or cooked quinoa. Read how to cook quinoa in a rice cooker.
Or, you can coat half the cauliflower with some firm tofu cubes. Read my orange tofu recipe if needed.
This recipe should work with broccoli florets as well or any firm vegetables that won’t release much water.
More Asian-Inspired Vegan Dinner Recipes
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other Asian-inspired vegan dinners.
Orange Cauliflower
Ingredients
Cauliflower
- 1 head Cauliflower - cut into 1 1/2 inches florets (3cm)
- 1 ⅓ cup Almond Milk - 1
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour - 1
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoons Orange Zest - from 1 orange
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Orange sauce
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves - crushed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger - or 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- ⅓ cup Soft Brown Sugar - up to 1/2 cup if you love it very sweet
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2-3 tablespoons Cold Water
To serve – per plate
- 1 cup Jasmine Rice
- 2 tablespoons Scallions - finely chopped
- 1 pinch Chili Flakes
Optional
- 1 cup Panko Crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 410°F (220°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Slightly oil paper. Set aside.
Prepare the Cauliflower
- Cut the cauliflower into 1.5-inch florets (3 cm).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the coating ingredients: almond milk, flour, garlic powder, ginger, orange zest, and salt.
- Add the cauliflower florets one by one into the flour mixture to coat entirely and wait for a few seconds above the bowl to let excess return to the bowl.
- For crispy edges, you can optionally roll each floret into panko crumbs.
- Lay the florets onto the prepared baking sheet into a single layer, making sure they don't touch each other or overlap.
- Spray cooking all on the florets.
- Bake on the center rack for 35-40 minutes, flipping them halfway and sprinkling more Panko crumbs on the other side if desired. Meanwhile, prepare the curry sauce.
Orange Sauce
- Heat a large skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Over medium heat, melt coconut oil, then stir in garlic and ginger and cook over low heat to prevent the garlic from burning. Cook until fragrant for about 1 minute.
- Add orange juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring to a light simmer, occasionally stirring, until the sugar dissolves – about 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk water and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry into the hot orange sauce and keep simmering, occasionally stirring, until the sauce thickens – about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Toss the crispy cauliflower in the sauce until coated.
- Serve over cooked coconut jasmine rice and garnish with scallions pieces or chili flakes to add a spicy touch.
Storage
- Store in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
I loved the orange cauliflower recipe! I tried it last week and it was so delicious. The whole family loved it. This will become a staple in our regular meals.
Been looking for a new vegan recipe to try and this one did not disappoint! The orange cauliflower is sweet, tangy, and so addictive. Will definitely be making this again and again. Thanks!
Wow! This recipe is so easy to follow, even for someone like me who isn’t the best cook. The cauliflower turned out perfectly crispy and the orange sauce is delicious. Definitely will be making this again!
I made this recipe with broccoli instead of cauliflower and it turned out great! The orange sauce is so versatile and can be used on other vegetables too. Thanks for the inspiration!
This orange cauliflower recipe is amazing! I’ve never been a huge fan of cauliflower, but this recipe changed my mind. The orange sauce is so flavorful and the cauliflower gets so crispy in the oven. Thanks for sharing!
Great for busy weeknights! It’s so easy to throw together and always a crowd-pleaser. I like to serve it over rice for a complete meal. Thanks!