Crispy Baked Orange Cauliflower
by: claire cary
This crispy orange cauliflower is a lightened up take on your favorite orange chicken. It's easy to make, baked, and bursting with fresh orange flavor in every bite. Plus, can easily be made vegan and gluten free!
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Ingredients
Cauliflower (Regular):
- 1 medium head cauliflower about 4 cups
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup gluten free all purpose flour can sub regular
- ¾ cup gluten free breadcrumbs can sub regular
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Cauliflower (Vegan):
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- ⅔ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup plain non-dairy milk
- ¾ cup gluten free breadcrumbs can sub regular
Orange Sauce
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons sriracha*
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Chop the cauliflower into medium bite sized florets.
- To make the regular version: Whisk both eggs together in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour breadcrumbs and garlic powder. Dip each piece of cauliflower in the egg, then transfer to the breadcrumb mixture. Coat the piece completely with breadcrumbs and then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all cauliflower has been used. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumbs on top of the cauliflower before placing in the oven.
- To make the vegan version: Whisk together the rice flour, arrowroot, garlic powder and non-dairy milk in a large mixing bowl. If the batter seems too thick, add in a bit more milk, but you do want it on the thicker side. Add in the cauliflower and toss until each piece is well coated in the batter. Add in the breadcrumbs and toss again. Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- For both versions, bake at 425 for 25 minutes, turn the oven off and leave in an additional 5 minutes to crisp up.
- During the final few minutes, make the sauce. Start by finely mincing the garlic and adding to a pot with the oil. Saute for a few minutes or until golden brown. Add in all remaining ingredients aside from the cornstarch and whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and add to the sauce once it is at a low boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer until thickened. Remove from heat.
- When the cauliflower is done, let cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
You want the cauliflower chopped into medium sized florets. Too small and they'll end up kind of mushy on the inside, but too big and they won't cook properly or evenly.
I highly suggest using freshly squeezed orange juice for the best flavor. However, if you only have regular OJ, that will work.
For a lower sugar version, you can cut back on the brown sugar to 1/4 cup.
Serving: 1/4 of the recipe / Calories: 263kcal / Carbohydrates: 39g / Protein: 7.9g / Fat: 3.8g / Fiber: 1.4g / Sugar: 18g
