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Sweet, spicy, baked cauliflower bites topped with a fantastic Asian-inspired sticky sauce! Serve them as an appetizer or as the main course served over rice for a delicious vegetarian dinner.
Deliciously Sticky Cauliflower Bites
Craving something sweet, spicy, and a little saucy, but want to skip the meat? These baked cauliflower bites are everything you love about wings, just lighter and veggie-forward. They bake up crisp, get tossed in a sticky honey-soy glaze, and somehow manage to disappear faster than you made them.
Why I Love This Cauliflower Bites Recipe
- Crispy and sticky perfection. These cauliflower bites are baked until golden, then coated in a glossy, sweet-and-spicy sauce that clings to every floret.
- Meatless, but never boring. You won’t miss the wings! These are full of crunch, flavor, and personality.
- Easy to make. No deep frying or fancy steps involved. These baked cauliflower bites are made with simple ingredients and a skillet for the sauce. You could even cook them in the air fryer following my recipe for buffalo cauliflower.
What You’ll Need
- Cauliflower – Cut into florets; fresh or frozen, both work.
- Egg whites – Help the coating stick. You can use one whole egg instead if you prefer.
- Panko crumbs – Fine-ground works best for even coating. Regular breadcrumbs are fine, too.
- Paprika & ground cumin – The spices add warmth and a hint of smoky flavor.
- Garlic powder – For that savory kick.
- Salt & black pepper – Simple seasoning that ties it all together.
- Sesame oil – Vegetable oil works, too, but sesame oil adds a nutty flavor.
- Honey – Sweetens the sauce and balances the soy. Agave syrup also works.
- Low sodium soy sauce – Use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
- Apple cider vinegar – Rice vinegar works just as well.
- Sweet chili sauce or sriracha – A little heat for balance; skip it if you prefer a mild flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh and fragrant for the sauce.
- Cornstarch + water – Used for the slurry to thicken the sauce.
- Toasted sesame seeds – Add crunch and nutty flavor.
- Green onions – Fresh garnish that brightens every bite.
How To Make Cauliflower Bites
Have you tried these guys yet? It’s sticky cauliflower, as in sticky chicken, but minus the chicken. It’s pretty darn good! You won’t even miss the meat, I promise.
- Coat the cauliflower. Toss florets with egg whites in a bag, then shake with seasoned breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
- Bake until golden. Arrange on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for about 15 to 18 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.
- Make the sauce. In a skillet, combine sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, and garlic. Simmer to blend the flavors, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry until thickened.
- Toss and coat. Add the baked cauliflower to the skillet (or pour the sauce over the pan) and toss until every piece is coated and glossy.
- Finish and serve. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Serve as-is or over rice for a full vegetarian meal.
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
- Use fine breadcrumbs. Coarse crumbs won’t stick as well, but finely ground panko gives that even, crispy coating.
- Beat the egg whites until foamy. It helps the coating grab onto the cauliflower.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Give the florets space so they bake up crisp instead of steaming.
- Watch the sauce. It thickens fast! Once glossy, pull it off the heat so it doesn’t turn syrupy.
- Toss right before serving. The sauce clings best to hot, freshly baked cauliflower.
- Make it your own. Skip the heat for a milder version, or add more sriracha for extra kick.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these sticky cauliflower bites straight from the oven as a fun appetizer or party snack, or make them the star of a meatless dinner. They’re great with a side of jasmine rice or over garlic butter noodles to soak up that sweet-and-spicy sauce. If you want something fresh on the plate, add a crisp cucumber salad or my shrimp Caesar salad.
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Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites
Sweet, spicy, baked cauliflower bites topped with an amazing Asian sticky sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 whole large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 cup fine ground panko crumbs, or regular breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil or vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce or sriracha
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine the egg whites with the florets. Add the beaten egg whites to a large ziploc bag, add the cauliflower florets, close the bag, and shake it around until everything is well combined.
- Make the panko topping and combine. In a separate ziploc bag combine the panko crumbs, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; add the cauliflower florets to the bag, close it, and shake it around until everything is well combined and coated.
- Bake. Transfer the cauliflower florets to the prepared baking sheet; bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.
- Make the sticky sauce. In the meantime, prepare the sauce in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Combine the sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, and garlic, and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Make the slurry. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a small mixing bowl and stir until the cornstarch dissolves.
- Finish the sauce. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the soy sauce mixture to combine, then remove from heat.
- Combine the sticky sauce with the cauliflower bites. Remove the cauliflower florets from the oven and either add them to the sauce or pour the sauce over the florets. Mix and toss until well combined.
- Serve. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions, and serve.
Notes
- Beat the egg whites until foamy; it will help with the breading.
- For better adhesion, don’t use coarse breadcrumbs. Finely ground breadcrumbs work better in this recipe.
- Serve the cauliflower bites as an appetizer or serve them over rice or noodles for a complete vegetarian dinner.
Nutrition
Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 70.7mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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Proper Storage
- Fridge: Store any leftover cauliflower bites in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing them.
- Reheat: Pop them in the oven or air fryer at 375˚F for a few minutes until hot and crisp. The microwave works too, but they’ll lose a bit of that crunch.
I wish I had read about grinding the panko in a food processor because I had lots of trouble with the panko crumbs adhering. However the sauce was tasty. And I agree with the poster who said you need to give time on the heat for the cornstarch to make the sauce thicken. Will try again.