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Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites - Sweet, spicy, baked cauliflower bites topped with an amazing Asian-inspired sticky sauce! Serve them as finger food appetizers or as the main course over rice for a delicious veggie dinner.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites

Katerina | Diethood
Sweet, spicy, baked cauliflower bites topped with an amazing Asian-inspired sticky sauce!
Servings : 4 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

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 fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil or vegetable oil
  • cup honey
  • 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
 

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F.
  • Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Add egg whites to a large ziploc bag; add cauliflower florets to the bag, close it, and shake it around until everything is well combined. 
  • 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.
  • Transfer the cauliflower florets to the prepared baking sheet; bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned.
  • 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.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes. 
  • In a small mixing bowl combine cornstarch and water and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.
  • Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the soy sauce mixture and whisk to combine; remove from heat.
  • 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.
  • Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
  • 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. Also, you can use regular breadcrumbs or panko rind crumbs.
  • If you don't like spicy foods, leave out the sriracha and use a mild/sweet sauce, if possible.
  • You can use agave instead of honey.
  • Serve as an appetizer or serve it over rice for a complete vegetarian meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 229 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 3 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 892 mg | Potassium: 539 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 27 g | Vitamin A: 125 IU | Vitamin C: 70.7 mg | Calcium: 86 mg | Iron: 2.4 mg

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.

Course: Appetizer / Lunch / Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: appetizer recipes, cauliflower recipe, side dish recipe