Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites
Sweet, spicy, baked cauliflower bites topped with an amazing Asian sticky sauce!
Servings: 4
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
