Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower is the perfect game day snack! These delicious cauliflower bites are coated in an Asian orange sauce that will please your vegetarian and omnivore guests alike.
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This is one of my all time FAVORITES! The recipe testing for this post required a LOT of self control, so that I didn’t eat the whole tray of these sticky orange cauliflower bites before I took photos.
The inspiration for this recipe came from the buffalo cauliflower craze. I’m a big fan of this trend, and I love how these faux “wings” have been popping up on menus everywhere. They’re a great way to add more veggies to your diet, especially for unsuspecting husbands, boyfriends, and kids ;-)!
I also had football in mind when I created this dish. Not the actual sport of football, but the viewing parties that happen every Saturday and Sunday in the fall. These bites would be the perfect addition to a snack spread, especially for the Super Bowl.
Nothing against buffalo, but I wanted to experiment with a different kind of glaze and create something with an Asian twist. With hints of orange, sesame, and ginger, the final product is finger lickin’ good. Orange sesame sauces taste great over vegetables, rice, and chicken. In this recipe, it gives the cauliflower a sticky coating remniscient of Asian take-out dishes.
So if you make this recipe and enjoy the taste, bookmark it for later. You can use the sauce to add flavor to all different kinds of meals!
How to Make Sticky Orange Cauliflower
- You first need to dunk the cauliflower florets in flour/milk coating and roast them in the oven.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, you can whip up the sauce using the ingredients in the above photo. You’ll need to cook the sauce in a small saucepan to get it to thicken up.
- Pour the sauce over the coated cauliflower, and pop it all back in the oven. Ten minutes later, you’ll have perfectly sticky orange cauliflower!!
I love to add chopped scallions and sesame seeds at the end. It adds a little more flavor, and makes them look prettier.
Want another cauliflower recipe while you’re here? Check out the Cauliflower al Pastor Bowls.
Expert Tips for Orange Cauliflower
- Do not skip the step of coating the cauliflower in flour/milk. This coating helps the orange sauce stick to the cauliflower. It makes a big difference. Trust me!
- To make vegan orange cauliflower, use maple syrup instead of honey.
- To make this recipe gluten free, sub all-purpose gluten free flour.
- You can use freshly squeezed orange juice that you make yourself from whole oranges or regular orange juice that you buy at the store.
- This sticky orange cauliflower recipe tastes best when eaten right away. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on high.
Vegetarian Game Day Recipes
If you’re specifically visiting this page to plan your Super Bowl menu, you might want to also check out:
- Sweet Potato Skins with Barbecue Beans
- Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
- Buffalo Chickpea Salad Celery Sticks
- Lighter Spinach Artichoke Dip with Greek Yogurt
- Loaded Radish Chip Nachos
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how you like it! Please rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments section.
Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower - chopped into florets
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk - can sub cow's milk
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour - can sub gluten free all purpose if needed
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest - leave out for a sweeter sauce
- 2 tbsp honey - substitute maple syrup to make vegan
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce - use tamari for gluten free
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 2 scallions - sliced, for serving
- Sesame seeds - optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond milk and flour. Add the cauliflower florets, and mix until they are coated. Transfer florets to the lined baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the sauce. Combine honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, orange juice, orange zest, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking often. In a separate bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together.
- Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the boiling sauce. Bring it back to a boil and cook, stirring often until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. The sauce should be sticky and thick. Remove sauce from heat.
- Once the cauliflower is finished baking, pour sauce over florets. You may need to use a brush to completely coat the florets in the sauce. Roast for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Top with scallions and sesame seeds to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- These taste best when eaten right away, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey to make these vegan, and gluten free flour if needed.
Nutrition
Enjoy!
Lizzie
These look delicious! Great idea! I do have a question…can cow’s milk be substituted for the almond milk?
Thank you!! They are one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever made!
Yes, cow’s milk can be substituted for almond. I’ve also seen some people make cauliflower bites using water in place of milk, and mixing that with flour to create the coating!