This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower. Cauliflower battered and baked and tossed in spicy kung pao sauce. Super hot Appetizer for gameday. Vegan Recipe. Can be gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs. Double the kung pao sauce for larger cauliflower or to serve over rice.
Sundays are shaping up for only one thing these days, Gameday! And all that excitement and 4 hours of tv calls for delicious finger food.
These crispy kung pao cauliflower bites are just that, crispy, spicy, juicy, hot, and super fun. Bake the cauliflower, make the kung pao sauce. Arrange the cauliflower in one layer in a serving plate/bowl. Drizzle the sauce just before serving.
The dish can also be served with rice or other cooked grains. The recipe is for snack kung pao cauliflower bites. Double the sauce to serve over rice, or if you have a good large cauliflower head. The sauce can get hot depending on the chilies you use. Taste before drizzling over the cauliflower. If too hot, make another batch of the sauce without the chilies and mix. For a quick recipe, toss cauliflower in salt, cayenne and oil and bake until done, or cook in a pan with a splash of water until tender, then toss in the sauce. Serve with a jar of cold water. 🙂
Whats your favorite spicy gameday food?
More Asian recipes from the blog
- Massaman Curry Veggies GF
- Sweet and Sour chickpeas, broccoli and peppers. GF
- Celery Black Pepper tofu GF
- Kung Pao Lentils GF
- Lentils & Veggies in Thai Peanut Sauce GF
- Chickpeas in Firecracker sauce with crunchy salad. GF
- Crispy Orange Cauliflower. GF
Spicy Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
For the Baked Crispy Cauliflower
- 5 tbsp corn starch , or other starch
- 6 tbsp bread crumbs, use gluten-free crumbs to make gf
- 5 tbsp or more water
- 1/2 tsp cayenne, use a 1/3 tsp for less heat
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp roasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
For the Kung Pao sauce:
- 1 tsp oil
- 8 to 10 dried red chilies, chinese red chilies, or arbol or cayenne, or use california red for less heat
- 1/2 tsp coarsely crushed sichuan peppercorns, or use a mix of coarsely crushed black pepper and red pepper flakes
- 2 to 3 tbsp chopped cashews or peanuts
- 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 2 tbsp scallions, chopped
Sauce mix
- 2.5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce/tamari, use certified gluten-free sauce to make gf
- 1.5 to 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp chinese rice wine, optional
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water, use 1/2 cup for more sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Chop up the cauliflower and keep aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F / 220ºc. Mix the cornstarch breadcrumbs, and the rest of the ingredients to make a batter. Let the batter sit for 10 seconds to thicken if it isn't thick. The cornstarch continues to thicken the batter, so as soon as it is a good not too watery consistency, start dipping the cauliflower in the batter, tap to drop excess and place on parchment lined baking sheet. If the batter thickens too much while working, add a tsp or more water and mix in and continue.
- Bake for 30 minutes or longer until the florets are cooked through. Check with a toothpick/knife
- Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the red chilies and peppercorns and cook until the red chilies are fragrant, but not overly brown, or someone starts sneezing. (For more heat, break some of the chilies into half and add to the skillet.)
- Add the nuts and mix for a few seconds. Add the ginger, garlic, reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook until the garlic is golden. 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add in the scallions, and 2 to 3 tbsp finely chopped green peppers or other veggies if using and mix in. Increase heat to medium. Cook for a minute.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and add to the skillet. Continue to cook until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens slightly. 2 mins. Carefully taste and adjust salt, sweet and spice. If the sauce is not hot enough, break a few of the chilies open or add in red pepper flakes to taste and mix in.
- Arrange the baked cauliflower in a shallow bowl in one layer. When ready to serve, Drizzle the sauce over each floret. Serve.
- To store, store the baked cauliflower and sauce separately. Heat the sauce, pour over the florets. To serve with rice/cooked grains, double the sauce mix and bring to a boil to thicken, toss in the cauliflower and serve immediately over rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sooooo good! I’m so happy to have found your site. This is maybe my favorite vegetarian food I’ve ever made! Even my meat-loving hubby is digging it! Will be repeating in double batch tomorrow… perfect for this blizzard we’re having 🙂
Yay! I am so happy to hear that!
Thank you so much for this website! I have been a vegan now for three years and food bloggers like you have helped me so much!
The cauliflower turned out delicious. Spicy and so good. This is going to be the staple for gameday.!
Thank you Emily!
Richa, thanks for another terrific recipe! The batter itself had such a terrific flavor. So glad I left out the chili peppers in the sauce though, because I was a little heavy on the cayenne in the batter. I ate a few pieces and then went back to the kitchen to make artichoke-spinach dip. Shockingly, when I came back the cauliflower was gone!!! What a phenomenal way to make one of my favorite veggies! Thank you very much. I appreciate you and all your hard work.
(Is it possible your rating system doesn’t work in Chrome? I’ve had trouble giving 5 stars in the past, too).
Hi Sue, thats awesome! Yes the cayenne adds quite some heat in the batter, you can use less of it and add more chili peppers to the sauce. the chili peppers if not broken, will add a great flavor but not too much heat. If broken, they will add quite some heat too.
the rating works for me in chrome, but doesnt work on Safari. i will check with the widget developers. Thanks!
Got a “Yowza!” and then a “Wow!” and then “Two thumbs up!” from my husband. Then he said, “I like everything you make, but this might be my favorite. This and the Massaman Curry.” (Also your recipe.) Thanks!!!
Thats awesome!! so glad it turned out so well!
This is perfect! I’ve been making things from your cookbook nonstop, and now I’m excited to try some of your other dishes. This will be great for keeping myself busy (and full in a healthy way) during some upcoming football games that I may or may not be interested in but will join in watching in order to keep the peace around here. 🙂
Awesome! Yes, the game days are also a reason to get together for awesome food right!
Made this last night, soooo good! Thank you for all you do.
Awesome!!
This recipe looks awesome !! I have baked cauliflower before , but this looks absolutely wonderful !! I am going to try this for sure .
I also wanted to say I love getting these updates with recipes !! You are doing a fabulous service & I so much appreciate . Have a nice day 🙂
Thanks!