Today I am sharing one of my most recent recipes with you: Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower. As you all probably know by now is that I am absolutely obsessed with Asian recipes. And to be honest, I really don’t know why I have not shared this recipe with you sooner. It is vegan, filled up with veggies and can be at your table in about 30 minutes. What should I say – I am absolutely digging this Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower recipe.
This recipe goes well with this delicious Carrot Mint Salad that was created by Brianna from Casual Foodist!
This Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower recipe is:
- Vegan and vegetarian friendly
- Healthy and nutritious
- Sweet & Salty
- Spicy
- Satisfying
- Mouth watering
- Authentic
What is Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower?
Well, to be honest in order to make this recipe vegan and a little bit healthier than the original version, I had to make a few adaptions. Usually this recipe is called Crispy Kung Pao Chicken. This recipe is a Chinese stir-fried dish that is traditionally made with cubes of chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. In order to make this recipe vegan, I swapped the chicken out for a head of cauliflower and baked this recipe instead of frying it. That way it becomes a little healthier too. However this recipe still does taste like a delicious take-out recipe to me! Win/Win!
How to make Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower?
Enough with the rambling, let’s jump right into this recipe!
For this recipe you will need:
- Head of Cauliflower
- Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Spring Onions
- Peanuts
- Soy Sauce
- Rice Vinegar
- Sriracha Hot Sauce
- Ketchup
- Sesame Oil
- Bread Crumbs
- Corn Starch
In my opinion, the most difficult part about this recipe is to create crispy cauliflower florets without frying and to make the sauce stick to the cauliflower. In order to achieve this, we first need to create batter, where we can toss the cauliflower into.
The batter is made out of bread crumbs, corn starch, soy sauce, sesame oil and a little bit of water. In a bowl you want to combine the dry ingredients first, then pour in the wet ingredients. Let it sit for a few seconds, then you can start to toss the cauliflower florets into. After all florets are coated, put them in the oven and bake them for about 20 minutes.
In the meanwhile you can prepare the sauce by mixing soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, sriracha, water and sesame oil together. The sauce tastes absolutely delicious and is key for making tasty cauliflower wings. Then, chop up the rest of the veggies. Also if you are serving this recipe with rice or noodles, now would be a good time to prepare this as well.
After the cauliflower florets have finished baking and crisped up in the oven, it is now time to assemble everything. In a pan, fry some garlic and ginger. After 2-3 minutes, you can add the cauliflower as well the red bell pepper. Drizzle with the prepared sauce and a splash of water. After everything has finished cooking, you can top the dish with spring onions and peanuts for a little bit of crunch and texture.
Serve this Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower with:
- Rice
- Rice noodles
- As an appetizer
If you are looking for more Asian inspired recipes, you might also like:
Finally, if you try these Spicy Peanut Thai Noodles out yourself, do not forget to tag me on Instagram @aboutannella. I am happy to connect with you and see your recreations. For more food related content and inspiration make sure to follow my Pinterest account.
Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 1 medium sized Cauliflower Head
- 2 tbsp Bread Crumbs
- 3 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 5 or more tbsp Water
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Sriracha (reduce for mild heat, increase for more heat)
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Water
For the Kung Pao Cauliflower
- 2 whole Garlic Gloves (Minced)
- 1 tbsp Ginger
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
- Green Onions (To Garnish)
- Peanuts (To Garnish)
Instructions
For the Batter
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Prepare the Cauliflower by washing it and dividing it into little cauliflower florets.
- In a bowl, combine the Bread Crumbs as well as the Corn Starch. Mix well. Then add in the instructed Sesame oil, Soy sauce and Water.
- Let the mixture sit for a few seconds, then toss in the cauliflower florets. If the batter thickens too much while working, add in more water. Evenly coat all the florets. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes.
For the Sauce
- In the meantime you can prepare the sauce. Mix the Soy Sauce, Ketchup, Sesame Oil, Sriracha, Rice Vinegar, Water together in a separate bowl. Set aside.
For the Kung Pao Cauliflower
- Mince the Ginger as well as the Garlic. Slice the Red Bell Pepper. Cut the Green Onion into Rings. Crush the Peanuts.
- Pre-heat a nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan. Then add in the Minced Ginger and Garlic. Sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Using the same skillet, add in the Red Bell Pepper. Sauté for 3 more minutes.
- Next add in the cauliflower. Stir in the sauce mixture until the cauliflower florets are coated fully. Add in a little bit of water if needed.
- Divide the Kung Pao Cauliflower evenly into two bowls. Garnish with Spring Onions and Crushed Peanuts. Serve with Rice or Rice Noodles.