Kung pao chicken is a favorite on every Chinese restaurant menu. But not everyone eats meat and even if you do, perhaps you’re looking for a meatless meal to keep up with your healthy lifestyle. That’s where kung pao cauliflower comes in. Honestly, I think cauliflower can do just about anything. I’ll show you how to make kung pao cauliflower with that same sticky glossy sauce you love for its savory, sweet, sour, and spicy notes.
Why this recipe
To make it, the cauliflower gets coated with a thin batter and then is baked until crispy. Kung pao cauliflower is definitely a healthier version of this restaurant dish that’s often cooked with lots of oil. As much as I like a crispy battered cauliflower, I actually found that some restaurant versions use too thick of a batter, which robs the taste from the cauliflower. After testing many formulas, we discovered the best way to create crispy cauliflower for this dish without deep-frying it. So the coating is a bit thinner than the kind you see in restaurants, especially with fried cauliflower dishes, yet it’s crispy and satisfying. Honestly, I like the thin coating better. Not only is it healthier, but it also brings out the best texture of the cauliflower. Kung pao cauliflower is a vegetarian dish, but if you use plant milk, you can make it completely vegan.
Ingredients
I know the ingredient list looks long, but don’t let that scare you off. Once you’re done prepping, you can group your ingredients into a few bowls (See the picture below, plus the coating for the cauliflower).
TIP – How to cut cauliflower for roasting
After many rounds of testing, we found out that it’s best to cut the cauliflower into small-ish bite-sized florets. This way, the dish will result in a better texture with properly cooked cauliflower and a crispy coating. If you cut the cauliflower too big, the cauliflower will release too much moisture during the baking and it will prevent the batter from crisping up. To cut the cauliflower:
Cooking process
Make the sauce
PS. I prefer to grind my Sichuan peppercorns a bit coarse, so it’s not overwhelmingly numbing.
Roast the cauliflower
You’ll be surprised how crispy this baked cauliflower turns out. This dish is so easy and simple to put together and you’ll be rewarded with scrumptious flavors and fragrant aromas. Definitely pair kung pao cauliflower with rice to make a dinner that you’ll love. It can work as an appetizer or be served as one of your main dishes when you’re having people over. Why not invite them for a homemade Chinese takeout-themed dinner? It will be perfect! Want to learn more about Chinese Cooking? Sign up my newsletter to receive the 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course and recipe update! If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
More delicious vegetarian/vegan recipes
Bok Choy SoupFire Roasted Eggplant with Garlic Vinegar SauceNapa Cabbage Stir Fry with Vinegar SauceChinese Napa Cabbage with Glass NoodlesInstant Pot Lentil Soup (Chinese Style)
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
