Sticky Sesame Cauliflower – the sweet, sticky, & addictively delicious dish that tastes like a better-for-you version of Panda Express!
A few weeks ago, I got a text from a friend saying his sister was trying to add more vegan meals to her diet and asking if I had any good tips.
The first advice I had was something I always recommend to anyone who wants to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet, especially for non-vegans just trying to eat more meatless meals in general.
My first recommendation is to NOT replace meat with vegan meat substitutes, which can just set you up for disappointment when you expect one thing and get another.
Instead, think of it as an opportunity to explore new recipes and look at vegetables in a whole new light.
So many people never venture further from preparing vegetables in a “mainstream” way—such as steamed or in a side salad—but when you start looking at vegetables as the main event, it opens up a brand new realm of possibilities.
Try taking one of your favorite meat-based recipes and recreating it with your favorite vegetable instead.
Think Kung Pao Eggplant, Mushroom Stroganoff, Sweet Potato Tacos, or Crispy Lemon Cauliflower.
Or this sticky-sweet sesame cauliflower.
The best part of sesame chicken has always been the sauce…
It’s the sauce, not the chicken, that makes you crave Panda Express every time you walk past the food court in the mall.
It’s the sauce, not the chicken, that makes sesame chicken so addictive.
And this healthy meatless makeover of the classic recipe keeps all the goodness of that sticky-sweet sesame sauce intact. Plus, since you’re not using a fake meat substitute, there’s no expectation—subconscious or otherwise—that the dish will taste like chicken.
Non-vegan dinner guests won’t be wary of trying a taste.
And then another taste…
And then one more…
Cauliflower—the darling vegetable of the year—is definitely having a moment.
And with more and more cauliflower-based products hitting shelves each day, the cauliflower excitement doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know I’ve loved cauliflower since long before it was trendy. The following are just a few of the cauliflower recipes you can find on my blog.
Starting with the craziest first:
(Reader Favorite)
I’m predicting cauliflower is going to be the most popular vegetable of next year as well!
Note: When I researched soy sauce alternatives online, I found a few comments who said you can combine 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce with a tbsp or two of water to replace half cup of soy sauce. I haven’t tried it, but if anyone successfully tries this or another option, please feel free to report back for other readers.
Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Also be sure to try this Cauliflower Mac And Cheese!
Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower, chopped (6 1/2 cups florets)
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ tsp powdered ginger
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1/4 cup water
- sesame seeds and scallions, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450 F. Grease a baking pan or line with parchment. Cut cauliflower into florets, then slice so one side of each floret is flat. Arrange in a single layer in the greased pan. Bake 10 minutes on the center rack. Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. While waiting, stir together the cornstarch and water until cornstarch dissolves fully, then slowly whisk this into the saucepan as soon as it boils. Turn heat to medium and cook 2 minutes, stirring more frequently once it returns to a boil. Cook until thick. You can also make the sauce ahead of time if desired, and it thickens more as it sits in the fridge. Flip cauliflower florets and bake 10 additional minutes. If desired, you can now move the pan to the top rack and broil 1-2 minutes. Pour sauce over florets. Sprinkle sesame seeds and optional scallions on top, and serve.
*A few readers have commented to say this works in the instant pot, but I’ve not tried it. If you try, be sure to let me know how it goes!
Reader Favorite Recipes:
Fat Bombs (Keto, Vegan, No Bake)
Andrea Eisenberg says
9th January 2017 at 10:54 amThis looks awesome Katie. Reminds me a bit of Gobi Manchurian–though the cauliflower is deep fried in that–but wow it’s delicious!! I would not recommend using maple syrup though, I think it would alter the flavor.
I know a lot of people hate faux meats, but they can be a good transition trick. I don’t use them much, but the one that is totally convincing is the beefy grounds. I’ve tried three different brands, and they are all great for stuff like tacos or lasagne. Though I still prefer just a good black bean taco or Daiya cheese lasagne!
Linda @ The Fitty says
9th January 2017 at 11:22 amThe sauce that makes this sticky looks just like what we’d use in chinese cuisine to make kung pao chicken!
I eat keto, so I can’t use this recipe due to the cornstarch, though looking at it already wets my appetite!
Audrey Eugénie Schlegel says
11th January 2017 at 10:55 amHave you tried using almond meal/flour instead of the cornstarch? If it still fits whatever macros you have to respect in order to remain keto? Having no starch at home but loooads of almond flour, I did this last time I tried a recipe fot a sticky sauce, and it worked wonders. I will probably make this recipe with this sauce as well. Only that for some reason my mouth is watering when I am thinking about making this sauce with pumpkin instead of cauliflower. Won’t be the same texture but might turn out to be delicious!
joanna schupp says
11th January 2017 at 9:20 pmI wouldn’t be concerned with such a small amount of cornstarch on keto. It’s all the sugar in this recipe that isn’t keto friendly. You can always use a little xanthan gum as a thickener but I’d forget about this recipe as a keto one. There are lots of “sweet n sour” keto recipes out there.
Cathy says
24th June 2017 at 2:15 amI used arrowroot, and it works great. Can you use that?
Jessica says
22nd December 2017 at 9:09 pmYou can use arrowroot starch instead!
Leah says
4th February 2018 at 5:46 pmYou could use arrow root powder instead!
Dorothy says
9th January 2017 at 11:46 amThis does really look delicious. I am just beginning to enjoy cauliflower. I am also on a Ketogenic Diet. What are your thoughts about using Sugar Free Maple Syrup, Sweetleaf Maple or Sukrin Gold instead of Honey, Maple Syrup or Agave? How about replacing the cornstarch or arrowroot with Xanthum Gum. Do you think it is doable?? Thanks so much!
Julie Dove says
9th January 2017 at 12:11 pmYou never know unless you try! Edible experiments can be fun! 😉
Claudia says
9th January 2017 at 7:51 pmYep another vote for keto here. Ever thought about it Katie ? Ketokatie.com sounds good hay !
Bonnie says
9th January 2017 at 11:49 amA good substitute for soy sauce is coconut aminos. The brand I have in my fridge is “Coconut Secrets.” I got it at the whole foods store.
Melinda says
12th October 2017 at 10:45 amThis is what I use as well!
Cathe Campbell says
9th January 2017 at 12:16 pmThank you for this incredible recipe Katie! I love your dessert recipes but I think I love these more! Thank you for sharing. Hugs, Cath
Bianca Phillips says
9th January 2017 at 12:30 pmYES!! What a great idea! I do love my plant meats, but I’m also a big fan of subbing cauliflower. I think this looks just amazing, and I cannot WAIT to try it. Thanks Katie!!
Helene says
9th January 2017 at 12:39 pmJust to remind those trying to eat vegan, Worcestershire sauce is a no-go. It contains anchovies.
Amy Robison says
9th January 2017 at 1:06 pmYes, you are right – it is all about the sauce!! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks Katie!
Amy Robison says
9th January 2017 at 1:09 pmHelene, I found a vegan/GF Worcestershire sauce at Whole Foods. I’m GF, so I’m going to use tamari in place of the soy sauce.
Julie Dove says
9th January 2017 at 1:28 pmEdward and Sons or Annies are two of the vegan brands out there.
Burke says
30th July 2017 at 1:36 amA lot of them no longer contain anchovies – just check out the ingredients before you purchase. The one I get is vegan friendly.
DebbieKat says
11th January 2018 at 11:09 amI found a vegan worcestorshire on Amazon!
Christy Morgan says
25th June 2018 at 9:35 amThere are a number of vegan brands actually. Look for Amy’s.
Lorrie Mengel says
20th January 2019 at 10:33 amI bought vegan worcestershire at Sprouts Farmers Market. Probably available at Whole Foods, too.
alexandra says
27th January 2019 at 10:01 amA vegan version exists – without the anchovies
Theron says
9th January 2017 at 2:00 pmI too use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Lots of flavor and a lot less sodium.
Alicia @Bridges Through Life says
9th January 2017 at 4:44 pmThis sounds so good. Its funny i actually never liked cauliflower until i tried it in rice form this past year. I am sure this sauce would make me eat it too.
Rosemary says
10th June 2018 at 9:21 pmI’ve never really tried cauliflower and your comment makes me think I will like it. 🙂
She has so many amazing recipes.
Kim says
9th January 2017 at 4:50 pmKatie, as much as I love your chocolate recipes, I am most excited when I see a new savory recipe. This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Your Coconut Curry recipe is still our family number one favorite and ‘go to’.
Ashley says
9th January 2017 at 5:08 pmI have made something similar to this, and it does not disappoint! Sesame cauliflower will be on the menu soon.
I agree about not just switching to meat substitutes, although it depends on the person. For some people, switching to vegetarian/vegan is a rough ride, and meat analogues can make it easier. However, they are expensive and generally high in sodium, so it’s best not to depend too heavily on them. I love that you offer so many recipes that don’t include meat substitutes!
Maria says
9th January 2017 at 5:40 pmYesss!! I agree! Subbing veggies into these types of dishes is the way to go!!! I have even tricked my family into actually liking some of them as much as the originals that inspired them!!! I love the sesame sauce! Excited to try your version of the sauce and with roasted cauliflower. I usually do it over baked tofu:)
Autumn says
9th January 2017 at 6:08 pmThis was excellent! And so easy! The kids loved it too.
Erin says
9th January 2017 at 9:24 pmHad this for dinner tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for the great idea.
H. says
9th January 2017 at 9:42 pmA great soy sauce substitute can be made from a product called Gravy Master combined with water, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger powder, and garlic powder.
There is no real recipe; just water and gravy master about 1/2 and 1/2, then add the other ingredients to personal taste, and more water to suit your purpose. I’ve added dark agave and oj concentrate, plus a bit of agar to make glazes for meats and vegetables from this combo.
I use this because it’s low sodium, and hypertension runs in my family.
Gravy Master–and a similar product called Kitchen Boquet–is a vegetable broth flavor enhancer that has been cooked down to a thick syrup. It’s used in soups and gravies. I do not know if it is gluten free….
H. says
9th January 2017 at 9:52 pmOops! That’s Kitchen “Bouquet” if you are trying to shop for the product. I left out a “U.”
Lissy says
9th January 2017 at 10:06 pmI have a head of Cauliflower i didn’t know how I was going to use, but now I do 😀
Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
10th January 2017 at 7:31 amThis looks so yummy!
Armelle says
10th January 2017 at 7:52 amCan the oven step be omitted? I prefer to limit cooking vegetables, being as close to raw as I can when I can.
Julie Dove says
10th January 2017 at 1:40 pmThe taste will of course be different, but the sauce is fine by itself so if you like the taste of raw cauliflower (I don’t), then why not?
Natasha says
10th January 2017 at 7:37 pmI doubt it. I tried making sesame sauce, and it clearly needs to be cooked to get thick. You can’t just stir the stuff together and get a sauce 🙁
Danielle says
10th January 2017 at 8:05 amHI, I am on an elimination diet and can’t do rice vinegar. Anything I could substitute for this??
Julie Dove says
10th January 2017 at 1:39 pmYou never know if something will work unless you try, but feel free to experiment, and be sure to report back if you do!
Kathryn says
11th January 2017 at 12:07 pmWhat about Apple cider vinegar? It has a different flavor, but it’s what I always use when a recipe calls for rice wine vinegar. Or Balsamic vinegar might work here, too. I know both of those are Whole30 approved, so I’m assuming they’re approved on your diet.
Brittany says
15th April 2018 at 7:47 pmI used apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar and it came out delicious!
Grace says
10th January 2017 at 10:23 amCauliflower has always been my favorite! This is going on next week’s menu plan. 🙂
Gustavo Woltmann says
10th January 2017 at 11:12 amAt first glance, I thought it was meat. Aside from being healthy, cooking and eating will be fun with this recipe.
Jane b says
10th January 2017 at 12:01 pmLooks Healthy and Delicious!, i always run out of ideas when it comes vegetables like cauliflower, but this one is definitely on my to do list for the weekend, Thanks for posting!
Deanna says
10th January 2017 at 5:12 pmIt was alright. I made it tonight. I think it needed more sweetness (I used maple syrup) or more cooking time to develop the flavors of the sauce. I’ll make it again but maybe with less soy sauce (I used a GF sauce but usually I just buy tamari) and I’ll try it with a different sweetener.
Nina says
10th January 2017 at 7:20 pmI love this and I’m sure my family will. What a wonderful idea.
Cat says
10th January 2017 at 11:19 pmIt was pretty tasty! My sauce wasn’t quite as sticky though & did not coat the cauliflower like in the picture, you could definitely see that it was white cauliflower. Anyway, I enjoyed it & will make it again. I put it over brown rice & added some rotisserie chicken
Julie Dove says
11th January 2017 at 8:46 amHmm maybe it needed to be cooked down longer (the sauce)? The sauce will get thicker as it cooks and the cornstarch does its job. Did you use maple syrup or another sweetener? And cornstarch or arrowroot?
Warren buffett says
11th January 2017 at 12:58 amOh yes!! Tonight!! Just need the green onions!
Bethany Jones says
11th January 2017 at 12:50 pmI was so excited I made this for brunch! I roasted some leftover cabbage with the cauliflower and it was delicious over jasmine rice. Another great one, Katie!!
Cat Smiley says
11th January 2017 at 12:55 pmA very healthy recipe, thanks for sharing!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
11th January 2017 at 4:57 pmI’m OBSESSED with orange-glazed, sesame-glazed or lemon-glazed ANYTHING. Chinese food was one of my favorites to indulge on–SO good. Definitely going to try out this cauliflower–but I bet tofu, tempeh or even soy chicken would taste fantastic with this sesame sauce too!
Sarah says
11th January 2017 at 9:14 pmDelicious recipe! My sauce didn’t thicken and stayed runny, even after being baked on the cauliflower — didn’t think I did anything wrong, though ☹ But it tasted great and the cauliflower cooked perfectly.
Sarah says
11th January 2017 at 9:17 pmIf anyone’s curious as to which options I used (maybe that affected the sauce?), I used cornstarch for the thickener and honey for the sweetener. I also subbed some garlic power for the chopped garlic, but that shouldn’t have affected consistency.
Kate says
19th January 2017 at 6:17 pmI had the same thing–sauce didn’t thicken as much as I would have liked once I poured it on the cauliflower. It was still delicious, though.
Julie Dove says
12th January 2017 at 3:12 amHahaha true the garlic wouldn’t change anything. I think maybe just cook the sauce down longer?
99 Birthday says
12th January 2017 at 10:17 amThis sounds amazing.
Ryan Darcy says
12th January 2017 at 5:27 pmWhy didn’t my sauce look as orange? I followed the recipe to a T besides the final 3-5 minutes to bake/broil the florets covered in sauce (didn’t want to risk cracking Pyrex). It was delicious, just curious as to why my sauce has a different look. I used honey as a sweetener.
Julie Dove says
14th January 2017 at 7:46 amHi, thanks for making it! Was it more brown in color? Maybe it’s just the extra saturation on the images that makes them look more orange here? It would be fun if readers could leave pictures with their comments. I’ll ask Katie if that’s something we can maybe implement for the comment section.
Colleen says
12th January 2017 at 7:00 pmJust served this over brown rice this evening. My husband and I both loved it! Definitely adding this to the menu rotation. Thank you!
Roshani says
13th January 2017 at 5:34 amYou are my kind of girl!!! OMG i am in loooove with these
Carol Ann says
14th January 2017 at 11:23 amLooks delicious, but It seems to have a ton of sodium; Is that per serving?? Way over the 600mg/meal my husband’s cardiologist recommends. Any way to get it down?
Jenna says
10th June 2018 at 1:26 amTry coconut Aminos in place of soy sauce! Gives a little different flavor, but still in the same profile!
Gustavo Woltmann says
15th January 2017 at 1:39 pmI like the taste of cauliflower in this recipe. This looks so yummy! Thank you for sharing it.
– Gustavo Woltmann
Cara @ Vitamin C's says
15th January 2017 at 4:13 pmWe decided to put this on the meal list for this week and if it’s a hit (which I am sure it will be) we are adding it to our Super Bowl menu for the vegetarians!
Robin L says
15th January 2017 at 8:21 pmI just made this tonight watching the Dallas – Packers game…… of course this recipe was the highlight as Dallas lost. Awesome dish! Put over rice it is soo meaty. I toasted the sesame seeds. I almost can’t tell it’s cauliflower. I highly recommend it!!! It is sweet but I have a sweet tooth.
Viridiana says
17th January 2017 at 7:13 amHad for dinner yesterday. Very yummy and easy!
JOSIE LEJEUNE says
18th January 2017 at 9:09 amMade this today – yum! However, I made the sauce & threw is the raw cauliflower & cooked it in the sauce. Served with rice & red lentils cooked together. Fantastic! Thanks.
anonymous says
19th January 2017 at 7:44 pmWhen I poured the sauce over the cauliflower and put the dish back in the oven, the sauce lost its thickness and turned the whole thing into cauliflower soup. The dish would have been great if not for that. Do you know how to prevent this from happening?
Lauren says
22nd January 2017 at 8:25 pmThis recipe looked amazing but was a total fail. The sauce tasted great, but didn’t stick to the cauliflower at all. Also, the cauliflower didn’t crisp up at all even after broiling. So what I was left with was soggy flavorless cauliflower that looked nothing like the picture. Oh, and a cookie sheet full of baked on grease that had to be soaked and scraped. I followed the instructions to the letter, so I’m not sure what happened. Big disappointment for the amount of effort required.
Julie Dove says
25th January 2017 at 3:34 amMaybe cook the sauce longer? You can also stick the sauce in the fridge for a few hours and it thickens quite a bit as it sits!
Nani says
27th January 2017 at 6:24 pmThis was a disappointment. Clearly your picture is of a battered cauliflower and not simply oven roasted. I made the meal as directed and I wasn’t surprised to see it was still a white roasted cauliflower with a brown sticky sauce.
Julie Dove says
27th January 2017 at 7:22 pmI can definitely attest to it looking like her photos without having to batter it because mine looked similar when I made it. Could you possibly have forgotten an ingredient or maybe used a different sweetener or not cooked the sauce down long enough?
Heather says
2nd February 2017 at 6:28 pmYes!!! The pic is so deceiving. I was so looking forward to this meal and it was such a disappointment. The sauce is good and cauliflower is always yummy but nothing like the pic shown. 🙁
k says
1st February 2017 at 11:36 amDo you have to boil the sauce?
If so, why do you have to wait until it boils to add cornstarch?
Heather says
2nd February 2017 at 6:27 pmI love all of her recipes but this one didn’t turn out. We followed it perfectly. Checked and triple checked. It looks like faintly brown cauliflower and not much sauce left over even though we measured everything out as it says in the recipe. The sauce is yummy and cauliflower is always good but what a bummer. The pic is so deceiving.
Sandra says
3rd February 2017 at 6:00 amMaybe cook the sauce longer as someone else suggested? Mine turned out like the pictures show, just a little darker in color.
Sandra says
3rd February 2017 at 5:59 amThis was AMAZING!!! Not sure why some other commenters said their sauce didn’t get thick because mine turned out pretty much like the pictures show, maybe a tad darker in color but just as gorgeous and more importantly DELICIOUS! 🙂
Jean says
5th February 2017 at 5:11 pmI made this for dinner tonight. My kids are picky but will usually eat cauliflower, especially if it’s in a sauce. I found it to be a little too much soy for me. I will definitely make this again but cut the soy sauce down to !/4 or 2/3 cup. It went great with basmati rice.
Martann says
13th February 2017 at 5:15 pmIn the photo it looks like you are cooking in a cast iron skillet. What is that method? Baking in the cast iron? Or stove top?
EL says
1st March 2017 at 1:18 amI made this tonight, and I reckon it needs a bit more cornstarch. My sauce thickened, but not enough it seems. The sauce sort of fell off the cauliflower once I stirred it in. I might double the starch next time. Otherwise, the flavor is spot on!
Ann says
23rd March 2017 at 10:08 amI also substitute Coconut Aminos for soy sauce in recipes.
Robin says
23rd March 2017 at 12:08 pmLooks great! I’ll have to try it – I’m allergic to soy so use coconut aminos. I find them a tad sweet so cut back on any sweetener
Theresa Patterson says
23rd March 2017 at 12:27 pmthis looks amazing I will have to try it. We still make your black bean brownies after finding your blog and post for them 3 years ago. I love how you cook, and show others a better way of doing so. I have lost over 60 pounds and now eat a keto diet plan. I will have to play with this one and come up with a keto dish. Or maybe it will be your next project.
Kim says
26th March 2017 at 9:06 amCan you substitute toasted sesame oil with anything else (or even leave oil out)?
Jason Sanford says
26th March 2017 at 10:48 amThe taste would be completely different. But who knows, maybe it would still taste good in a different way. You never know until you try.
Melanie says
29th March 2017 at 7:23 pmthis looks really yummy. going to try it next week. Any serving suggestions? Over a bed of rice??
Jason Sanford says
30th March 2017 at 7:04 amYes, it’s great with rice or even quinoa!
Emma says
5th April 2017 at 12:36 pmFor those of you who are planning to serve this for a group of guests/friends, be aware that this is NOT something non-vegan/vegetarian people will enjoy or appreciate. I am both an animal-lover and an omnivore, so I only buy meats that are from humane, small-scale farms. It costs much more than the disgustingly inhumane factory-farm meats, but it’s obviously worth every single penny. Anyways, I really disliked the mushy texture of this cauliflower dish, and also realized that the sauce lacks depth. I’m a huge fan of Chocolate Covered Katie’s vegan desserts. I wanted try some of her entree recipes as well, and this one was disappointing. In the post she mentions how “the best part of sesame chicken has always been the sauce, not the chicken.” This is false.. what make people crave for Panda Express are the deep-fried part and the meatiness, in my opinion. I bet this cauliflower dish would’ve been much more enjoyable if it was deep-fried and thus super crunchy (which would be still vegan anyway).
I do appreciate how she admittedly says “there’s no expectation that the dish will taste like chicken.” So if you are serving this to meat eaters, do make sure you tell them it’s mushy cauliflowers, so people know what to expect. Although I am a big fan of this blog for the dessert recipes, I need to say that those who rated this particular recipe 3+ stars must’ve had really low expectation (or simply don’t know how good a well-made Chinese dish can taste).
Jason Sanford says
5th April 2017 at 7:17 pmI actually am not a vegetarian and my family and I love the recipe, so I think it is a personal preference.
Jessie says
10th April 2017 at 2:39 pmCan you serve this recipe with the quinoa?
Jason Sanford says
11th April 2017 at 8:50 amSure!
Meghan says
26th April 2017 at 12:26 amThis recipe is kick*ss. I almost messed it up though because I didn’t cook the sauce for long enough and when I mixed it into the cauliflower it definitely wasn’t thick enough. But I tried throwing it all in a pan on the stove and cooking it more, adding some more cornstarch + water mixture as I went, and before long it started to thicken up and look a lot more like the photo. It’s a hit with the meat loving boyfriend too!! Thanks Katie!
Lynn Price says
1st May 2017 at 6:32 pmFor those who are on Keto, I just made this and substituted low carb ingredients.
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1/4 cup VitaFiber
1/2 t maple extract
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
½ tsp powdered ginger
1/4 t xanthan gum
1/4 cup water
sesame seeds and scallions, for garnish
I followed the directions exactly. It turned out fabulous. Great recipe. Many thanks!!
Tori D. says
2nd May 2017 at 5:29 pmTried this tonight for the first time, I used honey. It was delicious and my 6yr old and 3 yr old gobbled it up! Love roast cauliflower!
Sue says
4th May 2017 at 3:15 pmThis is great! I used agave as the sweetener. I’ll definitely make this again.