This restaurant style pineapple cauliflower recipe tastes so much better than takeout, and it’s healthier for you too!
Pineapple cauliflower bowls
I know… vegan food is so boring.
Nothing but iceberg salads and rabbit food around here.
The funny thing is that my diet became much more varied after I stopped eating meat.
While I previously ate the same six or seven meals on permanent rotation and a predictable ham or turkey sandwich every day for lunch, changing my lifestyle forced me to branch out.
Suddenly I found myself trying new foods I’d never even heard of before.
Becoming a vegetarian really taught me to love not just the cooking process, but also the artistry and creativity involved.
Which brings me to this easy sesame baked pineapple cauliflower.
The completely vegetarian dinner is almost as fun to prepare as it is to eat. And the optional pineapple bowls take the fanciness to a whole new level!
Recipe inspired by this popular Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
Sesame pineapple cauliflower ingredients
You will need cauliflower, cornmeal, milk of choice, salt, vinegar, ginger, cornstarch or arrowroot, oil, optional breadcrumbs, minced garlic, pineapple juice, and sesame seeds to garnish.
Cauliflower – For a quick option, buy precut cauliflower at the grocery store. Or save money by choosing a whole head of cauliflower and cutting it into florets at home.
If using frozen cauliflower, be sure to thaw fully and blot away excess water.
Pineapple juice – Canned pineapple juice is widely available in the canned fruit aisle. Or look for fresh pineapple juice in the refrigerated section near the orange juice.
One of the best parts about this healthy pineapple cauliflower is that there’s no added sugar in the recipe. It’s sweetened naturally from the pineapple juice.
Similar recipes made with chicken often have up to a full cup or more of brown sugar.
Cornmeal – This gives the roasted cauliflower a crunchy texture. I like course cornmeal, but all purpose flour, rice flour, or low carb almond flour work as well.
Cornstarch – Either cornstarch or arrowroot powder thickens the sticky sweet and sour pineapple sauce.
Oil or spray – Oil helps the coating stick to the cauliflower. You can substitute oil spray or a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or agave.
Breadcrumbs (optional) – Use unseasoned plain breadcrumbs or make your own at home. If you accidentally pick up panko breadcrumbs, simply pulse in a food processor or blender until fine.
The bread crumbs add even more crunch (think popcorn chicken) but are optional. Feel free to swap them for almond flour or omit the ingredient altogether.
Leftover cauliflower? Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Step by step recipe video
How to make pineapple cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and gather all of your ingredients.
- Chop the cauliflower into bite sized florets. Discard the core and leaves.
- In a large bag or mixing bowl, toss the chopped cruciferous vegetable with the oil or spray. Then toss again with the milk, cornmeal, salt, and optional breadcrumbs.
- Arrange in a single layer on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet, then bake 35 to 40 minutes on the center rack of the oven or until it reaches your desired softness and crispiness.
- Meanwhile, make the pineapple sauce. Whisk pineapple juice, vinegar, salt, garlic, and powdered ginger in a small saucepan.
- Whisk in the cornstarch until fully blended, then turn on the stove top to medium.
- Stir frequently as the sauce thickens. Once thick, remove from the heat.
- For the optional pineapple boats, carefully cut the whole pineapple in half with a sharp knife. Go around the sides of the fruit and cut into squares, as shown in the photo above. Take out the chopped pineapple to enjoy raw or to use in a separate recipe. (Hello, homemade Pineapple Muffins!)
- Remove cauliflower from the oven. Stir with the sauce, and arrange in the pineapple boats or on dinner plates.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight covered container for up to four days, and reheat before serving.
Katie’s serving suggestions
- Serve in fancy pineapple boats alongside cooked white sticky rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut on top and add lime wedges to give the pineapple cauliflower a Thai twist.
- Turn the recipe into vegan cauliflower tacos by wrapping the crispy cauliflower in soft tortillas or hard taco shells.
- Enjoy as a side dish to compliment Coconut Curry or Avocado Salad.
Pineapple Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 small cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup fine cornmeal or flour
- 2 tsp oil or fat free spray (or 1 tbsp agave)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs (optional)
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 whole pineapple (optional)
- sesame seeds (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Toss cauliflower with oil (or spray or agave) in a large bag or mixing bowl. Toss again with milk, cornmeal, salt, and breadcrumbs. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes. Whisk pineapple juice, salt, vinegar, garlic, and powdered ginger in a saucepan. Fully whisk in cornstarch, then turn the heat on to medium. Stir frequently until thick. Combine cauliflower and sauce. Serve hot or cold, in pineapple boats topped with sesame seeds if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Julia says
My pineapple just ripped today and. I just recently bought cauliflower, it was meant to be.
Marit says
Ooh, I wonder if I can do this recipe with my new air fryer. Totally trying it!
Emily says
Katie, how are these baked?! At first glance I thought these were deep fried. You’re amazing 🙂
Kirsten says
Delicious and beautiful looking! Can’t wait to make it!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
I am so in love with this idea! I only have had pineapple rice and never anything like meat. And I have always wanted to try the pineapple boats too!
Tori Cooper says
Omg, this looks so amazing! I definitely need to make this for my family!
sabrina says
I’m really impressed with the creativity of this recipe, even if served on a plate, as your also suggest, it’s a wonderful way to serve maybe the most boring vegetable there is, so much appreciated and thank you also for the low calorie rice recipe
Ness says
I feel the same way about being vegan! My meals have become so vibrant and much wider in variety. I think it’s because we are forced to be a little creative when it comes to vegan cooking. This looks so amazing and I love pineapple so much, what a perfect recipe! I might try this with tofu this week. 😀 Thanks for the recipe Katie!
Natalia says
This recipe is delicious!! I made it last night with a few swaps: I used gluten free flour instead of cornmeal. I also used canned pineapple (in pineapple juice, no sugar added) instead of fresh because I happened to have a can kicking around. For the cornstarch I just used extra flour to thicken it as I didn’t have any more corn starch. It turned out perfect and my boyfriend loved it. Kind of tastes like popcorn shrimp 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!
Natasha says
I have tried and loved all of your Chinese takeout makeovers. If you do not mind taking a request, I would be so excited to see a cauliflower version of General Tso’s chicken.
Jason Sanford says
We are putting it on the list to try!
Jason (media relations)
Sue says
Could almond flour be used instead of bread crumbs?
Jason Sanford says
We haven’t ever tried so unfortunately can’t say, but it sounds like a really great experiment. Please be sure to report back if you try!
Jason (media relations)
Natasha says
The hubs just made this recently and it was delicious I decided to blog about it too! Thanks for another great use of cauliflower!
Rina Malik says
Thanks Sharing These Ideas. I really love your Recipes.
Mandee says
Sadly this recipe isn’t working well for us, is there more details on the mixing part? Should you add liquids in a certain order? Or should the cauliflower be oiled or wet before adding to the bag? None of it is sticking to the cauliflower we have dough balls next to non coated cauliflower in our bag. 🙁
Jason Sanford says
Hmm, I didn’t have that problem but definitely want to help troubleshoot! Can you tell me more about the ingredients you’re using, such as flour and sweetener type?
Jason
Mandee says
well… the problem turned out to be me and my inability to read the recipe correctly. I had the breadcrumbs in the bag at the start. So instead of the milk and oils clinging to the Cauliflower, they were making dough balls! *SMH
Tonight I’ve tried it again, the RIGHT way and it looks good so far. in about 40 mins I’ll know for sure. 🙂
I am using Flour not cornmeal as my husband has a corn allergy, so we have to use gluten-free options and no corn.
Jason Sanford says
Ha well if it makes you feel any better, I have done that so many times with recipes! Or I will forget an important ingredient like the salt or sugar. One time I added a tablespoon of baking powder to a cookie recipe that called for a teaspoon ?
Virginia says
I made this tonight-Really delicious!
I made a few personal adjustments:
Baked it 8 minutes less as I thought it started to get too soft and I prefer a bit more texture.
I toasted the Sesame Seeds for added flavor.
Also, I thought the sauce needed a bit more color and the addition of a pinch of Tumeric and red pepper gave the sauce a “sunny” glow.
This recipes a keeper. . .Thanks!
Subhendu Kanp says
This entire post absolutely ROCKS! Thank you for all the hard work you put into it.
Macy says
Is there a way I can use frozen cauliflower in this? Thaw it first? Steam it first?
Jason Sanford says
Sorry we have not tried so honestly don’t know! If you experiment, be sure to report back!
Jason (media relations)
Kat says
I always use frozen cauliflower! It’s the only thing they sell here! (lol)
I put the whole bag of cauliflower (12-16oz) in a bowl – remove bag- and microwave, on medium for about
3 minutes. Check and see if there is still ice on it. If there is microwave an additional minute at a time, just until it is not frozen or icy anymore.
May be warm or hot and slightly cooked at this point.
Drain and dry if necessary, then allow to cool before adding to recipe.
Reduce heat by 25 degrees (Fahrenheit).
Start checking for doneness about 15 minutes before the time given in the recipe.
🙂
Molly says
This was great and so easy! My husband is a big carnivore and he asked for more and said it was the best cauliflower he has ever had!
Chantelle says
So am I to understand that your not using any fresh pineapple in the recipe itself, just using the boats? And can you replace the breadcrumbs with panko?
CCK Media Team says
Panko is fine. It’s just the pineapple juice in the sauce giving the pineapple flavor, but you can absolutely stir in some diced pineapple before serving!