Healthy Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

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Try this healthy spin on a classic Chinese takeout. Baked cauliflower with delicious sticky-sweet Sesame sauce is an easy, go-to vegan meal!

Is this better than a Chinese takeout? You bet it is! All under 30 minutes, baby!

It’s healthy, clean, plus you’re in control of every single ingredient in this recipe – homemade “takeout” food doesn’t need to be unhealthy!

Before we jump into making this delicious Sticky Sesame Sauce from scratch, we’ll need to roast the cauliflower. We’ll make the sauce while cauli is roasting.

How to roast cauliflower

Wash and cut cauliflower into small florets. Toss in oil and lay out on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins, turning half-way through.  

How do you know when cauliflower is cooked? Pierce it with a knife or a fork. You should be able to pierce the cauliflower without a problem and it should be somewhat tender, not mushy.

What is Sesame Sauce Made of?

It’s made of 8 key ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, vegetable stock, brown sugar, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and cornstarch.

There are key ingredients that I do not recommend substituting: sesame oil, vegetable stock, fresh garlic, and fresh ginger. They really do contribute to making this sauce so bomb and I would not sub them.

P.S. Try my FREE 5-Day Vegan Clean Eating Challenge to help you cut down on packaged and processed foods and enable long-term, clean eating habits!

The steps for cooking involve combining all the ingredients and bringing them to boil. That’s it, my friends!

Is Sesame Cauliflower Healthy?

While the restaurant versions may not be, this recipe is undoubtfully healthy because of following reasons:

• Baked cauliflower vs. deep fried – yes, your cauli may not be as crispy, but the flavor is so good that you wouldn’t even care! #hearthealthy
• Clean sauce ingredients – there’s nothing artificial here. Plus, if you can control how much of everything you put.

Meal prep the smart way! Check out my FREE guide How To Meal Prep Without A Recipe.

Pairings and Add-ons

I like to pair Sticky Sesame Cauliflower with either brown rice or quinoa.

To increase protein content, you could also add chickpeas or white beans. Both of them have mild flavors and would work well with cauliflower and the sauce.

Don’t forget to download your FREE Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes e-cookbook!

Print

Healthy Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Try this healthy spin on a classic Chinese takeout. Baked cauliflower with delicious sticky-sweet Sesame sauce is an easy, go-to vegan meal!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: cauliflower, sesame

Servings: 4

Calories: 150 kcal

Author: Simple Fit Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1 tbsp oil of choice (sesame, olive, grapeseed, avocado, etc.)
• Sticky Sweet Sesame Sauce:
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (sub for tamari sauce if gluten-free)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp scallion, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F / 200 C.
2. Wash and cut cauliflower into small florets. Toss in oil and layout on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins, turning half-way through.
3. While cauliflower is baking, prepare Sticky Sweet Sesame Sauce. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, half of the vegetable stock (1/4 cup), brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Whisk cornstarch with remaining vegetable stock (1/4 cup) in a separate bowl. Mix until a smooth mixture forms without any clumps. Whisk the mixture into the saucepan. Stir well. Turn off heat.
5. In a large bowl, pour the Sticky Sweet Sesame sauce all over baked cauliflower. Mix gently using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and scallions for garnish.
6. Serve with brown rice or quinoa.
7. Stir in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Information (per serving): Calories: 150 Fat: 8.4 g Saturated fat: 1.4 g Carbohydrates: 15.5 g Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g Sugar: 7.8 g Sodium: 1299 mg Protein: 2.5 g

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!