General Tso’s Cauliflower
Air-fried General Tso's Cauliflower is a great way to get your Chinese food fix right at home and keep it vegetarian. Cut the cauliflower florets into bite-sized pieces – especially if you intend to eat this with chopsticks!
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General Tso’s Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 25 m
- Cook Time: 15 m
- Total Time: 40 m
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut in florets
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour divided
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- canola or peanut oil in a spray bottle
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili paste
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup water
- white or brown rice for serving
- steamed broccoli
Instructions
- Set up a dredging station using three bowls. Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and sprinkle ¼ cup of the flour over the top. Place the eggs in a second bowl and combine the panko breadcrumbs and remaining ½ cup flour in a third bowl. Toss the cauliflower in the flour to coat all the florets thoroughly. Dip the cauliflower florets in the eggs and finally toss them in breadcrumbs to coat on all sides. Place the coated cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and spray generously with canola or peanut oil.
- Pre-heat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- Air-fry the cauliflower at 400ºF for 15 minutes, flipping the florets over for the last 3 minutes of the cooking process and spraying again with oil.
- While the cauliflower is air-frying, make the General Tso Sauce. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili paste, rice wine vinegar, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the timer is up on the air fryer, transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl, pour the sauce over it all and toss to coat. Serve with white or brown rice and some steamed broccoli.
Nutrition Facts
General Tso’s Cauliflower
Amount Per Serving
Calories 277
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 123mg41%
Sodium 1258mg52%
Potassium 570mg16%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 180IU4%
Vitamin C 69.7mg84%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 3.3mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Can you use a substitute for oyster sauce can’t have it
Hi Patricia, You can use a vegetarian oyster sauce which has a mushroom base. That’s available in Asian groceries. You can also substitute a mixture of equal parts hoisin sauce and soy sauce.
I made this yesterday. It was delicious. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Enjoyed very much, but I would adjust the oyster sauce-more, and less soy, more sugar…just our personal preference.
Can I make this in the oven? I do not have an air fryer.
Hi Denise. You could put a cooling rack on a sheet pan and bake the coated cauliflower. I would give it a try at 400ºF – 425ºF for 15 to 20 minutes. Remember to spray the cauliflower with oil and turn the florets over halfway through the cooking time.
Oh my goodness! This was the easiest and most delicious recipe! I made this last night, and was so surprised the Cauliflower came out crispy! I wonder if frozen would do the same. My son, who doesn’t like cauliflower, but loves General Tsos Chicken, LOVED this! Thank you so much! I’ll definitely be making this again!
So glad you and your son enjoyed the recipe. I would not recommend using frozen cauliflower. It would get way too mushy and I do not think you would get the same crispy results as you would with fresh cauliflower.
Made for the first time tonight…OMG! The best. I’ve always been a fan of General Tso’s Chicken but couldn’t bring myself to consume the millions of calories. This cauliflower is the perfect substitute. The breading is perfect, not too thick, but so crispy. This recipe is a keeper. Loiked good on my instagram story too.🥰
Just made and I can’t stop munching! I substituted sriracha sauce for the chili paste & still turned out great!
Made it this today. Absolutely delicious. I love finding great plant based recipes. The family loved it!
It was amazing 😋
I am not on the air fryer band wagon. This sounds delicious. How can I make it other than an air fryer?
You can either fry the coated cauliflower in some oil on the stovetop or you can bake it in a 425°F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. Toss the cooked cauliflower with the sauce at the end.