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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Kung Pao Cauliflower

    Published: Aug 16, 2021 · Modified: Mar 23, 2022 by Pinch of Parsley · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    kung pao cauliflower on a black plate with a bed of basmati rice and topped with scallions

    Kung pao cauliflower is the perfect healthy alternative inspired by one of my favorite classic Chinese dishes: kung pao chicken. It's vegan, gluten-free, and has way less sugar than the traditional kung pao sauce while still being equally delicious. This recipe is perfect served as an appetizer or as part of a main dish.

    kung pao cauliflower on a black plate with a bed of basmati rice and topped with scallions
    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recipe Variations & Substitutions
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQ
    • Other recipes you might like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Growing up, Chinese food was me and my dads 'thing.' Vegetable dumplings and kung pao chicken were staple take out items. Since going vegan, we've had to find ways to still enjoy our favorites today so this recipe is the perfect way to do just that! Watch out PF Changs, this homemade kung pao cauliflower might just be better than take out. It's similar to our fan favorite bang bang cauliflower recipe but uses an entirely different sauce.

    This vegan kung pao cauliflower is crispy, healthy, easy to make, and your new guilty pleasure. Serve this recipe alone as an appetizer, or over a bed of rice with roasted peanuts to make an easy weeknight meal.

    Key Ingredients

    This kung pao cauliflower is easy to make and calls for pretty basic, pantry-friendly ingredients!

    ingredients for kung pao cauliflower
    • Cauliflower: Cauliflower is so versatile and takes on flavors so perfectly. This recipe is no exception!
    • Corn Starch: tossing the cauliflower in corn starch will ensure that a nice, crispy coating is achieved after roasting or air-frying.
    • Oil: to help the corn starch stick to the cauliflower.
    • Kung Pao Sauce: this vegan kung pao sauce is truly the star of the show (no offense to the cauliflower). It's the perfect combination of salty, sweet, and tangy made from tamari or coconut aminos, hoisin sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fresh garlic, minced ginger, sriracha, and pepper.

    Instructions

    This recipe is super simple to make, with really only two major steps: make the cauliflower and make the sauce! Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    • cauliflower in a bowl with oil and cornstarch
    • cauliflower on parchment paper on a baking sheet
    • roasted cauliflower on a baking sheet
    • kung pao sauce and cornstarch in a bowl with a whisk
    • kung pao sauce in a bowl with a whisk
    • garlic and sesame oil in a stainless steel pan
    • kung pao sauce in a stainless steel pan
    • vegan kung pao sauce and peanuts in a pan
    • roasted cauliflower and peanuts in a vegan kung pao sauce in a stainless steel pan
    1. Toss the cauliflower in olive oil and cornstarch and spread evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping half way through.
    2. In a bowl, whisk together tamari or coconut aminos, hoisin sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, pepper, water, and cornstarch.
    3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and sauté the garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
    4. Add the cauliflower to the sauce and stir until evenly coated.
    5. Serve as is or over rice, topping with peanuts, scallions, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

    Recipe Variations & Substitutions

    I love this recipe as is but feel free to try out these simple changes:

    Air fry the cauliflower instead of baking/roasting it. Air fryer kung pao cauliflower is seriously top notch! To do this, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F and place the cauliflower in the basket in a row. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until golden, giving the basket a shake halfway through.

    Make cauliflower 'nuggets' instead by tossing the cauliflower in a batter made of your favorite dairy-free milk (1 cup), flour (1 cup), and seasonings and then coating in breadcrumbs before roasting.

    Keep this recipe gluten-free by ensuring you're using a corn starch that is gluten-free and tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.

    close up of kung pao cauliflower on basmati rice topped with peanuts, scallions, and sesame seeds

    Expert Tips

    • Cut the cauliflower florets into the same size to ensure they all cook evenly. Also, the larger you cut the florets, the crispier they'll stay (smaller florets can get really soft and mushy).
    • Eat the kung pao cauliflower immediately, otherwise they'll start to get soggy about 20 minutes after you toss them in the kung pao sauce. Or only toss them in the sauce when right before you're ready to serve.
    • Double the sauce or more if needed depending on the size of your cauliflower head.

    FAQ

    What do I serve kung pao cauliflower with?

    You can serve them as is as an appetizer or a snack, or you can put them over a bed of rice with peanuts, scallions, and sesame seeds as a satisfying plant-based meal.

    How long does it keep?

    Kung pao cauliflower is best served immediately. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees F.

    kung pao cauliflower on a bed of rice with scallions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top

    Other recipes you might like

    • Bang Bang Cauliflower
    • Maple Glazed Cashew Tofu
    • Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps
    • Curried Cauliflower Pita Wraps

    Be sure to leave a comment and rating down below if you try this recipe! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more recipes and updates.

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    📖 Recipe

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    kung pao cauliflower on a bed of rice on a black plate with chop sticks

    Kung Pao Cauliflower


    5 from 3 reviews

    • Author: Lauren Casolaro
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    This vegan kung pao cauliflower is crispy, healthy, easy to make, and your new guilty pleasure. Serve this recipe alone as an appetizer, or over a bed of rice with roasted peanuts to make an easy weeknight meal. 


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Cauliflower

    • 1 medium to large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
    • 1 tablespoon corn starch
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Vegan Kung Pao Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
    • ¼ cup water
    • ⅓ cup soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon sriracha
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper

    Serving Suggestions

    • Basmati Rice
    • Roasted salted peanuts
    • Scallions
    • Red pepper flakes
    • Sesame seeds

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. Toss the cauliflower in olive oil and cornstarch and spread evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping half way through.
    3. In a bowl, whisk together tamari or coconut aminos, hoisin sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, pepper, water, and cornstarch.
    4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and sauté the garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the sauce from step 3 and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
    5. Add the cauliflower to the sauce and stir until evenly coated.
    6. Serve as is or over rice, topping with peanuts, scallions, and sesame seeds. Enjoy! 

    Notes

    Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here. 

    • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
    • Category: Appetizer, Side, Main Dish
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: Chinese

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ¼ recipe
    • Calories: 189
    • Sugar: 11g
    • Sodium: 1114mg
    • Fat: 7.5g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.1g
    • Carbohydrates: 27g
    • Fiber: 4.5g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Cholesterol: 0mg

    Keywords: kung pao cauliflower, vegan kung pao cauliflower, kung pao sauce, vegan kung pao sauce, pf changs kung pao

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag @pinchofparsley_ on Instagram! We can't wait to see it!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lauren

      January 11, 2022 at 4:20 pm

      I used an air fryer for the cauliflower and it came out perfectly!






      Reply
    2. Jess

      August 28, 2021 at 2:22 pm

      This recipe was so good! I used purple cauliflower because that's what I had on hand and it was delicious. The sauce was amazing






      Reply
      • Pinch of Parsley

        August 28, 2021 at 2:24 pm

        Thanks for your comment, Jess, so glad you loved it. What a fun idea, I'll have to try it with purple cauliflower next time!

        Reply
    3. Shannon

      August 17, 2021 at 12:50 pm

      This recipe was so good and so easy to make! I had to leave my cauliflower in the oven a little longer bc my oven sucks, but it came out super crispy. The sauce has the perfect amount of sweetness and heat! The leftovers hold up really well too, even when just using a microwave to reheat. Highly recommend!






      Reply
      • Pinch of Parsley

        August 17, 2021 at 1:09 pm

        Hi Shannon! I'm so so happy you loved this recipe!! Glad you were able to enjoy the leftovers 🙂

        Reply

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