For when you want and you're feeling

15-Minute Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

This recipe for 15-Minute Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is crispy, saucy, and takeout-inspired! It’s a healthy weeknight dinner option that’s ready in a flash. Serve it over rice or in lettuce wraps for a simple meal.

three lettuce wraps filled with sticky sesame cauliflower on a black plate

 Also, it’s important to note, this is not an authentic Asian recipe! I am not an authority in that space. This simply draws inspiration from a cuisine I admire and like learning about.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower: A Takeout-Style Meal You Can Make at Home

Roasted cauliflower florets  are coated in a sticky glaze that is equally sweet and savory, full of umami and spice. This recipe is ready in less than 20 minutes!

I enjoy eating this cauliflower inside a lettuce wrap – the cool and crunchy texture of romaine is a nice counterpoint to a sticky sauce. However if you want this to be more filling I recommend serving over a bed of rice with some lentils or tofu for protein.

Ingredients in Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

  • Small to medium head cauliflower
  • Soy sauce (or coconut aminos if gluten-free)
  • Maple syrup
  • Rice vinegar
  • Garlic
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • Sesame oil
  • Ginger (powdered or fresh)
  • Cornstarch, to thicken the sauce

close up of sticky sesame cauliflower in a lettuce wrap topped with sesame seeds

Can this recipe with sesame glaze be made ahead?

Yes! While this sticky sesame sauce is ready in just 5 minutes, feel free to make it in advance and store in the fridge until ready to use. I would note that it will thicken more while cooling, so you may want to cut the amount of cornstarch down to 1 TBS while boiling.

Looking for more takeout-inspired recipes? Try one of these next:

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
three lettuce wraps filled with sticky sesame cauliflower on a black plate

15-Minute Sticky Sesame Cauliflower


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Emily
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This recipe for 15-Minute Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is crispy, saucy, and takeout-inspired! It’s a healthy weeknight dinner option that’s ready in a flash. Serve it over rice or in lettuce wraps for a simple meal.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 small to medium head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup lite rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 TBS crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil*
  • 2 tsp powdered ginger (or 1 TBS minced fresh ginger)
  • 1 and 1/2 TBS cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Sesame seeds, romaine lettuce wraps, or cooked rice for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray/oil a baking tray and line cauliflower in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
  2. While cauliflower is baking, combine soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper if using, oil, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3. In a separate cup, whisk cornstarch and water. Add this cup to the boiling sauce mixture as soon as it is rapidly bubbling. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. The sauce will begin to thicken, so continue to stir!
  4. Remove sauce from heat. After 10 minutes of time in the oven, flip cauliflower and bake 5-10 minutes more (until browned but not burned). Remove from oven and add to the pan with the sauce. Mix thoroughly.
  5. Serve in lettuce wraps garnished with sesame seeds or over a bed of rice.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: One third of recipe
  • Calories: 103 calories
  • Sugar: 11.9 grams
  • Sodium: 649.7 milligrams
  • Fat: 1.3 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 0.3 grams
  • Unsaturated Fat: 1 grams
  • Trans Fat: 0 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 20.4 grams
  • Fiber: 2.6 grams
  • Protein: 3.9 grams
  • Cholesterol: 0 milligrams

Pin this Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

This recipe for 15-Minute Sticky Sesame Cauliflower is crispy, saucy, and takeout-inspired! It's a healthy weeknight dinner option that's ready in a flash. Serve it over rice or in lettuce wraps for a simple meal.

Portrait of Emily Meyers, founder of Garlic Head

About the Author

Emily (Frigon) Meyers is the founder of Garlic Head, a plant-based recipe website for all eaters who want to easily, affordably, and sustainably incorporate more vegetables into their diets while saving time and money. She is a lifelong vegetarian and 10+ year vegan. Garlic Head does not focus on labels - it focuses on creating food that everyone can enjoy.

Emily earned a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University along with degrees in Economics, Spanish, and Global Sustainability from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been featured on numerous podcasts and websites including The Food Institute, VegNews, Buzzfeed, and the Boston Globe.

Meet Emily here.

Love this post? Share the love!

Similar Posts

Comments

    • Emily says

      It would not be quite as sturdy so I don’t recommend, unless you’re eating with a knife and fork. Collard greens could be a substitute, however!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Garlic Head Logo

Garlic Head is a community for food lovers that is focused on providing affordable, simple, & delicious plant-based recipes to help us feel our best.

iPhone X displaying Garlic Head's "3-Ingredients Cocktails" e-Book

Free Resource

Get this e-book for free!

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.
For when you're feeling...
Our recipes look great on Pinterest!