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.
 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
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:
- 20-Minute Spicy Peanut Noodle Soup
- 15-Minute Sesame Ginger Noodles
- Tofu Meal Prep: Peanut Tofu, Sesame Tofu, and Orange Tofu Recipes
15-Minute Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
- 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
- 1 small to medium head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ 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 ½ TBS cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- Sesame seeds, romaine lettuce wraps, or cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray/oil a baking tray and line cauliflower in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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
Lexi says
Could one substitute bok choy for the lettuce wraps?
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!
Liz M says
Delicious! Loved every bite!
Emily says
Thank you Liz, I appreciate you trying the recipe and glad to hear that!
Ruthanne says
This recipe was so good! A completely different way of making cauliflower.
Easy too!
Emily says
Thanks so much for trying it Aunt Ruthie!!
Sue0523 says
New favorite
Emily says
Yay!!