Hot honey crispy cauliflower
DF
Utterly addictive crispy bites of cauliflower coated in a sticky hot honey glaze. It's a little sweet, a little spicy and a LOT of yum! This is your new vege hero that will have carnivores coming back for more!
This recipe is an example of how much can be done with humble vegetables. Who knew so much flavour could be packed into the humble cauliflower? It’s a stunner when served up to guests and will definitely have people going back for seconds.
In this recipe I have chosen to coat the cauliflower in ziplock bags all together to save you time. The cauliflower doesn’t get as evenly coated as if you were to coat them individually but who has time for that?! All the crispy loose crumbs are added to the baking pans and when tossed in the sauce you honestly wouldn’t know the difference! In fact, you get more loose crispy crumbs to pick from the bowl at the end. Yum!
I like to serve this cauliflower with an Asian fusion style meal. It goes perfectly as a side to chicken roti rolls or beef sesame noodles. Can also be served as a fun (and messy!) entree.
If serving to guests, I like to coat the cauliflower and freeze it. Just cook it from frozen at the time and increase the cook time by a few minutes. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days although it will lose some of its crunch - still tastes delicious! Best crisped up in the air fryer (or oven) for a few minutes.
What's in this recipe?
Hot honey sauce
Honey
I am rather generous with the honey in this recipe! And it makes it delicious! Also makes this recipe refined sugar free. Honey makes this cauliflower sweet and balances so perfectly with the heat from the gochujang.
Gochujang
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili bean paste. It adds a beautiful subtle heat to the sauce and reinforces the umami flavour - a secret weapon in this recipe! Can be found at most big supermarkets or Asian grocery stores.
Rice vinegar & soy sauce
Rice vinegar is made with rice wine and balance the sauce, cutting through the saltiness of the soy sauce and giving it acidity. Can be substituted with white vinegar. Soy sauce gives the sauce its salty umami flavour and balances the sweetness of the honey. It also adds a lovely rich dark colour to the cauliflower.
White pepper & garlic
White pepper adds depth to the spice in this dish and pairs so beautifully with sweet cauliflower. Can be substituted with freshly cracked black pepper. Fresh garlic adds a flavour bomb to the dish and gets all caramelised when baked - delicious! Please use fresh garlic here!
Sesame oil
Sesame oil gives the sauce a slight nutty and toasted flavour that pairs so well with the cauliflower.
Crispy cauliflower
Cauliflower
I use a medium-large sized whole cauliflower for this recipe and cut it into small florets so it cooks through without burning the panko crumbs.
Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is used to bake the cauliflower. Can be substituted with any neutral tasting vegetable oil however I prefer this as a healthier fat.
Eggs
Eggs are used as the glue to stick the crumbs to the cauliflower. In this recipe I have chosen to coat the cauliflower in ziplock bags all together to save you time. The cauliflower doesn’t get as evenly coated as if you were to coat them individually but who has time for that?! All the crispy loose crumbs are added to the baking pans and when tossed in the sauce you honestly wouldn’t know the difference! In fact, you get more loose crispy crumbs to pick from the bowl at the end. Yum!
Panko breadcrumbs & cornflour
Panko breadcrumbs give this cauliflower its addictive crunch! Cornflour helps to thicken the sauce when added at the end of the recipe. Use GF panko crumbs if you want to make the recipe gluten free.
Salt
Salt is added to the crumb to make the cauliflower super tasty and balance the flavours.
Toasted sesame seeds & spring onions
Toasted sesame seeds and spring onions are added as a garnish. Would also be beautiful topped with fried shallots, slices of fresh red chili or coriander leaves. We all love tasty toppings, garnish as you please!
Step-by-step photos
Hot honey crispy cauliflower
DF
Utterly addictive crispy bites of cauliflower coated in a sticky hot honey glaze. It's a little sweet, a little spicy and a LOT of yum! This is your new vege hero that will have carnivores coming back for more!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 eggs (beaten)
- 1 large head cauliflower (cut into florets)
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
- 1 spring onion (sliced diagonally)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small jug/bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Pour oil evenly across two non-stick baking pans. Set aside.
- Pour beaten eggs into a large ziplock bag. Add cauliflower florets and shake to cover evenly.
- Add panko, cornflour and salt to another large ziplock bag. Pour cauliflower into flour mix, seal the top of the bag and shake to combine evenly.
- Place baking pans in the oven for 3 minutes to heat oil. Remove from oven and spread cauliflower evenly across both pans. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Pour hot honey sauce evenly over cauliflower and toss to combine. Place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until starting to caramelise.
- Remove from oven and pile onto a serving platter, drizzling over any pan juices. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions. Devour!
Notes
Serving suggestion
I like to serve this cauliflower with an Asian fusion style meal. Goes perfectly as a side to chicken roti rolls or beef sesame noodles. Can also be served as a fun (and messy!) entree.
Storing
If serving to guests, I like to coat the cauliflower and freeze it. Just cook it from frozen at the time and increase the cook time by a few minutes. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days although it will lose some of its crunch - still tastes delicious! Best crisped up in the air fryer for a few minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
296Fat
14 gSat. Fat
3 gCarbs
36 gFiber
4 gNet carbs
32 gSugar
16 gProtein
10 gSodium
1114 mgCholesterol
82 mg