Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls

Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls deliver restaurant-quality flavor. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times. The trick is to cook the cauliflower until it’s crisp and golden. Fresh, sweet, and savory. Try my Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad next. Jump to Recipe If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe and Cheese and Bean Pupusas Recipe.

What You'll Need for Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Optional: 1/4 cup cashews
• Optional: 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Optional: 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños

How to Make Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls

1. Prep cauliflower: Cut cauliflower into small florets. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Make sauce: In a bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, cornstarch, water, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chili garlic sauce, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3. Cook cauliflower: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and cook until golden and crisp. Remove from heat.
4. Thicken sauce: Return skillet to heat. Add sauce and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
5. Combine: Add cooked cauliflower to the sauce. Toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Serve: Place cauliflower in bowls. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and optional toppings. Serve immediately.

Storing & Reheating Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Make sauce and cauliflower ahead. Combine before serving.

Freezing Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls

Freeze in a sealed bag for up to 2 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in oven at 350°F for 10–15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in microwave for 1–2 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes so it thickens properly.
• Best substitution: Use broccoli or cauliflower rice if you don't have cauliflower.
• Make-ahead: Make the sauce in advance and reheat before adding the cauliflower.
• Scaling: Double or triple the recipe for larger groups.
• Troubleshooting: If the cauliflower is too soggy, cook it longer or use an air fryer.

Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

25 mins

⏳

Total

40 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Seasonings

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Optional Toppings

• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños

Instructions

1. Prep cauliflower: Cut cauliflower into small florets. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Make sauce: In a bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, cornstarch, water, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chili garlic sauce, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3. Cook cauliflower: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and cook until golden and crisp. Remove from heat.
4. Thicken sauce: Return skillet to heat. Add sauce and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
5. Combine: Add cooked cauliflower to the sauce. Toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Serve: Place cauliflower in bowls. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and optional toppings. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Chef tip: Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes so it thickens properly.
• Best substitution: Use broccoli or cauliflower rice if you don't have cauliflower.
• Make-ahead: Make the sauce in advance and reheat before adding the cauliflower.
• Scaling: Double or triple the recipe for larger groups.
• Troubleshooting: If the cauliflower is too soggy, cook it longer or use an air fryer.

Storage

• Fridge: Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in a sealed bag for up to 2 months.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in oven at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in microwave for 1–2 minutes.
• Make ahead: Make sauce and cauliflower ahead. Combine before serving.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 250
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 10g
• Carbs: 35g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sat. Fat: 1.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Crispy General Tso’s Cauliflower Bowls and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!