Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
Sweet and sour cauliflower is sweet, tangy and so delicious! This healthy sweet and sour cauliflower is a great alternative to take out and is a wonderful way to get in more veggies. Naturally gluten free, this recipe is also paleo friendly and vegan.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make – The hardest part of making this sweet and sour cauliflower is waiting for it to bake in the oven. Coating the cauliflower is so simple (just stir the cauliflower in the batter) and the tangy sweet and sour sauce comes together so simply on the stove while the cauliflower bakes.
- Simple ingredients – you can find all the ingredients (or a substitution) in your local grocery store. You likely already have all the ingredients you need to make this baked sweet and sour cauliflower in your pantry and fridge right now.
- Meatless meal your family will be excited about – the sticky sweet and sour sauce really helps make this crispy cauliflower dish so delicious, your family will be asking for seconds!
Ingredients
Crispy cauliflower
- Almond flour – almond flour and arrowroot powder together create a crust on the cauliflower that gets crispy when baked.
- Arrowroot powder (or tapioca flour or corn flour) – arrowroot powder helps to create the crust on the cauliflower and also help the sauce stick to the cauliflower after baking.
- Water – water is used to help make the batter with the almond flour and arrowroot powder to coat the cauliflower.
- Spices: Salt and garlic powder – these help to give the cauliflower flavor when baking.
- Cauliflower – cauliflower florets should be broken down into similar size pieces.
Sweet and sour sauce
- Rice wine vinegar – rice wine vinegar helps create the sour part of sweet and sour sauce. You could also use apple cider vinegar in place of the rice wine vinegar if needed.
- Ketchup – this recipe for sweet and sour sauce uses ketchup and maple syrup in place of the pineapple juice that many of the sweet and sour sauce recipes use. Ketchup typically has some garlic and onion seasoning in it so that helps create the umami flavor in the sauce.
- Coconut aminos – coconut aminos are a gluten free and soy free substitute for soy sauce. The coconut aminos help to add to the umami and give the sauce a deep, rich flavor.
- Maple syrup – maple syrup naturally sweetens the sauce. You could also use honey if you are not vegan.
- Water– water helps to give the sauce the right consistency.
- Arrowroot powder – this helps to thicken the sauce while it cooks on the stove. It helps create a sticky sauce that holds onto the cauliflower.
How to make sweet and sour cauliflower
Start by preheating the oven to 425F.
Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces, trying to keep them similar size so that they will cook evenly.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, garlic powder and water. Stir well.
Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl with the almond flour mixture. Stir well until all the cauliflower is well coated with the almond flour mixture.
Place parchment paper or a silicone liner on a baking sheet. Add the cauliflower and spread it out into a single layer.
Bake in a 425F oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, flip the cauliflower and bake for another 10 minutes.
While the cauliflower is baking make the sweet and sour sauce. Combine the rice wine vinegar, ketchup, coconut aminos, maple syrup and water in a small sauce pan.
Take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a small bowl. Stir the arrowroot powder into the small bowl with the mixture. Mix well with a fork until fully combined. Pour this back into the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Put the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened. Immediately turn off the heat when the sauce gets thickened (as it will continue to thicken).
When the cauliflower is done cooking, pour it into a large bowl then pour the sauce over the cauliflower. Stir well and serve immediately.
Top tips
- Serve the sweet and sour cauliflower hot for the best texture. The cauliflower is crispy right out of the oven. The longer the sauce sits over the cauliflower the softer the exterior gets.
- Be sure to cut the cauliflower florets into similar size pieces so they all cook at the same time. I like to cut them down into bite-size pieces, but some people prefer them to be more wing sized.
- If you want this to be an appetizer (sweet and sour cauliflower wings) cut the florets into “wing size pieces” and cook the cauliflower for 10 more minutes to ensure it’s fully cooked.
- You can use frozen cauliflower, but you will not bread it with the almond flour batter. The cauliflower will still be roasted and delicious but won’t have that same crunchy texture.
- Budget tip: Buy your cauliflower from Aldi or Trader Joe’s as they charge by the head of cauliflower not by the pound!
How to serve sweet and sour cauliflower
- Over rice (white rice, brown rice), cauliflower rice or broccoli rice (to reduce the carbs)
- As an appetizer (cauliflower wings) that would be great for game day parties
- Over quinoa (for added protein)
- With chickpeas (toss with the sweet and sour sauce)
- Over noodles (like these low carb sesame noodles)
Other additions
- Pineapple chunks can be added to the sauce at the end of cooking to heat them through.
- Roasted red peppers – add these to the sauce at the end of cooking to heat through.
- Red pepper flakes or sriracha for heat
Common questions
How to cut cauliflower into florets
Start by removing the green leaves from the outside of the cauliflower.
Turn the cauliflower upside down (so the stem is facing up) and cut down, around the stem, freeing large clusters of florets from the thick stem.
Once you have those large clusters, break them down into florets then continue to chop them into bite size pieces.
Do you have to bread the cauliflower?
No, if you want to reduce the overall calories of the dish or you don’t love the texture of breaded cauliflower, you don’t have to bread the cauliflower.
Simply roast it in the oven then drizzle the sweet and sour sauce over the cauliflower while it’s hot. Put the cauliflower back in the oven (be sure this is on a parchment paper or silicone liner) and bake 5-10 more minutes to help caramelize the sauce.
Can you use frozen cauliflower
If you want to use frozen cauliflower, you will not be able to bread it before baking it as the cauliflower sweats off water as it defrosts in the oven while cooking, so the almond flour coating would get soggy.
How to store leftovers
- Fridge: If you know you will be having leftovers, wait to add the sauce until right before serving. Reheat the cauliflower in a 400F oven for 10 minutes or the air fryer at 390 for 3-5 minutes then add the sauce (which you can reheat in the microwave or on the stove on low heat).
- If you have leftovers of the cauliflower already sauced, you can reheat it in the oven, air fryer, microwave or on the stove. Since the coating will be softer from being soaked in the sweet and sour sauce, it won’t get crispy again but will heat through well.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this after baking, as the coating and cauliflower will both get soggy when defrosting.
Substitutions
- Almond flour – Almond flour helps create the crunchy coating on the outside of the cauliflower. If you need this recipe to be nut free, you can use sunflower seed flour by grinding up roasted sunflower seeds in a high-speed blender. You could also use brown rice flour, breadcrumbs or crushed up crackers in place of the almond flour.
- Arrowroot powder – arrowroot powder helps to create the crunchy coating on the cauliflower and helps make the sweet and sour sauce thick. You can use tapioca flour or cornstarch in place of the arrowroot powder.
- Spices – if you don’t have garlic powder, you can use onion powder instead or you can simply omit it.
- Rice wine vinegar – this helps create the sour in sweet and sour sauce. You could also use apple cider vinegar or even white vinegar if needed.
- Ketchup – you can use tomato paste + 1 or 2 tablespoons maple syrup or you can make your own ketchup.
- Maple syrup – maple syrup helps to sweeten the sauce; you could also use honey or date syrup. If you need to use coconut sugar or brown sugar, add an additional 2-4 tablespoons of water.
- Coconut aminos – these are a gluten free, soy free swap for soy sauce. You could also use gluten free tamari (not soy free) or soy sauce (not gluten free or soy free).
If you love cauliflower recipes, you should try
Buffalo Cauliflower (Air Fryer or Oven)
Buffalo Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Ranch
Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes
Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
Ingredients
Crispy Cauliflower
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 head cauliflower
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite size florets (all the same size if possible).
- In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, water, salt and garlic powder. Stir well.
- Add cauliflower to the batter, then stir well to coat the cauliflower.
- Add parchment to a baking sheet, then add the cauliflower and flatten it into a single layer.
- Place cauliflower in 425F oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take out the cauliflower and flip it. Cook 10 more minutes.
- While cauliflower is cooking, make the sweet and sour sauce. Combine the ingredients in a small sauce pan (minus the arrowroot). Stir well. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce (before heating it up) and add the 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder. Stir well to ensure the arrowroot doesn't get clumps. Pour this mixture in with the rest of the sweet and sour sauce in the pot.
- Heat the sweet and sour sauce over medium heat until it's simmering. Let simmer 2-5 minutes until it reaches your desired thickness. Remove from heat immediately when thicken.
- Pour sweet and sour sauce over cauliflower and serve hot with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Serve the sweet and sour cauliflower hot for the best texture. The cauliflower is crispy right out of the oven. The longer the sauce sits over the cauliflower the softer the exterior gets.
- Be sure to cut the cauliflower florets into similar size pieces so they all cook at the same time. I like to cut them down into bite-size pieces, but some people prefer them to be more wing sized.
- If you want this to be an appetizer (sweet and sour cauliflower wings) cut the florets into “wing size pieces” and cook the cauliflower for 10 more minutes to ensure it’s fully cooked.
- You can use frozen cauliflower, but you will not bread it with the almond flour batter. The cauliflower will still be roasted and delicious but won’t have that same crunchy texture.
- Budget tip: Buy your cauliflower from Aldi or Trader Joe’s as they charge by the head of cauliflower not by the pound!
