Cauliflower Orange Chicken (Baked and Crispy)
If you’re looking for an easy orange cauliflower recipe that feels like takeout, this one delivers. Crispy baked cauliflower is coated in a light batter and tossed in a sticky, flavorful orange sauce made with simple ingredients. It has that sweet and tangy orange chicken flavor, but made with cauliflower and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
I started making this as a way to get in more vegetables after realizing how much I loved crispy buffalo cauliflower. Once I nailed the coating, I knew I had to try it with an orange sauce, and it quickly became a go-to. I make this anytime I have orange juice on hand and want something a little different that still feels satisfying and full of flavor.
If you’re looking for more ways to cook with cauliflower, I have a full list of 40 cauliflower recipes with plenty of easy ideas to try. For similar flavors, my air fryer buffalo cauliflower is always a favorite, and the sweet and sour cauliflower has that same takeout-style feel with a different sauce.
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Ingredient spotlight
This is not a full list of ingredients, but instead a quick highlight of the key ingredients. Please see the recipe card for the full ingredient list.
- Cauliflower – You can use a whole head of cauliflower and cut it into florets, or buy pre-cut florets to save time. Try to keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly and get crispy.
- Coating – The coating is made with oat flour, almond flour, dairy-free milk, and spices. This combination gives the best texture, but you can swap the almond flour for breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs if needed. If you don’t have oat flour, regular flour or gluten-free flour will work.
- Orange Juice – Fresh orange juice gives the sauce its signature flavor, so it’s an important ingredient here.
- Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce – Coconut aminos add a slightly sweeter, milder flavor, but soy sauce or gluten free tamari works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
- Thickener – The sauce needs to be thickened to get that sticky texture. Arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or cornstarch will all work.
How to make orange cauliflower
Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces. Try to make them even in size if possible. 
In a large bowl, add the almond flour, oat flour, dairy free milk, salt and garlic powder Stir this mixture together. It will be thick. Toss the cauliflower in the breading mixture until it’s well coated. Add the cauliflower to a baking sheet. Be sure that the cauliflower is in a single layer. I like to add parchment paper to ensure it doesn’t stick. Bake the cauliflower at 425F for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and flip. Cook another 10 minutes. While the cauliflower is baking, combine the orange juice, coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, maples syrup, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes and salt in a saute pan or pot. Cook over medium low heat and allow the orange sauce mixture to come up to a simmer In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot and water and mix together to form a slurry. Add this to the orange sauce and whisk well. This mixture will thicken up quickly. You should be able to run a spoon through the center and the sauce not quickly run back together. Once you get to this point, turn off the heat. Once the cauliflower is done baking, add it to a clean bowl and toss it with the orange sauce. Stir well. Return the cauliflower to the baking sheet and bake for 10 more minutes to ensure the outside is crispy and crunchy.
Tips for success
- Double the sauce for extra – If you like it saucier, double the sauce and reserve half for drizzling right before serving.
- Adjust batter thickness – For a thinner batter, increase the milk up to ¾ cup. You’ll need to use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower so excess batter doesn’t pool on the pan. This takes a little more effort but can give a more even coating.
- Air fryer option – You can also make the cauliflower in the air fryer for a crispier texture. Follow the method from my air fryer buffalo cauliflower and then toss with the orange sauce.
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Crispy Baked Orange Cauliflower Recipe
This baked orange cauliflower is crispy, flavorful, and coated in a sticky orange sauce. An easy, takeout-inspired recipe made with simple ingredients.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Crispy Cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- ½ cup oat flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup dairy free milk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Orange Sauce
- 1.5 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1.5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot or tapioca flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Cut the cauliflower florets from the stem. Cut the florets into bite size pieces, trying to keep them equal sizes if possible.1 medium head cauliflower
- In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, almond flour, dairy free milk, salt and garlic powder. Sitr well.½ cup oat flour, ½ cup almond flour, ½ cup dairy free milk, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add the cauliflower to the batter in the bowl and stir well. Try to coat as many of the cauliflower florets as possible with the batter.
- Put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spray with avocado oil or olive oil spray.
- Pour the coated cauliflower onto the baking sheet, trying not to get any excess batter from the bowl on the tray. Take the time to space out each individual piece of cauliflower so they can brown without steaming.
- Bake at 425F for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove from the oven and flip each piece of cauliflower. Return to the oven and bake 10 more minutes.
- Make the orange sauce. Combine all the ingredients except the arrowroot and water in a medium skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium low heat.1.5 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, 1.5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- While the sauce is coming up to a simmer, combine the water and arrowroot flour in a small bowl. Stir well to ensure there are no lumps.1 tablespoon water, 2 teaspoons arrowroot or tapioca flour
- Once the orange sauce is simmering, begin to whisk it as you pour in the arrowroot slurry you just made. Stir well. Cook 1-2 more minutes until the sauce is thick. Be sure to turn off the sauce when it reaches the consistency you like or it will continue to thicken.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Carefully transfer cauliflower to a large bowl. Pour orange sauce over the cauliflower and stir well.
- Once cauliflower is well coated, return the cauilflower back to the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cook for 10 more minutes at 425F.
- After baking, allow the vegan orange chicken to cool at least 5 minutes to let the coating get extra crispy.
Recipe Notes
- Cut cauliflower evenly – Cut florets into similar bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and don’t burn in some spots while others stay undercooked.
- Make the slurry correctly – Use room temperature water (not hot water) when mixing the arrowroot slurry to prevent clumping.
- Whisk constantly when thickening the sauce – Start whisking the sauce before adding the slurry, then pour it in and keep whisking. The sauce thickens quickly, so don’t walk away.
- Fridge: This is best made fresh or reheated in the oven or air fryer to get the crispy coating back. The coating will get soggy in the fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Oven: Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and heat at 425F for 5 minutes.
- Air fryer: 375F for 3-4 minutes until crispy.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
269
Fat
10
g
Carbohydrates
40
g
Fiber
6
g
Sugar
16
g
Protein
10
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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What to serve with orange cauliflower
This baked orange cauliflower is best served over rice to soak up all that extra sauce. You can also serve it with quinoa for a slightly different option that still works really well.
If you want to serve it with noodles, be sure to double the orange sauce so everything is well coated. The extra sauce makes a big difference here.
