Honey Garlic Cauliflower

Breaded cauliflower coated in a sauce with sliced green onions on a plate.

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5 from 1 vote

Honey Garlic Cauliflower

Crispy air fried cauliflower coated in a sweet garlic sauce.air-fried

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Canadian, Chinese Inspired

Servings:

Calories: 362kcal

Author: Jacqueline Piper

Equipment

Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer or similar

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

1 head cauliflower cut into evenly sized florets
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs

For the sauce

1 teaspoon cooking oil
5 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or Sriracha
½ cup vegetable stock cold, or chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoon cold water
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce

for the garnish

2 green onions sliced, for serving, optional
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
Mix the flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. Add most of the water and whisk, adding more water as needed until you have a thick batter.
Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl.
Dip each cauliflower floret in the batter, letting the excess drip off. Coat in the breadcrumbs and set on the air fryer baking tray.
Air fry for 10 minutes, flip and then air fry for another 5-6 minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork tender.

For the sauce:

Add a teaspoon of oil to a skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and fry, stirring, for a minute or so, until fragrant and starting to brown.
Whisk the cornstarch with the cold stock. Add the sambal oelek, honey, and soy sauce. Mix well.
Add the sauce mixture to the skillet.
Heat while whisking. The sauce should thicken in 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and keep it warm until the cauliflower is ready.
You can either toss the cooked cauliflower in the sauce or drizzle it on top.
Serve hot and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Video

Notes

Frying instructions: To fry the cauliflower, heat a wide skillet over medium heat with about 1/4 inch of oil. Add the breaded cauliflower florets and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes until the outsides are golden brown and crispy and you can’t see batter or dry breadcrumbs.

Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Set a wire rack over a large baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper. Add the breaded cauliflower to the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced out, and bake for 15 minutes, flip, and then bake for another 10 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the cauliflower is fork tender. Spray with oil first for a more golden brown coating.

While this is best eaten fresh, you can store the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

When storing the cauliflower with the sauce on, it won't be as crispy when reheated. To keep the cauliflower crispy for reheating, store the leftover cauliflower and sauce separately.

Reheat the cauliflower at a lower temperature in the oven or air fryer and then add the reheated sauce. To reheat the sauce, microwave it or heat it in a small saucepan.

Nutrition