Description
Golden, oven-baked cauliflower nuggets coated in a crispy crust and tossed in a sticky Korean chili garlic sauce. Bold flavor, satisfying crunch, and perfect for weeknight dinners, appetizers, or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk or water
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Oil spray or 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 1/2 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2–1 tsp red chili flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) or air fryer to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly oil.
- Wash, dry, and cut cauliflower into even florets.
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add plant milk and whisk until thick and smooth.
- Toss cauliflower in batter until fully coated.
- Roll each floret in panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- Arrange on baking sheet with space between pieces and spray lightly with oil.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Air fry 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway.
- Simmer gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, and chili flakes over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes until glossy.
- Toss hot cauliflower with warm sauce until evenly coated.
- Return to oven 5 minutes for extra stickiness, then rest 2–3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Adjust chili flakes to control heat level.
- For extra crispiness, do not overcrowd the pan.
- Best reheated in oven or air fryer, not microwave.
- Freeze nuggets before saucing for best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Appetizer
- Method: Baking, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Korean-Inspired, Plant-Based
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg