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Sesame Glazed Cauliflower Bites

Brianne Izzo
By Brianne Izzo
4.5 from 11 votes
Servings 6 servings
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Baked till crispy and coated with a sticky glaze, these Sesame Cauliflower Wings add some veggie action to your game day snacks. These tasty little bites make great vegan and gluten free appetizers, but you can also enjoy them as an easy vegetable side dish for your favorite Asian-style meals! 

Looking from the side at a pile of cauliflower wings with a dark brown glaze and sesame seeds on a plate.
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Easy Glazed Cauliflower Wings

My husband is hardcore about college football. We don’t watch a lot of pro football, but he has to watch his alma mater every Saturday in the fall, and oftentimes he has to watch the adjacent teams. You know, those they will play, those they already played. Those playing the teams they are going to play.

That means we are hardcore about game day snacks. Since he is an uber-carnivore, I’m usually making Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos or BBQ Turkey Meatballs or a big pot of Beef Chili. But sometimes I have to balance that out with some veggies like these Sesame Cauliflower Wings.

OK, they aren’t technically wings, but they pack a punch of bold deliciousness with the Asian flavors and sticky-sweet caramelization that develops. I have to admit, although I’m always happy when I get him eating veggies (and he loved these), I was a bit disappointed since I wanted to devour the entire plate.

In fact, they are so good that we don’t save them for game day. You’ll often find them on the table when I make stir fry for dinner!

Cauliflower florets with a sesame glaze on a green plate on a placemat with a red cloth napkin.

Ingredients

The simple ingredients give these veggie bites some seriously sweet and savory Asian-inspired flavor. Just be sure to use the gluten free or vegan options as needed.

For the sauce:

  • Soy sauce. Use gluten free soy sauce or tamari, if needed.
  • Honey. You can also use agave or maple syrup to make it strict vegan
  • Rice vinegar. Be sure it is unseasoned and gluten free.
  • Sesame oil.
  • Fresh ginger. Grated. Or you can substitute about a half-teaspoon
  • Scallions. You can save some for garnish, if you like.
  • Sesame seeds. Again, additional can be used for garnish.

For the cauliflower wings:

  • Cauliflower. One large head, washed and thoroughly dried, then cut into florets.
  • Unsweetened almond milk. Regular dairy milk or another non-dairy milk can be substituted.
  • Brown rice flour. If you are not gluten free, all-purpose flour can be used.
  • Garlic powder.
Ingredients for Sesame Glazed Cauliflower Bites.
Ingredients for Sesame Glazed Cauliflower Bites.

How to Make Sesame Cauliflower Wings

When you are ready to get started, preheat your oven to 450°F and coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or a thin layer of oil.

Make the glaze. Combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and scallions in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

A bowl of the sesame glaze sauce on a tabletop next to a couple of whole scallions and a knob of fresh ginger.

Coat the cauliflower. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, rice flour, and garlic powder to make the batter. Add the cauliflower and use a spatula to toss it around until it is thoroughly coated with the batter.

Batter being mixed in a glass bowl with a whisk.
Make the batter.
Cauliflower florets coated in batter in a glass bowl with a red spatula.
Coat the cauliflower.

Bake the cauliflower wings. Spread the cauliflower florets into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 450°F until they are golden but slightly less done than you want them.

Glaze the cauliflower. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and toss to coat. Return it to the oven for another 5 minutes, toss again, and then finish in the oven until the cauliflower is glazed and cooked to the desired doneness.

Batter-coated cauliflower florets on a baking sheet.
Partially baked cauliflower bites on a baking sheet with the bowl of sesame glaze next to it.
A spatula being used to flip the cauliflower bites on a baking sheet.

Serve. Transfer the cauliflower bites to a plate and garnish with more scallions and sesame seeds if you like. If there is excess sauce on the baking sheet, you can pour it into a bowl and use it for dipping.

Glazed cauliflower on a dish resting on top of cloth napkins and placemats.

Tips for Success

Cut to your desired size. Smaller florets will get more tender on the inside as they crisp up on the outside. Larger ones will stay crisp-tender all the way through or will need to bake a little longer.

You can use parchment. If you are worried about sticking, you can line your pan, but I think a thin coating of oil or cooking spray does just fine and allows for more crispness and caramelization to develop.

Save some glaze. If you are worried about the coating getting too soggy, don’t use all of the glaze. You can always reserve some as a sauce for dipping the cauliflower bites.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

You can keep any leftover cauliflower wings in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. However, the coating will start to get a little soggy. They reheat just fine in the microwave if you don’t mind them being softer. But you can also pop them back in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for a few minutes to get them hot and crisp them up a bit.

Looking down at a bright green dish with glazed sesame cauliflower bites on top of a red cloth napkin and tan placemat.

Serving Suggestions

These Sesame Cauliflower Wings make a great appetizer to serve with your spread of game days snacks like Gluten Free Air Fryer Pizza Rolls or Gluten Free Ham and Cheese Sliders.

But they are also delicious as a side dish for Maple Sesame Glazed Salmon or Gluten Free Bao Buns. Or try it with some of these other meals:

A plate of sesame cauliflower wings garnished with sliced scallions on a green plate with a pair of turquoise chopsticks on the side of the dish.

Things You’ll Need

Sheet pans. I always rave about my Nordicware baking sheets for making cookies, roasting vegetables, and more. And baking cauliflower wings just one more use for them.

Whisk. Using a whisk makes the batter come together nice and smooth. You’ll also want a small one for the sauce.

Microplane. My favorite tool for grating ginger so you don’t end up with large chunks.

Looking down at a bright green dish with glazed cauliflower florets sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.
4.5 from 11 votes

Baked Sesame Cauliflower Wings

Baked till crispy and coated with a sticky glaze, these Sesame Cauliflower Wings add some veggie action to your game day snacks. These tasty little bites make great vegan and gluten free appetizers, but you can also enjoy them as an easy vegetable side dish for your favorite Asian-style meals! 
Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
  • 1/4 cup honey or agave or maple syrup for vegan
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1-2 sliced scallions, plus additional for garnish, (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, plus additional for garnish, (optional)

For the cauliflower:

  • one large head cauliflower, washed and thoroughly dried
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour or all-purpose flour (if not gluten free)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

For the sauce:

  • Combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and scallions in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

For the cauliflower:

  • Preheat your oven to 450°F, and spray a baking sheet with oil or cooking spray.
  • Cut the cauliflower into florets. The smaller they are, the faster they will cook and softer they will get.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, rice flour, and garlic powder. Add the cauliflower to the batter and toss until it is thoroughly coated.
  • Arrange the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 450°F for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly less done than you want them.
  • Remove from the oven and pour the sauce over the cauliflower, tossing to coat (see Note). Return to oven for another 5 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and gently flip and toss the cauliflower in the sauce on the sheet. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until crisp and glazed on the outside, and tender inside.
  • Place the cauliflower on a serving plate or bowl, and if desired, sprinkle with some additional scallion and/or sesame seeds.
  • If desired, pour any remaining sauce off of the baking sheet into a bowl for dipping.

Notes

This does make quite a bit of sauce. I like to pour it all over and let it cook down a bit in the oven, but you can pour over just enough to coat it, and save some for dipping.
Nutrition Facts
Baked Sesame Cauliflower Wings
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 160 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 1138mg47%
Potassium 390mg11%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 20IU0%
Vitamin C 47mg57%
Calcium 67mg7%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Course: Appetizer, Side
Cuisine: Asian
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Looking down at a bright green dish with glazed cauliflower florets sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.

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109 Comments

  1. G’day! Love the versatility of cauliflower, true!
    This recipe for an entertaining party will be on my list to do!
    Cheers! Joanne
    Viewed as part of Your Best Recipes Sept

    Reply

  3. What a great idea! I’m going to have to make these, thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂 Oh, and I’m also now following your blog (I found you via Premeditated Leftovers)

    Reply

  10. Did I read this right? 1/2 Cup of Soy sauce? That seems a little much compared to the other ingredients. I have made my first attempt and would like to know if it sauce is supposed to be so runny. My first batch is in the oven now..so I am crossing my fingers. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Yes, as I mentioned it does make some extra sauce. It will reduce down in the oven or you can hold some back for dipping. That is why I toss it in the middle of baking – to coat it in the glaze as it thickens.

      Reply

    2. I mean I am eating these now they were good but I did find them VERY salty like we ate the with Ranch salty. My larger pieces were better after sitting a bit.
      Hubby and I both thought they had promise will be trying again with less soy and maybe cooking down in a sauce pan before pouring on top of the of the cauliflower mixture.

      Reply