Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings

We’ve been enjoying a dish very similar to this one at the very popular Pure Kitchen restaurant here in Ottawa for the past couple of years and have been trying out different ways to recreate it. We tried deep frying, sauteing, and even an air fryer method, but none of our attempts came close to the crunchy cauliflower we were trying to achieve. Usually, everything just ended up as mush, or the sauce wouldn’t stick because the breading was wrong. This needed to be rectified!

Then recently we tried a simple egg wash with spiced breadcrumb coating. To our delight, it worked perfectly – adding a bit of extra flavour to the florets themselves, while also providing a good coating to catch the amazing Asian-inspired sauce. This one was a smash hit at our recent Christmas Eve party. It really stole the show!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings: 8

Course: Awesome Appetizers

Cuisine: Healthy, Kid Friendly

Calories: 167

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower
2 large eggs (whites only)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tbsp garlic powder
3 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp Sriracha
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup green onion chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds toasted

Equipment

small pot or saucepan
large baking sheet
parchment paper
whisk
mixing bowls
measuring cups and spoons

Method

Mise en Place

Assemble equipment. Wash and cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets, peel and mince garlic, chop green onions, measure and separate all ingredients

Bring it Together

Heat sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring continually. Add the soy sauce, red pepper flakes cider vinegar, honey, and Sriracha and continue to cook until simmering. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Combine water and corn starch in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the sauce pot, remove from heat, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Add sesame seeds to small frying pan and toast over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Add egg whites to a medium mixing bowl and whisk until small bubbles begin to form. Add cauliflower florets and toss until fully coated.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients – paprika, five spice, garlic powder – with the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Add the egg-coated cauliflower to the breadcrumb mixture and toss to coat fully.
Grease a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, add the cauliflower florets, and bake for 25 minutes, or until crispy and browned.
Remove the "wings" from the oven, add to a serving dish, cover with sauce, and garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

For a change in flavours, try this with our homemade Hoisin Sauce in place of the Asian-inspired sauce used in the recipe.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings