We all know and love Buffalo Cauliflower, but I had never had a General Tso’s version until I went to Front Street Cafe in Philly (one of my favorite spots). They do a few different preparations of fried cauliflower, and once I had the General Tso’s version, it was all over. A new favorite, hands down. I love General Tso’s chicken, so having a meatless version is awesome as an appetizer, snack, or when you want something a tad lighter. My Air Fryer General Tso’s Cauliflower isn’t just light though – it’s got amazing texture and flavor (I promise, you won’t miss the meat). The best part? It’s WW friendly.
Making Air Fryer General Tso’s Cauliflower
There are two main components to this dish – the cauliflower prep and the sauce. The end result is a crispy cauliflower floret paired with a sweet and spicy sauce that will leave you wanting another serving (trust me).
To make the cauliflower, you’ll need:
- 2 12 oz bags of cauliflower florets (fresh, not frozen). Approximately 2 heads of cauliflower cut into small and medium chunks.
- Eggs, to bind the bread crumb topping to the cauliflower.
- Panko breadcrumbs, for a crispy exterior.
- Cooking spray, to help things crisp up.
That’s it! Just beat your eggs, toss the cauliflower in the egg, then in the bread crumbs. Place on a prepared air fryer tray (line it or spray it well with cooking spray) and spray well with cooking spray. Air fry at 375F for 12 minutes, until crispy and lightly golden.
While it cooks, get started on your sauce.
Insanely good sauce
I’m talking like… lick off the spoon good. It’s similar to the sauce used in my Air Fryer Sesame Chicken, so if you like it, try that next. This sauce is a bit spicier, and gives you big General Tso flavor, without all the added sugar/fat etc. The sauce is made of:
- Brown sugar or brown sugar substitute, unpacked
- Hoisin sauce
- Unsweetened ketchup
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Fresh minced ginger
- Low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos if soy isn’t your thing)
- Rice vinegar
- Sriracha for a little kick
- Corn starch mixed with water into a slurry, which you’ll use to thicken the sauce
- Sesame seeds and chopped scallion for topping
You’ll combine all of the ingredients (minus the cornstarch slurry) in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, then add the slurry to thicken it up. Remove from heat, toss over your cooked cauliflower, top with scallions, sesame seeds, and enjoy!
Air Fryer General Tso’s Cauliflower
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Small Saucepan
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 24 oz cauliflower florets about 4 cups or 2 heads cut up
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 6 tsp brown sugar unpacked
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp ginger minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 2 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 tsp water
- sesame seeds for topping
- scallions for topping
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into small florets. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and coat cauliflower thoroughly. Toss in panko bread crumbs. Spray air fryer tray, spread cauliflower in an even layer so there's no overlap, and spray well with cooking spray.
- Air fry cauliflower at 370 for 12 minutes. Cauliflower should be golden brown and crispy.
- While cauliflower is frying, mix 2 tsp corn starch with 2 tsp water to create a slurry and set aside. Add all sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and stir to combine.
- Cook sauce over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add corn starch slurry to thicken. Bring sauce to a boil and stir consistently until sauce is thick, roughly 3 more minutes.
- Once sauce has thickened, add cauliflower to a mixing bowl and coat with sauce. Toss to coat. Top with sesame seeds and scallions and serve!
1 thought on “Air Fryer General Tso’s Cauliflower”
My new favorite cauliflower wing recipe – really has an authentic General Tso’s flavor and the crunch the breading gives is perfect. Definitely recommend!