A Really Easy Healthy Orange Cauliflower Recipe · i am a food blog (2024)

Pretty much everyone knows and loves orange chicken, Panda Express’s greatest dish. This is a slightly more authentic, much much healthier vegan version that you can feel good about eating every night if you want. It’s not deep fried, oily, or difficult, and it’s utterly, utterly delicious. A tangy, bright, and slightly sweet sauce comes together with lightly crispy cauliflower and forms something that tastes not even close to just vegetables. If you’re not used to eating veggies as a main, this could be a dangerous gateway to a whole new world of veggies for dinner. If you are, well you’re in for a treat.

Cooking Notes
You may need to adjust the sugar content to suit you because it’s not possible to predict the sweetness of the orange you end up with. Taste the sauce before you toss in the cauliflower and go for a little sweeter and richer if you’d like; unlike meat, the neutrality of the cauliflower can absolutely absorb the extra flavor.

Cauliflowers should be cut fairly small; the smaller, the crispier, the more satisfying, within reason. We’re looking for about inch wide pieces.

What do you need?
A non stick skillet and a baking sheet. Cooking spray is highly recommended.

How do you serve it?
Serve with rice, fried noodles, and maybe a healthy side salad.

The Dinner & Chill Oven Baked Orange Cauliflower Recipe
Serves 1-2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

• 1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/4 cup orange juice (about half an orange)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 450ºF and cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add a little oil to the foil and rub it around with a paper towel to coat. Break up your cauliflower into small florets, then coat with oil (preferably with cooking spray; toss in a large bowl if not) and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Transfer your cauliflower to a ziplock/plastic bag along with 2 tablespoons of corn starch and shake well. Arrange the cauliflower onto your foil lined baking sheet.

3. Bake your cauliflower for 30 minutes at 450ºF.

4. While the cauliflower is baking, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 1 tablespoon of water in a cup and stir into a smooth slurry.

5. Make your sauce by combining orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Add the corn starch slurry to it and bring to a boil, then take off the heat and stir until a smooth and glossy sauce forms. Set aside and relax with a glass of wine until the cauliflower is done.

6. When your cauliflower is crispy and brown, toss it in the sauce until everything is evenly coated. Top with sesame seeds and chopped green onions with a side of rice, and enjoy!

Welcome to Dinner & Chill, a new series focusing on quick & easy weeknight dinners with easy to find ingredients, no special equipment, low prep, and low effort. Less shopping, less chopping, less mopping, more eating.