By Ela on | 151 Comments. This post may contain affiliate links*. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
4.82 from 58 votes
This Kung Pao Cauliflower is a delicious stir-fry that is spicy, hearty, satisfying, and comforting. It’s a great meat-free Chinese takeout alternative to Kung Pao Chicken! The Kung Pao sauce has the perfect combination of spicy, salty and sweet flavors which will make your mouth water. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, low in fat and calories, and can be made oil-free!
Kung Pao Cauliflower Stir-Fry
Hello dears, I am excited to share my first vegan Chinese recipe with you! I must admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Chinese food in the past. The salty/sweet combo tasted weird to me but my taste buds have changed and now I LOVE this flavor combination.
That’s why I have been busy in my kitchen lately, trying out different Chinese recipes. And this is the first one! Kung Pao Cauliflower – and let me tell you, I simply adore it and so does my boyfriend! Why should you give it a try? Because it’s…
- Packed with spicy, salty and sweet flavors
- A great meat-free alternative to Kung Pao Chicken
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
How To Make Kung Pao Cauliflower?
This recipe has only 8 steps which are easy to follow and not complicated at all. First, you allow the cauliflower a nice cozy bath in a batter made from chickpea flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, and water. While the cauliflower florets bake in the oven you can fry the bell pepper, garlic, fresh ginger and peppercorns in a skillet. Your kitchen will smell amazing!
You can serve the vegan Kung Pao with rice or rice noodles (both taste amazing!) and can prepare it according to the package instructions while the cauliflower is in the oven.
Meanwhile, you can also start making the spicy Kung Pao sauce which takes literary just 60 seconds. All you need to do is, combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Then pour the sauce into the skillet, bring to a boil, and allow it to simmer for one minute.
Finally, add the roasted cauliflower to the skillet and give it a good stir. You can enjoy it right away. However, if you want the cauliflower to be crispy, transfer it back to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes! Check the easy instruction pictures below:
What about Kung Pao Tofu?
This spicy Kung Pao can be made with either cauliflower or tofu. I don’t eat tofu very often but if you want your Kung Pao to be packed with lots of plant-based protein you can use tofu. How to make Kung Pao Tofu?
The sauce and the ingredients for the skillet are the same but you can skip the baking part. Instead, you will need to press the tofu for about 15-20 minutes, slice it into cubes and fry it in a pan until nicely brown. You can try out both versions and let me know which one you preferred. 🙂
Spicy Kung Pao
Do you love spicy food? I know it’s super healthy and I like spicy food as long as it’s not too spicy. Yesterday I ate a whole dried chili (yes, the whole chili with the seeds) and almost fainted, haha. It was too much for my tastebuds. You can make this Kung Pao with 4-6 dried chilies which you can fry with the garlic, ginger, peppercorns, and bell pepper.
However, I would suggest removing the chilies before you pour in the sauce. If you don’t have dried chilies, simply use 1/4 teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper. Not a fan of spicy meals? Leave it out completely for a mild Kung Pao Cauliflower.
Does it keep?
Yes! Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in a pan/skillet.
You Will Love This Kung Pao Cauliflower. It’s:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Spicy
- Sweet & Salty
- Satisfying
- Comforting
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Perfect for a weeknight dinner
- And it can be made oil-free
A Few Helpful Tips
- Serve it with Jasmine rice, Basmati rice or rice noodles
- Double the batch and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Use tofu instead of cauliflower for a protein-rich variation
Should you recreate this tasty spicy Chinese stir-fry, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes! If you love spicy food, definitely also check out the following vegan spicy recipes:
- Vegan Meatballs With A Spicy Gravy
- Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos
- Gnocchi All’Arrabbiata
Kung Pao Cauliflower
Author: Michaela Vais
This Kung Pao Cauliflower is a delicious stir-fry which is spicy, hearty, satisfying, and comforting. It's a great meat-free Chinese takeout alternative to Kung Pao Chicken! The Kung Pao sauce has the perfect combination of spicy, salty and sweet flavors which will make your mouth water. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, low in fat and calories, and can be made oil-free!
4.82 from 58 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2
Calories 266 kcal
Ingredients
Batter:
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chickpea flour (*see recipe notes)
- 4 tbsp (30 g) cornstarch
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) plant-based milk
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (*see recipe notes)
- 1 medium (600 g) head of cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup of (120 ml) water
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (*see recipe notes)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (*see recipe notes)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4-1/3 tsp cayenne pepper OR 4-6 dried chilies (*see recipe notes)
For the skillet:
- 2 tsp oil or water
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 3/4 tsp peppercorns (optional)
- 1 small/medium bell pepper sliced into fine strips
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- fresh chives chopped
- peanuts (optional)
Instructions
This recipe has a video for easy visual instructions.
Batter:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together cornstarch, chickpea flour, plant-based milk, and soy sauce. Let it sit for about 1 minute, then add the cauliflower florets.
Toss until all cauliflower florets are coated with batter. Transfer the cauliflower to the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes
Skillet:
Heat oil (or water) in a skillet over low to medium heat, add garlic, ginger, peppercorns. Saute for 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
Next, add bell pepper and saute with a lid on for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more water if necessary (I used 1 tbsp).
Sauce:
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a medium/large bowl, combine water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Whisk.
Pour the sauce into the skillet. Bring to a boil and let simmer on low heat for 1 minute. Add the roasted cauliflower florets and toss to coat.
Transfer back to the baking sheet and bake for a further 10-15 minutes if you like the cauliflower to be crispy OR enjoy immediately.
Serve with rice or rice noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh chives and peanuts (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
- Chickpea flour alternative: I would suggest using gluten-free all-purpose flour (or regular flour if not gluten-free) instead of chickpea flour (haven't tried it out though).
- Soy sauce: Use gluten-free if needed or tamari or coconut aminos. You can also use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Sweetener: You can use a sweetener of choice, e.g. maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc.
- Use 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper OR 4-6 dried chilies instead. If you prefer dried chilies, add them to the pan and fry together with garlic, ginger, peppercorns, and bell pepper. Then remove the chilies before you pour in the sauce, otherwise, the Kung Pao will be too spicy!
- Make sure to also check out my Sticky Teriyaki Tofu recipe.
- Recipe serves 2. Nutrition facts are for one serving (without rice or rice noodles).
Nutrition Facts Kung Pao Cauliflower Amount per Serving Calories 266 % Daily Value* Fat 4 g 6 % Carbohydrates 37 g 12 % Fiber 10 g 40 % Sugar 10 g 11 % Protein 14 g 28 % * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photos:
