Orange Cauliflower Bites
Updated January 5, 2026
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
- Ready In
- 45 min
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
For the cauliflower bites
¾ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup plain unsweetened soy milk or other nondairy milk
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
Cooking oil spray
For the orange sauce
1 tablespoon avocado oil or coconut oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 to 3 oranges)
⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 large Medjool dates, pitted
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
Sliced scallions and white and black sesame seeds (optional), for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
57 grams carbs; 325 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1217 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 24 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the cauliflower bites: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder and salt, then whisk in the soy milk until well blended. Add the cauliflower pieces to the mixture and stir to thoroughly coat.
- Step 2
Heat the air fryer to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of the preheated air fryer basket with parchment paper (see Tip).
- Step 3
Remove the cauliflower from the batter and shake off any excess before placing the cauliflower into the air fryer in an even layer (depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the cauliflower in batches). Keep about ½ inch of space between the pieces. Spray the tops of the cauliflower with oil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy and golden.
- Step 4
Meanwhile, prepare the orange sauce: In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant and slightly golden, about 1 minute. Add the orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and dates. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into ¼ cup water until dissolved.
- Step 6
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Allow the sauce to cool for a bit, then transfer it to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Step 7
Add the crispy cauliflower to a large bowl and pour some of the sauce over. Toss to coat all of the cauliflower pieces, garnish if you like and serve immediately.
For easier lining, trace the outline of the base of your air-fryer basket onto a piece of parchment paper, then cut the paper to size.
To roast the cauliflower in the oven, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the batter and toss the cauliflower bites in it as directed. Remove the cauliflower from the batter and shake off any excess before placing the cauliflower on the parchment paper in an even layer. Keep at least ½ inch of space between the pieces. Spray the tops of the cauliflower with oil. Bake until crispy and golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
Private Notes
Comments
I realize this is a vegan recipe, but can regular dairy milk be used instead of non-dairy? If so, would you use the same measurement? Thank you.
If you want to punch up the orange flavor several notches, zest the orange.
Since several people have inquired if milk can be subbed for the plant based version this recipe calls for, I’ll stick my neck out and say ‘yes’. Many batters for veggies use milk or buttermilk; tempura batters contain ice water, egg, flour and sometimes corn starch. Of course none of those variations is vegan, but certainly qualifies as vegetarian.
I'm a sheep who saw this on Insta and wanted to try it. I'm glad I read the comments first because I found another recipe on the Conscious Plant Kitchen website and that was great. It wasn't too too different but they did add some grated ginger to the batter and suggested dredging it in panko after the batter, which is pretty much an imperitave. It would have been a lot less engaging without the panko.
Cooking for 60 years and I’m confused by Step #6: “Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute.” Whenever I use cornstarch I bring to a boil for 45 sec otherwise it doesn’t thicken. These were underwhelming for me. If I have a head of cauliflower, I would prefer to roast it and smother with tahini and pomegranate seeds.
What's a good substitute for the dates?
An easier-to-work-with substitute would be some kind of syrup or syrup-y substance like: maple syrup, agave, or honey. Date syrup would be the perfect substitute because it tastes just like the dates called for in the recipe.