This Kung Pao Cauliflower is vegan, gluten-free and full of flavour, with crisp vegetables in a spicy-sweet sauce.
I’m always looking for healthy new meat free dishes and I’ve definitely found one in this deliciously spiced Kung Pao Cauliflower recipe. Tender crisp cauliflower, zucchini and red bell peppers are dressed in a spicy sweet sauce for a wholesome, satisfying dish that brings make your own take out to a whole new level.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
It’s healthier and lower in calories than many other Kung Pao Cauliflower recipes – The cauliflower in this recipe is not breaded or deep fried as it often is in others. The sauce is sweetened with a small amount of maple syrup, so there is no refined sugar either.
It’s vegan and gluten-free – If you follow the recipe exactly and serve it over rice or gluten-free noodles, the recipe is both vegan and gluten-free.
It comes together quickly – Perfect for busy days this recipe comes together in about half an hour.
Cauliflower is good for you – Low in calories but high in vitamins, especially vitamin C, cauliflower also contains fibre and protein. It’s a great choice you are trying to stick to a healthy eating plan and is one of your 30 plants a week.
Even people who don’t love cauliflower enjoy this recipe – I can personally testify to this. Cauliflower is not my favourite vegetable but I really enjoy this Kung Pao Cauliflower recipe.
Hints and Tips for Making Kung Pao Cauliflower
- This dish comes together really quickly, so be sure to get all your ingredients together before you start.
- Be sure to pre-cook the cauliflower. It means the cauliflower comes out perfectly tender crisp instead of overly crunchy.
- Be sure to use unsalted peanuts or the dish will be too salty.
- Don’t forget to cook your rice or noodles!
Is Kung Pao Cauliflower Gluten-Free?
Provided you use Tamari instead of soy sauce, and serve it over rice or gluten free noodles, Kung Pao Cauliflower is naturally gluten free.
Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or just trying to eat less meat like me, this delicious recipe makes dinner easy any night of the week!
Kung Pao Cauliflower – Printable Recipe
Kung Pao Cauliflower – Vegan and Gluten Free
Ingredients
- I large head of cauliflower, divided into small florets
- 3 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped in squares
- 2 medium zucchini, cut in half moons zucchini are also known as courgettes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- ⅓ cup Tamari you can use soy sauce instead if you do not need the recipe to be gluten-free
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Zest of one lime
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped red chilis, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ginger Fresh ginger is lovely, but I often used dried
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup peanuts, chopped plus extra for garnish Be sure to use unsalted peanuts or the dish will be overly salty
- a teaspoon of dried flat leaf parsley or a couple teaspoons of fresh flat leaf parsley
- Hot cooked rice or noodles to serve Be sure to use rice or gluten free noodles if you need the dish to be gluten free.
Instructions
- Make sure all your vegetables are chopped and prepared.
- Cook the cauliflower florets in boiling, salted water for three minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
- Mix the soy sauce or Tamari, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, the lime zest and juice, pepper, chili and ginger in a bowl or jar. Whisk or shake together well.
- Add the cornstarch to the sauce ingredients and whisk or shake again. Set aside.
- Cook your rice or noodles according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large saucepan or wok.
- When the oil is hot, add the chopped red onion and sauté for a minute or two.
- Now add the cauliflower and stir fry for two to three minutes.
- If the pan needs it, stir in a bit more sesame oil.
- Add the red pepper and zucchini and stir fry until tender crisp.
- Whisk or shake the sauce again and add it to the vegetables in the frying pan or wok.
- Stir the vegetables to coat with the sauce, and let the sauce thicken over the heat.
- If the sauce seems to thick gradually add a bit of hot water, a spoonful or so at a time. (Remember you can always add more water, you can’t take it away!)
- Stir in half the chopped peanuts.
- When the sauce has thickened and heated through, serve the Kung Pao Cauliflower over the cooked rice or noodles.
- Garnish the Kung Pao Cauliflower with the parsley and the remaining chopped peanuts.
did you make this recipe?
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More Make Your Own Take Out Recipes
Vegetable and Cashew Stir Fry with Vegan and Gluten Free Options
Vegan Pad Thai with a Gluten Free Option
Healthier Sweet and Sour Chicken
Honey and Garlic Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Comments & Reviews
April,
I don’t think I’ve ever tasted Kung Pao but this vegan dish looks absolutely delicious. Like you, I am always looking for healthy meat-free dishes. I’m looking forward to trying it.
Thank you so much, Judee! Please do let me know what you think when you try the recipe. I used to have to be persuaded to add cauliflower to our menus, but I now make this recipe all the time 🙂
Whenever I buy cauliflower, I’m always amazed by how far it goes in terms of portions. Like you, I don’t love it when simply steamed, but I’ve tasted other versions (like roasted) which are delicious. The sauce you’ve showed us here looks like it will “lift” it perfectly, too. Thanks for the unsalted peanut tip – that’s the kind of slip up I would make!
Thank you, Pauline!
Lovely recipe April. Most vegans don’t consider honey a vegan product since it is made by bees. I’d use stevia leaf or maple syrup instead. Colorful and looks delicious.
Hi Nancy, Thank you! And thank you also for reminding me about honey. When I was developing and testing the recipe, I made it with both honey and maple syrup, thinking “yay, maple syrup makes it vegan”. However I use handwritten notes, and there’s often a gap of several weeks between when I batch test and photograph recipes and when I write the blog posts. In this case when I typed up the recipe I mistakenly used an older version of my notes, and then clearly didn’t proof read carefully enough. I really appreciate you having my back! I’ve updated the recipe now. I hadn’t thought about using stevia as I have only used the powder so far – but liquid stevia would definitely work beautifully as well. You probably would only need about a teaspoon and a half though. Thank you so much again, my friend! 🙂
Beautiful looking recipe April for cauliflower kung pao. I’m going to try it next time I have an urge for that kind of dish. I’ll use cashews instead of peanuts though. Prefer them.
Thank you so much, Nancy! And I love cashews as well 🙂 In fact, a veggie stir fry with cashews thrown in is one of our favourites!