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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Snack Recipes

    Vegetarian Firecracker Cauliflower

    Published: Jun 15, 2020 · by Nicole · Updated: Feb 15, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Firecracker Cauliflower

    Our vegetarian spin on firecracker take-out features crunchy baked cauliflower in place of shrimp. You will love this Firecracker Cauliflower recipe!

    Homemade Take-Out

    I am a huge fan of recreating take-out type dishes at home. With complete control over the ingredients, you can create something much healthier—and something that just downright tastes better as well.

    Plus, it can be fun. You can take popular dishes and turn them into meatless meals that you can’t always get on the menu. Like this Firecracker Cauliflower. Traditionally made with chicken or shrimp, this dish is usually pan-fried or deep-fried and then coated in a sweet chili sauce.

    Frying vs Baking

    Since I’m not the biggest fan of frying (particularly deep frying—all that oil just scares me!), I decided to go the baking route instead. Easier, healthier and no bubbling oil, which is a huge bonus in my book. By using a wire cooling rack set onto a baking sheet, you can keep the bottom of whatever you're baking from getting mushy—just make sure it's an oven-safe rack!

    Firecracker Cauliflower Before Baking
    I find cauliflower to be a nice and meaty veggie and it works perfectly in this dish to replace the chicken or shrimp. The florets are coated lightly in a breadcrumb mixture and then baked until just tender and slightly crispy around the edges. Meanwhile, you’ll quickly whisk together a sweet and spicy homemade chili sauce that rivals anything from the store. (And by making it yourself, you can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or less sriracha!)

    Serve the cauliflower over a bed of rice, sprinkle with some green onions and then drizzle with the finger-licking good sauce. I found that drizzling the sauce instead of coating the cauliflower with it helps keep the florets nice and crispy.

    And go ahead and keep a small bowl of the sauce on the table for extra dunking. Trust me on that one.

    Firecracker Cauliflower

    Vegetarian Firecracker Cauliflower

    This vegetarian spin on firecracker take-out features crunchy baked cauliflower in place of chicken or shrimp. Serve over rice and drizzle with a sweet and spicy homemade chili sauce for a dish that rivals any restaurant.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: baked cauliflower, Firecracker Cauliflower, Vegetarian Cauliflower recipe, Vegetarian Firecracker Cauliflower
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 341kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    For the cauliflower:

    • 2 large eggs
    • 3 tbsp milk
    • ½ cup whole wheat flour
    • 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    • ¼ tsp sweet paprika
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 large head cauliflower about 2 ½ pounds, cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch pieces

    For the sauce:

    • ½ cup honey
    • 3 tbsp sriracha sauce
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 2 ¼ tsp rice vinegar
    • salt to taste

    For serving:

    • cooked rice
    • green onions thinly sliced
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and then set an oven-safe metal cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Spray the rack with an oil mister or cooking spray and set aside.

    Make the cauliflower:

    • Lightly beat the eggs and milk in a small bowl until combined.
    • In a shallow dish, add the flour, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Mix to combine.
    • Working with a few pieces at a time, dip the cauliflower into the egg mixture, shake off the excess, then place in the breadcrumb mixture, tossing to coat.
    • Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer (you can put them close together). Once all the cauliflower is coated, spray it lightly with oil.
    • Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the coating is crispy and golden brown, and the cauliflower is tender but not mushy.

    Make the sauce:

    • While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, sriracha, garlic, vinegar, and salt. Taste and add additional sriracha for more heat, if desired.
    • Divide the rice into bowls and top with with cauliflower. Drizzle the sauce over the cauliflower, and garnish with green onions. Serve with additional sauce on the side for dipping.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 11gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 629mgPotassium: 576mgFiber: 7gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 216IUVitamin C: 82mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 4mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Vegan Caprese Sandwiches with Garlic Cashew Cheese
    Vegan Lentil Burgers »

    Snack Recipes, Vegetarian Appetizers, Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetarian Side Dishes cauliflower, main dishes, Make it Meatless Series, rice, sriracha

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa says

      June 13, 2014 at 10:59 am

      I just got a box of Mary's Gone Crackers bread crumbs and I've been looking for recipes to use them in! This is perfect 🙂

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        June 14, 2014 at 8:10 am

        Enjoy! And have a great weekend : )

        Reply
    2. Jeni says

      June 13, 2014 at 7:07 pm

      Such an easy and tasty treat! My picky toddler and the while family really loved it! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        June 14, 2014 at 8:11 am

        So happy to hear it Jeni! Have a wonderful weekend!

        Reply
    3. John Henry Donovan says

      June 16, 2014 at 7:43 am

      There was a cauliflower staring back at me every time I opened the fridge for the last week. It met it's demise last night which was a delicious success.

      I substituted the Garlic Powder for Celery Salt which seemed to work nicely and also the sriracha sauce for some Thai Hot Chilli Sauce which I think is basically the same thing.

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        June 16, 2014 at 12:16 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it! And that you used up that cauliflower!

        Reply
    4. Joanne says

      June 16, 2014 at 2:56 pm

      Crisp cauliflower outsides smothered in a spicy sweet sauce sounds awesome!! Definitely the kind of thing that I crave when ordering takeout but usually can't eat because it's all meat-based. WIN for making it at home, AND healthier, AND all vegged up!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        June 17, 2014 at 9:38 am

        haha yes exactly! I always get frustrated when there are no good veggie take-out options on menus!

        Reply
    5. Marlin says

      June 17, 2014 at 8:18 am

      Hi,
      What can I use instead of egg? I am vegan but this looks so good!!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        June 17, 2014 at 9:42 am

        Hi Marlin! I think it should still work fine without the egg. My suggestion would be to try using more milk (coconut milk would be my choice!) – about 1/2 cup or so. Dunk into the milk and then press lightly to get the breadcrumb mixture to stick. You could also try using a flax egg but I think it should be good with just more milk.

        Reply
    6. Heather E says

      June 24, 2014 at 7:53 pm

      I made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        June 25, 2014 at 7:47 am

        So happy to hear it Heather!

        Reply
    7. Amanda says

      August 19, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      I have to say I stumbled across this website a few months ago and it has totally changed my life. I love being vegetarian, I love cooking and I have loved every recipe I have made from this website! This recipe takes the cake though. It was so delicious in every way! The only thing I did to enhance the flavor was add sesame oil, sesame seeds and some sliced almonds to the rice, makes a world of a difference to have great rice with great veggies!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        August 21, 2014 at 5:01 pm

        I'm so so happy to hear you loved it Amanda! And that rice sounds delicious!

        Reply
    8. Cathryn says

      October 07, 2014 at 10:08 pm

      Oh my word these were good!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        October 08, 2014 at 8:01 am

        I'm so glad to hear it Cathryn!! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Alysa says

      July 12, 2015 at 7:05 pm

      Made this tonight and its terrific! I used panko instead of the whole wheat bread crumbs, and use Thai red curry paste in the sauce and regular vinegar. Delicious! I also ended up pan frying to avoid heating up the house.

      Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        July 15, 2015 at 9:09 am

        So happy to hear this Alysa! And those changes sound delicious!

        Reply
    10. Nani says

      August 06, 2015 at 9:08 pm

      This was so amazing!! The flavor of the sauce was amazing and you can't even tell it is cauliflower. Tastes like such and indulgence! Thank you for your outstanding recipes!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        August 11, 2015 at 9:16 am

        So happy to hear you enjoyed it Nani! Thanks for letting us know!

        Reply
    11. keri p says

      April 20, 2016 at 1:24 pm

      I am loving so many of these recipes but just wondering nutritional info???

      Reply
      • Ashley Jennings says

        April 26, 2016 at 9:39 am

        Thanks Keri! We don’t calculate calorie or nutritional counts for our posts as they can vary by different brands of ingredients, substitutions, etc. But you can plug it in here to get a general idea: https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php

        Reply
    12. Rochelle Pollens says

      June 16, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      I don't like spicy sauces. What could I substitute instead of the spicy sauce? Thanks

      Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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