Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This sesame cauliflower is a vegetarian take on one of the most popular recipes on my website – sesame chicken. I find cauliflower makes a great replacement due to the tender texture when stir-fried.
Ingredients
600 g (1.3lb) cauliflower florets (this is approx. 1 extra-large cauliflower)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
½ tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry
To serve
2 teaspoons mixed black and white sesame seeds
2 spring onions scallions, sliced
Boiled or fried rice
Instructions
✅Break the cauliflower florets into bitesize pieces
✅Heat the sesame oil in a wok over a medium heat.
✅When hot, add the cauliflower, salt and pepper. Stir fry for 5 minutes, until the cauliflower starts to become tender and is starting to brown at the edges.
✅Add the stock and turn up the heat to high, continue to cook cauliflower in the bubbling stock, tossing it together regularly, for 3 minutes.
✅Add the garlic, white wine vinegar, honey, sweet chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, light brown sugar and soy sauce and stir together.
✅Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to medium, and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes
✅Move the cauliflower over to once side of the wok and stir in the cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce. Cook for 1 further minute, then turn off the heat.
✅Serve the sesame cauliflower with rice, topped with sesame seeds and spring onions.
This sesame cauliflower is a vegetarian take on one of the most popular recipes on my website – sesame chicken. I find cauliflower makes a great replacement due to the tender texture when stir-fried.
Ingredients
600 g (1.3lb) cauliflower florets (this is approx. 1 extra-large cauliflower)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
½ tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry
To serve
2 teaspoons mixed black and white sesame seeds
2 spring onions scallions, sliced
Boiled or fried rice
Instructions
✅Break the cauliflower florets into bitesize pieces
✅Heat the sesame oil in a wok over a medium heat.
✅When hot, add the cauliflower, salt and pepper. Stir fry for 5 minutes, until the cauliflower starts to become tender and is starting to brown at the edges.
✅Add the stock and turn up the heat to high, continue to cook cauliflower in the bubbling stock, tossing it together regularly, for 3 minutes.
✅Add the garlic, white wine vinegar, honey, sweet chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, light brown sugar and soy sauce and stir together.
✅Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to medium, and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes
✅Move the cauliflower over to once side of the wok and stir in the cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce. Cook for 1 further minute, then turn off the heat.
✅Serve the sesame cauliflower with rice, topped with sesame seeds and spring onions.
