Enjoy the bold flavours of this sweet and spicy kung pao cauliflower recipe! This easy dish is ready in under 30 minutes so it’s perfect any night of the week.

You can also try this Easy Vegan Kung Pao Tofu for a similar recipe with more protein!

Recipe Highlights

• dietary: vegan, can be gluten-free (use tamari instead of soy sauce)
• addictive, sticky, sweet and sour sauce
• easy to make in less than 30 minutes
• satisfying and comforting served with warm rice and topped with scallions and peanuts

What is kung pao?

Kung pao is a Chinese dish made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables and chili peppers. It has an intense sweet and sour flavour with some heat from sichuan peppers.

This recipe is inspired by Westernized kung pao and is definitely not authentic in any way.

For more Asian-inspired recipes, you might like this Thai basil eggplant, eggplant stir fry, orange tofu or sweet and sour tofu.

Ingredient Notes

• cauliflower – you’ll need two small to medium sized heads
• bell peppers – the recipe calls for red bell peppers but you could use another color in a pinch
• sesame oil – key for flavor, don’t skip it!
• serrano chili – can be substituted with sichuan pepper or if you can’t find either, jalapeno will work
• low-sodium soy sauce – it’s important ot use a low-sodium variety otherwise the sauce will be too salty, for a gluten-free recipe, use low-sodium tamari
• maple syrup – agave syrup or honey (not vegan) also work here
• rice wine vinegar – seasoned or unseasoned both work, I used unseasoned

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before you Start: To get prepped for the recipe, chop the cauliflower, peppers, garlic, ginger and Serrano pepper and get the all of the sauce ingredients ready to go.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Arrange the cauliflower and bell pepper in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for about 15 minutes until browned and tender.

Step 2. Make the Sauce

1. Start by heating the sesame oil in a skillet then sautéing the ginger, Serrano pepper for 2-3 minutes.
2. Mix the maple syrup, soy sauce and 2 vinegars together in a bowl and add to the pan.
3. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat and cook for a couple of minutes to slightly reduce.
4. Mix the water and cornstarch together until smooth then pour into the an, reduce heat and stir to thicken, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 3. Finally add the roasted veggies to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat.

Can I use different vegetables? Sure! Try it with broccoli instead instead of cauliflower to switch things up! The sauce is also perfect for coating crispy tofu, tempeh, seitan, plant-based chicken or chickpeas.

Serve over basmati rice, topped with scallions and roasted peanuts or cashews.

Cauliflower Batter Variation

I kept this recipe very simple and did not batter the cauliflower, however, adding a batter really takes it up a notch and it only requires a simple extra step and 2 extra ingredients.

If you’d like to try it battered, use the recipe from my buffalo cauliflower wraps (just the batter part, not the buffalo sauce!). You’ll need:

• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (plus more as needed to adjust consistency)
• pinch of salt and pepper

Everything else in the recipe stays the same.

Storing

• Store on its own or with rice.
• Let cool then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated to your preference.
• This recipe is not ideal for freezing.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.

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