Description
This easy to make, irresistible Vegan Korean BBQ Cauliflower checks off ALL the must haves of tender and crisp texture, sweet and tangy flavors, and *get in my belly* deliciousness. It is packed with nourishing healthy goodness. Serve this tasty cauliflower with your favorite rice for a wholesome and satisfying meal. We must warn you to plan on getting requests to add this dish into your regular weekly rotation of delicious foods, it’s totally that good. Whole Food Plant Based, vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, gluten free, no highly processed ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 medium or large cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 7–8 cups)
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 green onions, sliced thinly
- 3 cups baby spinach (optional)
Sauce Ingredients:
- ¼ cup up to 1/3 cup tamari *
- 1 Tablespoon white miso *
- 3 Tablespoons organic maple syrup *
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon organic cornstarch (+ more, if needed) *
- pinch black pepper
Optional toppings:
- Green onions, sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place the Sauce Ingredients into a small bowl, whisk well, then set aside.
- In a large ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven/pot or similarly large stockpot, add the cauliflower florets and 1/3 cup water. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for approx. 4 minutes or just until all the water has evaporated. Then add the mixture above in Step 1. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and evenly coats all the cauliflower.
- Cook the cauliflower, stirring constantly until the cauliflower has reached your preference of tenderness. We cooked our approx. 3 to 4 minutes. Then stir in the green onions and baby spinach (optional) cook for another minute.
- Serve immediately with rice of choice, and top with your favorite toppers like additional toasted sesame seeds and/or chopped green onions.
Notes
*Miso: We used Miso Master Organic Mellow White Premium Lite Miso, Certified Gluten Free. Miso really lends itself to balancing flavors when you don’t use oil. You can also substitute with chickpea miso for a soy free version.
*Cornstarch Slurry: Some cauliflowers have more moisture content than others. When you cook them, they release water. That is why we are “steaming” the cauliflower florets at the beginning of the recipe to have them release as much water as possible. If you find that your cauliflower has a lot of water OR if you prefer your cauliflower more tender, which means you will be cooking it longer, thus it will then release more water into the sauce. This could impact the “stickiness” of the bbq glaze. If you find that the glaze is not sticky enough, make a cornstarch slurry by placing 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water into a small bowl, whisking well to remove any lumps, then push the cauliflower over to the side of the pan and whisk in some of the cornstarch slurry a teaspoon or so at a time. Increase the heat so the mixture will thicken accordingly and stick better to the cauliflower.
*Maple Syrup: If you are using a light organic maple syrup vs a dark organic maple syrup, you may need to add an extra teaspoon or so. You can test for this simply by tasting the flavors toward the end of the cooking time. If the bbq needs more sweetness, simply add in another teaspoon or so.
*Tamari: We love the flavor of tamari. If your diet allows, use 1/3 cup of Tamari. If unsure on how much tamari to use, start with 1/4 cup, then taste test toward the end of the cooking time. You can easily splash more in at the end to enhance the flavor if needed. We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.
*Servings: Makes 3 – 4 servings.
*Storage: Refrigerate and use within one week.