Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower + Quinoa Recipe

Bowl of Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower with Quinoa

5 from 8 votes

Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower + Quinoa Recipe

This Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower + Quinoa recipe is a deliciously healthy option for the entire family. At first glance, these beauties truly remind you of classic orange chicken (and trust me, they taste just as good, if not better!), however, they aren’t! Just know that your taste buds won’t be able to tell the difference either! Super easy to make and whipped together in under 45 minutes. Entirely Gluten-Free. Vegan option.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Keyword: cauliflower, classic, crisp, dairy-free, dinner, easy, food, healthy, healthy bowl, homemade, orange, plant-based, quinoa, recipe, savory, sweet, vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 839kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

ORANGE CAULIFLOWER BITES:

1 Crispy Baked Orange Cauliflower Bites

QUINOA:

1 cup quinoa, original or multi-color
2 cups organic vegetable stock
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of sea salt

GARNISH:

Sesame seeds
Chopped green onions (a.k.a. scallions)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CAULIFLOWER BITES:

See my Crispy Baked Orange Cauliflower Bites for instructions.

TO COOK THE QUINOA:

Begin by adding the veggie stock and salt to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Add in the quinoa, whisking continuously while boiling for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes, whisking every 3-4 minutes until fully cooked through, and water has dried, and the quinoa has thickened and appear "fluffy". Stir in the garlic powder, dried oregano, parsley, and smoked paprika. Remove from heat.

TO SERVE/ASSEMBLE:

To serve, spoon the cooked quinoa is a bowl or plate and top with orange cauliflower bites. Garnish with green onions or parsley.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Best if consumed within the same day. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in oven when ready to serve.
HOMEMADE GF BREADCRUMBS: To make your own breadcrumbs, simply grind 1-2 cups of cubed GF bread into a food processor until finely chopped. Place crumbs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 5-6 minutes in the oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring occasionally. Once brown + crisp, remove from oven and let cool. Continue recipe steps and store remaining breadcrumbs in a tightly sealed container.
SWEETENER: Instead of brown sugar, you can always use maple syrup or agave as a sweetener.
GINGER: If you do not have actual ginger root, you can substitute for ¼ teaspoon ground ginger instead.
EXTRA ORANGE FLAVOR: For a bolder flavor, you can add orange peels to sauce when bringing everything to a boil. Keep it in the sauce and remove them after tossing in cauliflower bites.
VEGAN OPTION: To ensure that this recipe is fully vegan, substitute honey with pure maple syrup or Agave as well as butter with vegan butter.

Nutrition