I was inspired to make Korean BBQ Cauliflower after tasting it as an appetizer at a local restaurant. So flavorful! Lightly battered and fried cauliflower gets coated with a sweet and salty sauce to make a tasty appetizer for any gathering.
I often find inspiration when going out to eat and trying a dish for the very first time. And that’s exactly how this recipe came about. While dining with friends before the holidays, we went to a new place for dinner. We usually ask the server for some of their recommendations on what to order.
They brought a warm platter of Korean BBQ Cauliflower to the table and it was delicious! Savory, salty and sweet, with just a bit of spicy heat. It was truly a great start to a wonderful meal with friends.
After some experimenting with ingredients, I got the flavors just right. The batter for this recipe is light and doesn’t overpower the cauliflower, but gives it a bit of crunch and some amazing texture.
If you like Asian food, you may have most of the ingredients needed to make the sauce. Soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, gochujang and rice wine vinegar are used to make the rich sauce that gets brushed over the cauliflower before serving.
More of the Best Cauliflower Recipes:
Cauliflower is abundant in the winter and can be used in many recipes, like the ones found below.
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- Creamy Cauliflower and Peas
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Cauliflower can be found in most grocery stores in late fall through early spring and can be used in so many delicious seasonal recipes for your family.
Ingredients for Korean BBQ Cauliflower
What’s needed:
- CAULIFLOWER– Pick a medium head of cauliflower that is fresh and firm. It should be bright white in color with no visible blemishes. Wash the cauliflower and cut the florets into 1 inch pieces.
- BATTER– All-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder and garlic salt are combined to form the base for the batter. Add beer or soda water to make a wet batter that will coat the cauliflower before frying.
- BBQ SAUCE– Soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, gochujang and rice vinegar get stirred together to make the sauce. Brush it liberally over the fried cauliflower.
- GARNISH– Use thinly sliced green onions and white sesame seed to garnish the dish before serving, if desired.
What is gochujang?
Gochujang is a thick red Korean chili paste that can be used to make a variety of sauces. It is made with a mix of fermented ingredients, including soybeans, rice and chili. When added to dishes, it gives a distinct umami flavor with some sweetness and some spicy heat. It adds great flavor to Korean BBQ Cauliflower.
Tips for making Korean BBQ Cauliflower:
SAUCES– If you don’t want the expense of purchasing sauce ingredients, simply use Hoisin sauce (Chinese condiment) in place of making your own Korean BBQ sauce. Add a splash of siracha to it and you’ll have a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce with fewer ingredients and a similar taste. Teriyaki sauce (Japanese) can also be a tasty substitution if you are looking to use a sauce that you may already have on hand.
SEASONINGS– Use garlic salt in the batter and add another pinch of it to the cauliflower after frying. Cauliflower doesn’t have much flavor on its own, so layers of seasoning is important for the best flavor.
BATTER– Mix the batter ingredients until there are no lumps and it is the consistency of pancake batter. After coating the cauliflower, be sure to allow excess batter to drip off before adding it to the hot oil in the pan. Adding one piece at a time to the pan will prevent the florets from sticking together.
How to make Korean BBQ Cauliflower
Step-by-Step Instruction:
- Wash and cut cauliflower into one-inch pieces. Set it aside. Add 2 inches of neutral oil (canola or vegetable) to the bottom of a Dutch oven over medium heat. Oil temperature should read between 350 and 375 degrees.)
- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients for batter. Add the soda water (or beer) and mix until smooth. Add 15 pieces of cauliflower to the batter and stir to coat.
- Test the oil by gently dropping a small piece of cauliflower into the pan. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. One at a time, add about 15 florets of cauliflower coated in batter to the pan. Be sure to allow excess batter to drip off before dropping them in the pan. Cook cauliflower for 5-6 minutes, turning as needed.
- Once slightly golden, remove the cauliflower from the hot oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with an extra pinch of garlic salt. Repeat this process until all pieces have been fried.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add a tablespoon of water as needed to thin the sauce. Use a brush to coat cauliflower with the sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and white sesame seeds, if desired. Serve while warm. Recipe makes 6 servings.
Whether you’re serving this Korean BBQ Cauliflower as a side dish to Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables or Sheet Pan Soy-Ginger Salmon with Veggies or as an appetizer for any delicious meal, you’ll find that it is the star of the meal.
More of the Best Appetizer Recipes
- Margherita Pizza Cups
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Bacon and Onion Stuffed Mushrooms
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Shrimp Dip
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Korean BBQ Cauliflower
Ingredients
- neutral oil for frying, canola or vegetable
- 1 head cauliflower, cut in 1 inch pieces
For the Batter:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/4 cup soda water, or beer (I often used lime flavored soda water.)
For the Sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- water, as needed to thin the sauce
For Garnish:
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wash and cut cauliflower into one-inch pieces. Set it aside. Add 2 inches of neutral oil (canola or vegetable) to the bottom of a Dutch oven over medium heat. Oil temperature should read between 350 and 375 degrees.)
- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients for batter. Add the soda water (or beer) and mix until smooth. Add 15 pieces of cauliflower to the batter and stir to coat.
- Test the oil by gently dropping a small piece of cauliflower into the pan. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. One at a time, add about 15 florets of cauliflower coated in batter to the pan. Be sure to allow excess batter to drip off before dropping them in the pan. Cook cauliflower for 5-6 minutes, turning as needed.
- Once slightly golden, remove the cauliflower from the hot oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with an extra pinch of garlic salt. Repeat this process until all pieces have been fried.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add a tablespoon of water as needed to thin the sauce. Use a brush to coat cauliflower with the sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and white sesame seeds, if desired. Serve while warm. Recipe makes 6 servings.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven, or large saucepan
- 1 large slotted spoon, to remove cauliflower from oil
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 large bowl
