Healthy Recipes Ingredients Healthy Vegetable Recipes Healthy Cauliflower Recipes General Tso’s Cauliflower 4.5 (2) 1 Review This plant-based version of General Tso’s chicken is the perfect weeknight meal, swapping chicken for cauliflower with a boost of vibrant green color and gut-healthy fiber coming from edamame. Serve it over brown rice or whole-wheat noodles to sop up any leftover sauce. By Hilary Meyer Hilary Meyer Hilary Meyer is a freelance recipe developer, tester and content creator. After graduating from culinary school, she started working as a freelancer in the EatingWell Test Kitchen in 2006, developing and testing recipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 7, 2024 Tested by Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> EatingWell Test Kitchen Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen The EatingWell Test Kitchen is comprised of a group of culinary professionals who develop and test our recipes. Our recipes go through a rigorous process, which includes testing by trained recipe testers, using different equipment (e.g., gas and electric stoves) and a variety of tools and techniques to make sure that it will really work when you make it at home. Testers shop major supermarkets to research availability of ingredients. Finally, a Registered Dietitian reviews each recipe to ensure that we deliver food that's not only delicious, but adheres to our nutrition guidelines as well. Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Dairy-Free Heart-Healthy Vegan Vegetarian Egg-Free Mediterranean Diet Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe This General Tso’s Cauliflower swaps out chicken in favor of fiber-packed cauliflower for a plant-based dinner everyone can enjoy. This stovetop dinner is done in just 30 minutes, plus we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve to keep this perennial favorite healthy. We’ve added a few extra veggies and kept the bold flavorful sauce close to the original while keeping the sodium in check. Ready to add this easy recipe to your weeknight repertoire? Read on for our best tips and tricks for getting this delicious meal on your table in no time. Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! We cook the cauliflower on the stovetop for a short time, so it’s important that the florets are roughly the same size and are small enough to cook in 4 to 6 minutes.The cornstarch will settle as the sauce sits, so be sure to whisk the sauce before you add it to the pan. The sauce will thicken quickly once it’s added to the pan. You should remove it from the heat once it has thickened and is coating the cauliflower. Overcooking the sauce will lead to clumping and burning. Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek Nutrition Notes Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that contains compounds like sulforaphane and glucosinolates, which may help prevent cancer. Cauliflower can also help keep your heart healthy thanks to plenty of fiber that has been shown to help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. We keep sodium in check by using reduced-sodium soy sauce. Depending on the brand, reduced-sodium soy sauce can have up to 50% less sodium than regular soy sauce. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure. Using reduced-sodium alternatives is just one of many ways you can cut sodium from your diet. Edamame is a great source of plant-based protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals that may help to reduce your risk for several health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis and high cholesterol. Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients ½ cup water 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 tablespoons canola oil 4 cups small cauliflower florets 2 scallions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional) Directions Combine ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons hoisin and 1 tablespoon each soy sauce (or tamari), Shaoxing (or sherry), rice vinegar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 cups cauliflower; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add scallions and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add 1 cup edamame; cook, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the reserved sauce and add it to the pan; cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and coating the cauliflower, about 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with a pinch of crushed red pepper, if desired. Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek Frequently Asked Questions Is General Tso’s Cauliflower healthy? Yes! This recipe packs in plenty of fiber, plant-based protein, vitamins and minerals while keeping sodium to a minimum. Is General Tso’s Cauliflower gluten-free? It can be! To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari in place of the soy sauce. We recommend reduced-sodium tamari to keep sodium in check. Is Shaoxing rice wine the same as rice vinegar? While they are both made from rice, they are not the same. Shaoxing, or Chinese rice wine, is commonly used in cooking. It is sweeter and smoother than rice vinegar, which is rice wine that has been fermented further to give it its tangy taste. If you don’t have Shaoxing, use dry sherry in its place. EatingWell.com, September 2024 Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 174 Calories 12g Fat 13g Carbs 5g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Serving Size 1 cup Calories 174 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 13g 5% Dietary Fiber 3g 12% Total Sugars 4g Protein 5g 9% Total Fat 12g 15% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Vitamin A 18µg Vitamin C 33mg 37% Vitamin D 0µg Vitamin E 2mg 15% Folate 114µg Vitamin K 84µg Sodium 283mg 12% Calcium 59mg 5% Iron 1mg 8% Magnesium 34mg 8% Potassium 364mg 8% Zinc 1mg 6% Vitamin B12 0µg Omega 3 1g Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.