Air Fryer General Tsos Cauliflower (Print View)

Crispy cauliflower florets coated in flavorful sweet and spicy General Tsos sauce, air fried to perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cauliflower

01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

→ Batter

02 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/3 cup cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
08 - 3/4 cup cold water

→ Sauce

09 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
10 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
11 - 1/3 cup sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
14 - 1/2 cup water
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
17 - 1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
18 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

→ Garnishes

19 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
20 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Set air fryer to 400°F and allow to preheat for 3 minutes.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Gradually add cold water while whisking until a smooth batter forms with no lumps.
03 - Toss cauliflower florets in the batter until completely and evenly coated on all sides.
04 - Lightly spray air fryer basket with cooking oil. Arrange battered cauliflower in a single layer without crowding. Air fry at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking, until golden and crispy. Cook in batches if necessary.
05 - While cauliflower cooks, combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth to create a thickening slurry.
06 - In a saucepan over medium heat, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, ginger, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
07 - Stir the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce. Cook while stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce reaches desired thickness. Remove from heat immediately.
08 - Transfer hot crispy cauliflower to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
09 - Transfer sauced cauliflower to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cauliflower gets impossibly crispy in the air fryer without any of the oil mess or heaviness of traditional frying.
  • That General Tso sauce is tangy, sweet, and spicy all at once—it's the kind of flavor that makes you reach for another bite before you've finished chewing.
  • Twenty minutes from raw vegetable to plated dish, making this perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels fancy but comes together fast.
02 -
  • Don't skip shaking the basket halfway through air frying—I learned this the hard way when one batch came out with one side golden and the other pale and soft.
  • The cornstarch slurry must be smooth and cold before it hits the hot sauce, or you'll get little cooked specks of cornstarch throughout your sauce instead of silky thickening.
03 -
  • Pat the cauliflower completely dry after cutting it—any moisture on the surface will create steam and soften your crispy coating instead of letting it crackle.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for just two minutes before garnishing, and the aroma will remind you why restaurant food tastes the way it does.
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