Air Fryer General Tsos Cauliflower (Printable View)

Crispy cauliflower coated in a tangy and spicy General Tsos sauce, cooked to perfection using an air fryer.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Add cold water and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
03 - Toss cauliflower florets in the batter until well coated.
04 - Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil. Arrange battered cauliflower in a single layer. Air fry for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and crisp. Cook in batches if needed.
05 - While cauliflower cooks, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry.
06 - In a saucepan over medium heat, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
07 - Stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
08 - Toss hot cauliflower in the sauce until evenly coated.
09 - Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The air fryer does all the heavy lifting—no deep frying mess, just pure crispy indulgence with way less oil.
  • That tangy-sweet-spicy sauce tastes like it took hours but comes together in about five minutes.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that converts even the vegetable skeptics at your table.
02 -
  • Don't skip shaking the basket halfway through—I learned this the hard way with a batch that cooked unevenly, some florets pale while others burned dark.
  • The cornstarch slurry is everything; if you dump dry cornstarch into the hot sauce, you'll get lumps that no amount of stirring can fix.
  • Toasted sesame oil must go in at the end, off the heat, or you'll cook away its delicate nutty flavor and defeat the entire purpose.
03 -
  • Make the sauce while the cauliflower cooks so everything comes together hot—cold sauce on hot vegetables is a missed opportunity.
  • If you accidentally make the sauce too thin, whisk together more cornstarch and water and add it slowly while stirring; if it's too thick, thin it with a touch of water or soy sauce.
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