Air Fryer General Tsos Cauliflower (Print)

Crispy cauliflower tossed in a tangy, sweet, and spicy Tsos-style sauce using an air fryer.

# Ingredients:

→ 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

# Instructions:

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 on all sides.
04 - Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil. Arrange battered cauliflower in a single layer. Air fry for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking basket 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, minced garlic, grated 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 sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • The cauliflower gets impossibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, no deep fryer required.
  • That tangy-sweet-spicy sauce tastes like the real deal but comes together in your own kitchen in under five minutes.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes vegetable-skeptical friends ask for seconds, which never stops being satisfying.
02 -
  • Cold water in your batter is crucial—warm water can activate the baking powder too early, and your batter won't have those little crispy air pockets everyone expects.
  • Don't skip shaking the basket halfway through cooking; cauliflower pieces that sit still in one spot will brown unevenly and some will stay pale.
  • Make your sauce before the cauliflower finishes cooking so you can toss everything while it's hot and the florets are still crispy enough to hold texture.
03 -
  • Pat your cauliflower florets dry with a paper towel before battering—excess moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
  • If the sauce seems too thick after cooking, thin it with a splash of water; if it's too thin, mix a bit more cornstarch with cold water and stir it in quickly.
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