Teriyaki Cauliflower Power Bowls

Name: Teriyaki Cauliflower Power Bowls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets; 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1/2 cup water; 1 Tbsp. cornstarch; 1/4 cup lower-sodium tamari or soy sauce; 2 Tbsp. brown sugar; 1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic; 2 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce; 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar; 2 cups cooked farro, rice, or quinoa; 1 cup frozen and thawed shelled edamame; 2 cups shredded red cabbage; 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion; Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, avocado

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Teriyaki Cauliflower Power Bowls are a vegan flavor-packed meal. Rich in protein and fiber, and perfect for make-ahead lunches.

Teriyaki cauliflower bowls styled in two teal bowls with avocado wedges and green onion on top.

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Why You'll Love These Teriyaki Cauliflower Bowls:
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions and Additions:
The Directions
Recipe FAQs
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips:
More Reader-Favorite Cauliflower Recipes:
Teriyaki Cauliflower Power Bowls

Why You'll Love These Teriyaki Cauliflower Bowls:

Today, we're gussying up my favorite vegetable to a create a satisfying, plant-powered meal.

Much like my Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls, this recipe checks every nutrient box (healthy fats, protein, whole-grains, and fiber) to create a healthy weekday lunch or dinner.

Additionally, they're fully-loaded with flavor (a sweet-salty-umami haven), and every bit as crave-worthy as your go-to takeout order.

If you've never made homemade teriyaki sauce before, it is ridiculously easy to make. Plus, it comes together in under 10 minutes.

And once you make a batch, you can bottle it up and keep it in the fridge for weeks.

If you love recipes that feature cauliflower as the star ingredient, try my Turmeric-Roasted Cauliflower Bowls or BBQ Cauliflower Tacos next.

Recipe Ingredients

Cauliflower: You need one medium head of cauliflower, which should amount to 7 to 8 cups of florets. Cauliflower is a great low-calorie, goes-with-everything veggie.
Tamari or Soy Sauce: If making the sauce gluten free, use tamari.
Corn Starch: Corn starch helps thicken the teriyaki sauce. Alternatively, you can use arrowroot starch.
Brown Sugar: A little sweetness helps balance the savoriness of the sauce. Alternatively, you can use honey or coconut sugar.
Garlic: Fresh is best here.
Hoisin: Hoisin sauce is a thick, super flavorful sauce commonly used as a glaze for meats, a dipping sauce, or a stir fry pan sauce in Chinese cooking.
Rice Vinegar: Most teriyaki sauces are made with a mix of sake and mirin - both varieties of rice wine. However, to keep this recipe more aligned with what may already be in your pantry, it calls for rice vinegar instead.
Grains: I love using farro for its nutty chewiness, however you can also use rice or quinoa.
Edamame: To punch up the protein while keeping the bowls vegan. (I love using edamame in these Scallion Noodles, too!)
Garnishes: I love garnishing the bowls with something fresh and crunchy. For example, shredded cabbage, bok choy, romaine, kale, or broccoli slaw.

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.

Substitutions and Additions:

Make Gluten Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce, and either rice or quinoa as your grain.
Add Pineapple: Chunks of pineapple are a delicious addition to these bowls!
Make Low Carb: Serve with bowls with quinoa instead of farro, which is lower in carbs and higher in protein.
Add Garnishes: Such as sliced green onion, avocado, and/or toasted sesame seeds for extra richness.

The Directions

Step 1: Prepare cauliflower by tossing florets in olive oil and salt, and arranging on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing once after the first 20.

Cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet.

Step 2: Prepare teriyaki sauce by heating soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, Hoisin, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, and then a cornstarch slurry and bring sauce to a boil.

Reduce to medium-low and simmer until sauce is viscous and thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Brush cauliflower with teriyaki sauce, and roast for another 10 minutes.

Teriyaki sauce being simmered in a pot and poured into a bowl.

Step 4: Assemble bowls by dividing your grain of choice into four bowls. Top with cauliflower and garnishes of choice, and finish with an extra drizzle of sauce.

Recipe FAQs

How do I Roast Cauliflower in the Oven?

To achieve florets that are crisp on the outside and buttery on the inside, it's all about high heat. I've found 425°F to be the magic number for florets that are rich and nutty in flavor with a meaty texture.

Its also important to make the cauliflower has plenty of breathing room on the baking pan. If the florets are too crowded, they will steam as opposed to brown.

How to Thicken Teriyaki Sauce:

When cooking teriyaki sauce, you have to reduce it more than think; the goal is to remove water from the mixture and therefore, concentrate the sweet, salty, umami flavors. You also need to use a thickener, such as cornstarch or arrowroot starch.

You want the sauce is be almost syrupy with a viscosity somewhere between agave nectar and molasses. At that point, pull it from the heat to avoid the sugars burning.

Is Teriyaki Sauce Healthy?

Bottled teriyaki sauces tend to be high in sugar and sodium. That's why making homemade teriyaki sauce is preferred, as you have total control over the ingredients.

What Flavor is Teriyaki Sauce?

Teriyaki sauce is sweet and tangy with a strong dose of umami. Some compare the flavor profile to that of sweet-and-sour sauce.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips:

Make-Ahead: The teriyaki sauce can be prepared up to 5 days ahead and stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator. (You can also double the batch to use for this Teriyaki Tofu recipe!)
Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container (without garnishes) for up to 4 days. Store garnishes separately so they maintain their freshness.
Reheat: Microwave leftover grains and teriyaki cauliflower until warm, or reheat in a skillet over medium heat. Add garnishes after the grains and cauliflower are warm.