Bang Bang Cauliflower

Bang Bang Cauliflower made with crispy, golden cauliflower bites tossed in a creamy, spicy-sweet bang bang sauce is a total flavor explosion! Whether you serve it as an appetizer, snack, or veggie-forward main dish, it’s the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast.

We've all ordered Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Grill or the Cheesecake Factory. It's a popular and delicious appetizer at many restaurants. I was on a mission to recreate the texture and flavor of Bang Bang Shrimp, but ya' know, make it cauliflower. Because nowadays, cauliflower can be whatever we want it to be. If you're looking for a vegetarian alternative, this is it.

For more cauliflower recipes, try this baked stuffed cauliflower and this easy marinated cauliflower salad.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Great Flavor: Bang bang cauliflower is crunchy with a creamy, sweet, and spicy sauce. If you've never had Bang Bang sauce, you've yet to live your best life.
• Versatile: Enjoy it as a vegetarian main dish or as a side dish for meals. It'd be great with baked walleye or eye of round roast beef.
• Healthier Version: The crispy cauliflower is baked in the oven instead of fried making the dish feel lighter and a healthier option for meals.

Ingredients

• Cauliflower: Grab a whole head and break it up into florets or skip a step and buy them already cut up for you!
• Panko Bread Crumbs: These Japanese-style breadcrumbs have a drier and flakier consistency than regular breadcrumbs and absorb less oil, making food super crunchy. Think light and crispy tempura. I suggest buying unseasoned as we'll spice up the marinade and the sauce.
• Mayonnaise: Use a good-quality mayo. We will use it in the marinade and to make the bang bang sauce.
• Egg: The binder necessary to help the breadcrumbs stick to the cauliflower.
• Sriracha: This adds heat to the marinade and to the sauce!
• Sweet Chili Sauce: You can find sweet chili sauce in pretty much any grocery store in the ethnic food aisle. It's not spicy at all and has more of a sweet, garlicky flavor. It adds some sweetness and flavor to the sauce.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.

Variations & Substitutions

• Gluten-free: Swap the breadcrumbs for gluten-free panko and use a cup for cup gluten-free flour blend instead of the regular flour.
• Buttermilk: If you don't want to buy a whole container of buttermilk you can make your own by adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar to the milk and let it sit. You can also use my favorite shortcut, buttermilk powder. You just mix it with water and it's ready to go.
• Vegan: Swap the egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with a ¼ cup of water) and use a vegan mayonnaise in the batter and as the base for the sauce.
• Bang Bang Broccoli: Use the same recipe with broccoli florets instead of cauliflower.

How to Make Bang Bang Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1: Toast the breadcrumbs. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a large skillet with avocado oil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Toast until the crumbs look golden brown.

Step 2: Make the batter. Beat the egg with a whisk. Add the flour, mayonnaise, Sriracha, salt, garlic powder, and buttermilk.

• Step 3: Coat the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower florets to the batter and toss with a spatula or spoon until everything is thoroughly coated. Be sure to get the marinade into all the nooks and crannies.
• Step 4: Coat with breadcrumbs. Transfer the coated cauliflower florets to the cooled panko breadcrumbs. Press gently to make sure crumbs adhere to all sides.
• Step 5: Bake. Place the breaded cauliflower, evenly spaced, on your parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked through.

• Step 6: Make the bang bang sauce. Stir together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, garlic powder, Sriracha, and juice of half a lime.
• Step 7: Serve. Serve the baked breaded cauliflower while hot with the bang bang sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.

Jessica's Top Tips

• Toasting the Breadcrumbs. Toast your breadcrumbs in a bit of oil in a skillet before you coat the cauliflower. It's an extra step but it's the only way to get that deep, golden color when baking panko in the oven. Just do it.
• Prep the Cauliflower. Try to make the cauliflower florets all the same size, about one inch. This will help make sure that everything cooks evenly.
• Serve it Immediately! These oven-fried bites of veggie deliciousness only stay at their maximum crunchiness for a certain amount of time.
• Storing Leftovers: The cauliflower will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days in an airtight container. It will not be as crunchy reheated, but I recommend reheating in the toaster oven or on a baking sheet in the oven until heated through.

Serving Suggestions

• Enjoy as a snack or appetizer for gameday parties or any gathering, like these olive and cheese stuffed jalalpeno poppers.
• Serve it up as a vegetarian main with a protein-rich side dish like spicy black bean soup or black bean sweet potato quesadillas.
• They make a crunchy side dish for meals like these BBQ grilled chicken legs.

Recipe FAQs

More Easy Vegetable Recipes

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