Crispy Bang Bang Cauliflower
Crispy baked bang bang cauliflower tossed in a creamy, spicy-sweet sauce. A crowd-pleasing appetizer, snack, or light main dish that’s easy, addictive, and totally delicious.
Servings: 4
Calories: 380kcal
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower 4-5 cups cut into 1 inch florets
For the Marinade:
- 1 tbsp good mayonnaise
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp Sriracha
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup buttermilk or 1 tbsp buttermilk powder mixed with ¼ cup of water
For the Crunchy Coating
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral oil
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- ¼ cup good mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp Sriracha
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Juice of ½ a lime
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil over medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs to hot oil and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Once the crumbs look golden, quickly remove them from the heat and transfer to a plate to cool completely. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat egg, whisk in flour, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tsp Sriracha, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder and buttermilk.
- Add cauliflower florets to bowl and toss with a spatula or spoon until everything is thoroughly coated, making sure to get the marinade into all the nooks and crannies.
- Dredge the coated cauliflower florets in the cooled panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to make sure crumbs adhere to all sides.
- Place breaded cauliflower, evenly spaced, apart onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-22 minutes until cauliflower is cooked through.
- While the cauliflower is in the oven, make the Bang Bang sauce. In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, ½ tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp Sriracha and juice of half a lime.
- When the cauliflower comes out of the oven, serve immediately with Bang Bang sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.
Notes
This recipe serves 3-4 as an appetizer or side and 2 for a hearty vegetable main dish.
- Toast the crumbs: For the best golden crunch, toast the panko in a little oil on the stove before coating the cauliflower. Worth the extra step!
- Cut even florets: Aim for 1-inch pieces so the cauliflower cooks evenly and crisps up at the same time.
Nutrition
Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 887mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg