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One bite of crispy bang bang cauliflower bites and you will be in heaven. Spicy sweet cauliflower bang bang is tender but with a slight bite. They have a crisp exterior thanks to a flavorful batter and panko combination. The crispy baked cauliflower is then tossed with a yummy homemade bang bang sauce that you can customize to be as sweet or spicy as you prefer. Serve for a meatless meal or appetizer that everyone will love.
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable with an uncanny ability to take on the flavor and texture of the supporting ingredients. You’ll do a double take when you bite into these Crispy Bang Bang Cauliflower Bites. It’s hard to believe crispy baked cauliflower is hidden beneath the crispy crust and sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. Cauliflower bang bang is the perfect meat-free appetizer for anyone trying to get more veggies into their diet.
If you love bang bang sauce, try my Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp or Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Coleslaw.
Why You’ll Love Bang Bang Cauliflower Bites
- It’s meatless. This vegetarian appetizer or meal is meat-free and can be easily transformed into a vegan dish with a few simple customizations.
- It’s easy to make. With just 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking time, you can have a fun and flavorful appetizer on the table in about 45 minutes. Precut your cauliflower to shave a few extra minutes off the prep time.
- It’s got flavor. On its own, cauliflower doesn’t have a strong flavor. Pair it with a seasoned batter and a sweet and spicy bang bang sauce for a taste you won’t believe.
Bang Bang Cauliflower Ingredients
For crispy cauliflower
- Cauliflower: Cut a medium head of cauliflower into florets.
- Wet Batter: combine all-purpose flour and buttermilk to make a wet mixture. Substitute gluten free flour and use non-dairy milk such as coconut milk instead of buttermilk.
- Seasoning: Season the wet batter with paprika, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper, or your favorite seasoning blend.
- Breadcrumbs: Coat batter-dipped cauliflower with panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
For bang bang sauce
- Mayonnaise: Regular mayonnaise works well, but you can use Kewpie Mayo or substitute it with low-fat or vegan mayo if desired.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Sticky sweet chili sauce is typically found in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.
- Sriracha: Adjust the amount to control the heat level of the dish.
- Tomato Ketchup: Ketchup adds a bit of sweetness and helps to thicken the sauce.
- Honey: Raw, local honey is always preferred. Replace with maple syrup or agave.
- Vinegar: Rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar are both delicious selections.
- Seasonings: Season with ground black pepper and red chili flakes. Adjust amounts to control the seasoning.
- Chives: to garnish.
How To Make Crispy Bang Bang Cauliflower
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a parchment paper over the baking sheet and keep it aside.
- Cut the cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into florets, wash them, and dry them with a kitchen towel. Keep it aside.
- Prepare the wet batter. Combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Mix the batter until smooth without any lumps. Add the cauliflower florets and coat them well with the batter.
- Coat with breadcrumbs. Place the panko breadcrumbs in a wide bowl, and dredge the batter-coated cauliflower florets into the panko breadcrumbs. Press them to coat evenly.
- Bake. Arrange the cauliflower florets on the prepared baking sheet. Bake it for 25-30 minutes until they turn golden and crispy. Transfer the cauliflowers to a large bowl. Set it aside.
- Prepare the bang bang sauce. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, ketchup, honey, vinegar, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Combine with sauce and serve. Pour the prepared sauce over the cauliflower and toss it well until evenly coated. Garnish the crispy bang bag cauliflower with chives and red chili flakes and serve.
Tips To Make Crispy Baked Cauliflower
- Use a sharp knife when cutting the cauliflower into florets.
- Cut the florets into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- The batter should be smooth yet thick enough to coat the cauliflower.
- Coat one piece at a time keeping one hand for the wet batter and one hand for the panko.
- Be sure to preheat your oven.
- Shake or turn the cauliflower halfway through cooking.
- Coat with the sauce just before serving.
- You can also serve the sauce as a dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wash and dry a medium-sized head of cauliflower. Trim off the long stem and then cut the cauliflower in half. Use a sharp knife to cut out the core. The florets will now separate easily with your hands, or use the tip of a knife to pry them apart. Find our How To Cut Cauliflower tutorial for complete instructions.
This bang bang cauliflower is a vegetarian recipe but not vegan. To make this recipe vegan, you must replace the buttermilk and the mayonnaise with plant based ingredients.
Fresh cauliflower will yield a crisper, more desirable texture than frozen cauliflower which tends to be mushier. If using frozen cauliflower, thaw and drain any excess moisture and pat dry with paper towels before continuing with the recipe.
This recipe is best enjoyed right away. Store leftover cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat for a few minutes in the air fryer or a hot oven. Microwaving is not recommended, as the cauliflower will become mushy.
Freezing is not recommended.
Serve these bites with rice or noodles for a complete meal. You can also serve Cauliflower Rice.
More Cauliflower Recipes
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites
- Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bread Sticks
- Cauliflower Pizza
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Vegetarian Cauliflower Pita Wrap
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious crispy baked Cauliflower recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Crispy Bang bang cauliflower
Ingredients
For crispy cauliflower
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
For bang bang sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons chopped chives, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a parchment paper over the baking sheet and keep it aside.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, wash them, and dry them with a kitchen towel. Keep it aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and buttermilk. Mix the batter until smooth without any lumps.
- Add the cauliflower florets and coat them well with the batter.
- Place the panko breadcrumbs in a wide bowl, and dredge the batter-coated cauliflower florets into the panko breadcrumbs. Press them to coat evenly.
- Arrange the cauliflower florets on the prepared baking sheet. Bake it for 25-30 minutes until they turn golden and crispy. Transfer the cauliflowers to a large bowl. Set it aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, ketchup, honey, vinegar, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the prepared sauce over the cauliflower and toss it well until evenly coated.
- Garnish the crispy bang bag cauliflower with chives and red chili flakes and serve.
Notes
- Use a sharp knife when cutting the cauliflower into florets.
- Cut the florets into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- The batter should be smooth yet thick enough to coat the cauliflower.
- Coat one piece at a time keeping one hand for the wet batter and one hand for the panko.
- Be sure to preheat your oven.
- Shake or turn the cauliflower halfway through cooking.
- Coat with the sauce just before serving.
- You can also serve the sauce as a dip.
