Bang Bang Cauliflower Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/4/23
Bang Bang Cauliflower

 Leah Maroney

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Bang bang sauce is good on virtually everything...including cauliflower. This healthy spin on the Bone Fish Grill appetizer is tangy and spicy and much lower in calories than the original. This cauliflower is coated with panko breadcrumbs then baked, and it turns out surprisingly crispy. The panko breadcrumbs are essential. They are super crispy and provide great crunch without deep-frying. The cauliflower is a good substitute for vegetarians without sacrificing flavor or texture.

The bang bang sauce is savory, sweet, and spicy and comes together very quickly. It's only four ingredients and whisks up in no time. It stores in the fridge for at least a week and is great on top of chicken and shrimp, too.

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups cauliflower florets

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground blackpepper, to taste

  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced

For the Bang Bang Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

  • Chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather your ingredients.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
     Leah Maroney

  2. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl. Add the salt and pepper: about a teaspoon of each will do. Add about a teaspoon of water to thin out the eggs a little bit. The egg will stick better to the cauliflower this way.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
     Leah Maroney

  3. Dip the cauliflower florets in the beaten eggs and coat them on all sides.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
     Leah Maroney

  4. Drop the cauliflower florets into the panko breadcrumbs. Toss them to completely coat. The panko should coat the cauliflower pretty easily, but if you need to, you can press some more of the breadcrumbs onto the cauliflower.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
     Leah Maroney

  5. Place the coated cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave a little space between each floret.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
     Leah Maroney

  6. Spray the cauliflower with cooking spray and then bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
    Leah Maroney 

  7. While the cauliflower is cooking, whisk together the ingredients to the bang bang sauce in a bowl.

    Bang Bang Cauliflower
     Leah Maroney

  8. Drizzle the bang bang sauce over the crispy cauliflower and top with chopped scallions and parsley. Then serve immediately...with more bang bang sauce on the side, of course!

Tips

  • You can add salt and pepper to the cauliflower and to the breadcrumbs for even more flavor.
  • If you like it on the spicier side, add more Sriracha to the sauce.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
504 Calories
27g Fat
51g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 504
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 997mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 18%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 58mg 290%
Calcium 172mg 13%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 392mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)