Baked Bang Bang Cauliflower

Golden cauliflower nuggets in a round pan along with a bowl of pink sauce.

Oven Baked Bang Bang Cauliflower is truly crispy and crunchy with a lip-smacking sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. Perfect for an appetizer, snack, or made into cauliflower tacos!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword baked bang bang cauliflower, bang bang cauliflower recipe, best bang bang cauliflower, healthy bang bang cauliflower

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 34

Total Time 44

Servings Servings

Calories 429kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
2 tablepsoons vegetable oil
½ medium cauliflower cut into 1 to 11/2 inch florets

Marinade ingredients

½ cup all pupose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup buttermilk
1 large egg beaten lightly
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Bang Bang sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablepsoons sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Toast panko. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the panko and oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is evenly golden and toasted. Transfer the toasted panko to a bowl and let it cool slightly before proceeding.
Prep. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Marinade cauliflower. Stir all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl, until smooth and lump free. Add cauliflower pieces and toss around until every floret is well coated.
👉 If time allows, marinate for 30 minutes. Otherwise, continue with the recipe.
Finish and bake. Using a slotted spoon, lift one cauliflower floret from the marinade, letting any excess batter drip off. Coat it thoroughly with the panko breadcrumbs, gently pressing to help them adhere, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining florets. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the coating is golden brown and crispy.
Make sauce. Stir all bang bang sauce ingredients together. Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a day.
Serving suggestion. Drizzle the bang bang sauce over the cauliflower just before serving to keep the coating nice and crispy, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
To make Bang Bang cauliflower tacos, fill warm corn tortillas with the crispy cauliflower, shredded cabbage, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and a generous drizzle of Bang Bang sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Sweet chili sauce can be found in all Asian super markets, major grocery stores and Amazon.

Adjust sriracha based on your spice tolerance.

Freezing and reheating: Freeze the cooled cauliflower bites for up to a month.

Oven: Place in a preheated 400°F oven and bake for 9 to 12 minutes or heated through.
Air fryer: Place in a preheated 375°F oven and air fry for 5 to 7 minutes or heated through.

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