Crispy baked cauliflower bites are drizzled with an addictive and easy bang bang sauce.
I’ve recently become obsessed with bang bang sauce, a creamy sweet and spicy chili sauce that is easy to make. It tastes great for dipping chicken, seafood, vegetables, just about anything really. So I decided to apply it to cauliflower.
I’ve got a couple healthier recipe ideas to share and then we’re moving onto sweets, baked goods, chocolate and more chocolate.
The other day, Mr. K and I were in the car when Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” song came on the radio for the billionth time (you know the one with the chorus of “maybe we found love right where we are.”) For those unfamiliar, the song is about a potential love lasting until they are old. Mr. K commented that it was one of his favorite songs and then he started singing out loud and sang this lyric:
And, darling, I will be loving you ’til we’re 17
So until this moment, I haven’t really paid attention to this song, but I immediately knew that lyric made no sense. What kind of everlasting love only has him loving her until she’s 17? The actual line is “And, darling, I will be loving you ’til we’re 70.” (Which actually still seems a little short to me. Is he going to dump her after 70?) After I pointed out the correct lyric to Mr. K, he acknowledged that made much more sense. Now I can’t listen to that song without laughing.
This story really has nothing to do with the bang bang sauce other than that I was really eager to share both with you today. If you like sweet chili sauces, I encourage you to try this.
Feel free to play around with the ratios and even try out different hot sauce variations. I used sriracha but you can try others. I also used low-fat mayonnaise but you can use regular mayonnaise. I think I’m going to whip up a batch this Sunday to use for a general dipping sauce for all the fried foods we are having.
If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to check out my Bang Bang Zucchini, Keto Low Carb Bang Bang Cauliflower, Skinny Bang Bang Cauliflower, Bang Bang Pasta, and Skinny Bang Bang Zucchini Noodles.
Bang Bang Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of cauliflower cut into bite sized florets
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs Kikkoman brand preferred for even baking
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped (optional, for garnish)
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce I bought mine from an Asian grocery store. Make sure to buy the kind that is just sauce without chili seeds
- 2 tsp hot sauce I used sriracha
- 1/4 cup light/low fat mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Dip cauliflower pieces in egg and then roll in panko until fully coated and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will need to use your fingers to press on the coating to help it to stick to the cauliflower bites. Repeat until all cauliflower is coated.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until coating is a dark golden brown and crunchy.
- While cauliflower is cooking, make the bang bang sauce. Add all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until uniform and no mayonnaise lumps remain. Drizzle over finished cauliflower, reserving additional for dipping. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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“This story really has nothing to do with the bang bang sauce.” I appreciate this blogger saying what we’re all thinking and for this tasty recipe.
We try to keep things honest! Happy that you enjoyed the recipe.
Made these for an apple…fantastic! We go to a brew pub that makes a similar dish but it is deep fried. I do have a question – how do I get a better result with the coating? I did house my hand to press into the cauliflower but they did’t turn out as beautifully coated as yours….any tips?
Yes, check out this recipe and I go into more detail on how I coat the cauliflower in the instructions. It also has a video of how I coat the cauliflower: https://kirbiecravings.com/honey-garlic-baked-cauliflower/
We LOVED THIS!!!
It turned out soo great! I did add some Parmesan cheese to the coating.
I added a little buttermilk to the egg coating, too!
Thanks this will be one of our special treats!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Just made this and it’s fabulous! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Can frozen cauliflower be used?
Frozen cauliflower will be difficult to work with because it is hard to keep the surface dry to coat properly
these sound amazing can you make ahead and freeze
The panko coating won’t be crispy upon reheating if you freeze
We made this last night ….YUM…it was delicious. Thanks so much . Definitely a keeper recipe.
So glad you liked it!