Bang Bang Broccoli [+ Cauliflower| Baked]

Make restaurant-quality Bang Bang broccoli (or cauliflower), but healthier, in 30 minutes in an oven or air fryer. It’s super crispy, creamy, spicy, and a moreish appetizer or side!

What is Bang Bang Broccoli?

Technically, there are two types of ‘bang bang dishes.’ The first is a Chinese dish, ‘bang bang chicken,’ named after the tool, a bàng (棒), used to tenderize the meat. The second, and one i'm making, are westernized, Asian-inspired dishes that originate with ‘bang bang shrimp.’

Bang Bang Shrimp was created by two chefs in St Petersburg, FL, for their restaurant BoneFish Grill. This spawned a whole series of ‘bang bang’ dishes, including delicious vegan bang bang broccoli and bang bang cauliflower. Now, by making them at home, you can enjoy a restaurant-quality dish in a healthier way.

Why You’ll Love This Bang Bang Broccoli Recipe

Bang bang cauliflower/broccoli batters and bakes or air fries veg until tender inside and super crisp outside, then smothers it in the sweet and spicy creamy bang bang sauce. If that isn’t enough to convince you, It’s also:

• Simple: Made using easy-to-find pantry ingredients and a simple step-by-step process. Even with battering and breading steps, don’t worry, it’s nowhere near as intimidating or time-consuming as you might think.
• Diet-friendly: Unlike most restaurant versions, this bang bang broccoli recipe is 100% vegan and can be adjusted to gluten-free and/or grain-free.
• Healthier: Ditch the deep fryer for an oven or air fryer and ZERO oil.
• Versatile: You can adjust the ingredients and flavors to meet your diet and taste buds, then enjoy it as a snack, appetizer, or side.

The flavors of Bang Bang seasoning and sauce transform veggies like broccoli and cauliflower into a treat the entire family, vegans and non-vegans, will love.

The Ingredients and Substitutions

The Breaded Broccoli

• Broccoli: I used fresh broccoli, trimmed, and separated into florets. However, you can just as easily make bang cauliflower without changing the method.  
• Flour: Just regular all-purpose flour will work fine. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour to make gluten-free bang bang broccoli.
• Cornstarch: Replacing a portion of flour with cornstarch helps make a lighter, super crisp batter.
• Plant-based milk: Use any unsweetened dairy-free milk. E.g., soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc.
• Lemon: I prefer fresh lemon juice, though bottled works too. Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar would also work. This combines with plant-based milk to make a vegan buttermilk substitute.
• Breadcrumbs: Use regular or panko breadcrumbs (the latter are lighter and more crisp), gluten-free if necessary.
• Chili paste: To add heat (read notes in sauce section). Alternatively, chili powder or cayenne pepper will work, too.
• Seasonings: This vegan bang bang broccoli uses a simple but flavorful combination.
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Smoked paprika
  • Sea salt
• Garnish: While optional, I love to garnish the broccoli/cauliflower with sliced green onion and raw or toasted sesame seeds (or cashew nuts).

Vegan Bang Bang Sauce

• Vegan mayonnaise: Use your favorite vegan mayo, store-bought or homemade.
• Chili paste: Like sambal oelek, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce. Korean gochujang or a combination of chili paste and Thai sweet chili sauce would also work.
• Sweetener: I love maple syrup/agave. However, you could use sugar-free syrup.
• Water: To thin the bang bang sauce to the correct consistency.

I prefer to combine chili paste and sweetener to use unrefined sugars and sweeten it to my liking. However, for a more traditional bang bang sauce recipe, use your favorite Thai sweet chili sauce.

How to Make Bang Bang Broccoli?

• 1) First, prepare the bang bang sauce by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl and setting it aside. Also, rinse and chop the broccoli (or cauliflower) into bite-sized florets, removing tough stems and leaves.

• 2) Then, preheat the oven to 425F/218C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• 3) Next, combine the flour, cornstarch, plant-based milk, lemon juice, chili paste, and all the seasonings in a large bowl and mix well (it should feel like a sticky tempura batter/ slightly thinner pancake batter). In a separate wide medium bowl, add the breadcrumbs.

• 4) Working in small batches, toss the broccoli florets into the seasoned batter, using your hands to ensure they’re evenly coated.

• 5) Then, transfer them to the breadcrumbs and toss until completely covered.
• 6) Transfer the breaded broccoli to the baking sheet in a single layer, with space in between. Repeat that with the remaining broccoli until it’s all breaded.

• 7) Transfer the pan to the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes. Then carefully remove it from the oven and toss the breaded baked broccoli into the bang bang sauce.

The baking time will depend on the exact size of the florets. You can test one to make sure it’s tender enough.

• 8) Return the broccoli to the baking sheet to bake for 3-5 minutes, then remove it from the oven and serve while warm, optionally garnished with sliced green onion and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Air Fryer Bang Bang Cauliflower/Broccoli

Prepare the battered broccoli and/or cauliflower as written above (in steps 1-5), then transfer them to your air fryer basket in a single layer with space in between (work in batches if necessary).

Air fry at 400F/200C for 10-13 minutes. Repeat with the remaining florets, then toss them in the sauce and pop back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes.

Pro Recipe Tips

• The batter needs to be thick enough: If it’s too thin, it won’t properly coat the broccoli/ cauliflower florets. If it’s too thin, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
• For crispier breaded broccoli: Lightly spray the battered broccoli/ cauliflower with olive oil (or another cooking oil) to encourage the crispiest edges.
• Adjust the heat: By increasing the amount of chili paste in the bang bang sauce recipe. You can also boost the spice in the batter with chili powder/ cayenne pepper.
• Don’t crowd the baking sheet: If the florets are too close, they’ll steam, and the batter won’t crisp up properly.  
• Dip or smother: If preferred, save the sauce to dip the bang bang cauliflower/ broccoli instead of smothering it with it.

FAQs

Storage Instructions

If battered and coated in the sauce, I highly recommend enjoying the bang bang cauliflower/broccoli straight out of the oven for the best texture, as the sauce will soften the broccoli over time.

However, if you want to reheat it over 2-3 days, bake/ air fry the broccoli, then reheat it and toss it with the sauce only when serving.

The bang bang sauce can be made 5-7 days in advance, too.

What to Serve with Bang Bang Broccoli?

You can enjoy this versatile bang bang broccoli as a finger food/ appetizer, side dish, or even main when paired with

• Tofu or tempeh – to add protein
• Noodles
• Rice (like IP jasmine rice or basmati rice) or fried rice
• Instant pot quinoa
• In lettuce wraps
• Steamed or crispy dumplings/gyoza
• Slaw
• Cucumber salad

More Vegetable Side Dishes

• Brown sugar green beans
• Air fryer acorn squash
• Garlic and herb-roasted vegetables
• Vegan elote (Mexican street corn)
• Air fryer potato wedges
• Air fryer asparagus

If you tried this easy bang bang broccoli recipe (as written or with substitutes), I’d love to know what you thought. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla