Crisply Baked Spicy Bang Bang Cauliflower

Let’s bring these bad boys back to basics. All the recipes I found for Bang Bang Shrimp or Bang Bang Cauliflower called for panko, breadcrumbs, mayo, honey, eggs, sugar, milk . . . I mean, man, those recipes were still delicious. Breaded, crisply fried and just packed with a kick. I needed a better, lighter option. I obtained a recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp using only four ingredients for the sauce via Pinterest. With some tweaking and using this as inspiration, I cut the original recipes’  fluff and kept all the flavor. (Double points if you add even more spice to your life and prep these Bang Bang Cauliflower, while listening to “Bang Bang.”)  A great option for anyone allergic to seafood, has gluten-free or vegan needs or just willing to try something different. Plus, these super spicy morsels are baked, not fried, and still get crispy and perfectly browned in the oven. Sounds like an all around winning dish to me.

Ingredients (serves 3).

• 10 oz. cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-size pieces *
• 4 t sweet chili sauce
• 1 t sriracha
• 1 T neutral oil
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1/2 t garlic powder

* NOTE: you can also use deveined, peeled and washed shrimp as a substitute for cauliflower. Just roast/bake the shrimp in the oven at 400°F for 6-8 min. I paired these cauliflower bites as a side for a shrimp stir-fry and then again as an app for a seafood stew (also with shrimp), so serving two shrimp dishes just didn’t make sense.

Directions.

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. In a large bowl, mix ingredients for sauce (sweet chili sauce through garlic powder).
3.  Add in cauliflower to the sauce. Toss the cauliflower until the sauce is evenly distributed. Transfer coated cauliflower to the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 min. Remove and then stir the cauliflower. Continue cooking for an additional 5-7 min. to ensure both sides are equally browned and beginning to get crispy.
5. Remove from heat and immediately enjoy!

Inspired by the simplicity of The Cookie Rookie‘s recipe for “Skinny Bang Bang Shrimp.”