Bang Bang Broccoli (Vegan)
This Bang Bang Broccoli is crispy, sweet & spicy and tossed in a creamy spicy mayo sauce! It’s pretty easy to make, and tastes phenomenal! P.S. you can also make it in the air fryer!
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this bang-bang broccoli in the last two months. It’s one of those dishes that’s actually pretty easy to do, takes only 15 minutes to bake, and when it’s done? Tastes PHENOMENAL. I mean, like a “man that was totally worth it” taste.
After trying this at one of our fave Asian restaurants, I was pretty bummed that they couldn’t veganise it, or more, their vegan version meant no sauce. Well, that’s kind of the whole point, right?! So I went about trying to make a vegan version, based loosely on my cauliflower wings, and mostly on my tastebuds. The result is this beauty.
How to Make Bang Bang Broccoli
Making this bang-bang broccoli is as easy as battering it in a tempura-like batter, rolling it in the panko breadcrumbs, and then baking it. The batter has cornstarch which if you choose to fry this, makes it exceptional. But even if you bake it as I do, it’s a solid 10/10. The panko gives it that beautiful crispy texture and is a must. Even if you don’t add the sauce, it tastes divine.
But…the signature bang bang sauce. It’s a mix of sweet of spicy with vegan mayo, maple syrup or agave nectar and a chili paste (such as sambal oelek or sriracha). I personally prefer agave cause it’s cheaper and has a more viscous consistency, so really gives it that sticky feel. It soaks beautifully into the crispy broccoli and there you have it – sweet, spicy and saucy bang bang broccoli.
What to Serve/Eat Bang Bang Broccoli with
This goes so well with so many things.
- Noodles, fried rice, in lettuce wraps or with dumplings! It’s totally up to you!
- You could even use cauliflower instead
- Batter up other veggies you may have and treat it the same. It’s a great way to use leftovers and tastes amazing!
Enjoy, friends!
Enjoy friends! If you make this Vegan Bang Bang Broccoli, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much! P.S. – do you know that we have an entire blog dedicated to low carb recipes named Low Carb Vegan Recipes?! Be sure to check it out!
Bang Bang Broccoli (Vegan)
Ingredients
Bang Bang Sauce
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sambal oelek or any other chili paste (including sriracha)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
Bang Bang Broccoli
- 1 lb. broccoli, chopped into florets
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, gluten-free or regular
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or any chili paste
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or any nut milk + two teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup crispy Panko breadcrumbs seasoned with salt pepper, onion powder & garlic powder
Instructions
BANG BANG SAUCE
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. It should be liquid-y. Set aside.
BANG BANG BROCCOLI
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or greased foil. Using a knife, remove florets from the broccoli (aka cut off the leaves and don't use the stems).
- In a bowl, mix the flour, chilli paste, cornstarch, nut milk, ACV, sea salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir to combine - the batter should be like a sticky tempura batter. If the batter is too thick, feel free to thin it out with some more milk and vice versa.
- In a separate bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs. Line it up beside the batter bowl. Toss the broccoli in the batter mixture (you can add them all at once), using a spatula or spoon to coat them all.
- Then, transfer them to the panko breadcrumbs (you can do this in two or three batches) to coat completely, then place onto the baking sheet, giving each floret enough space.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Please ensure your oven is completely preheated and hot.
- Remove from oven. Toss the battered baked broccoli in the sauce (I like to use a spatula to move them around to get properly coated) then using tongs or a spoon, remove and place back on the baking sheet. Bake for another 1-2 minutes for the sauce to soak into the wings.
- Remove from oven, top with sesame seeds, eat immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Good to know that works too! I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
I’m not a vegan, but I usually cook like one because I live by a lot of fresh markets. It can be hard to find satisfying recipes, but I know I can always find something here. I ate this over rice with more veggies on top. It is SO good. I had to use cereal instead of bread crumbs. It wasn’t as pretty, but still very delicious
Jessica’s recipes are always amazing! Easy, healthy and fun! This recipe was a huge hit in my house. I used it as a topping for ramen noodles. Delish! Thank you Jessica!!
Pairing this with ramen noodles sounds incredible! Thank you so much for your kind words Annie and thank you for reading!
This was sooo good. I used frozen broccoli (did not defrost) because that’s all I have at this time and cooked in the air fryer.
LOVED THIS. The recipe broke down what I would have thought was an intimidating process (battering and breading – I know, I know not that complex, but I’m a really basic cook) and made it simple. We subbed out ketchup for chili sauce to make it toddler friendly and it was awesome!
Wow, this is really nice. Thank you for leaving such an honest review Jessie. I hope you and your family have a great day!
This recipe was so fun to make and I couldn’t wait for my broccoli to get out of the oven. The spicy mayo sauce is EVERYTHING and was the perfect amount of kick. In my meat eating days bang bang shrimp was a must order at Bonefish grill so I was very excited to see this, I am a fan and this will continue to be a treat in my home. Thanks Jessica for always keeping things fun and tasty!!
We’re so happy Brandy! Thank you for leaving such a sweet and thoughtful review. we really appreciate it. Have a great day!
This is AMAZING!! Definitely going into the rotation. Not as difficult or time consuming as I feared. Batter stuck so well.
Awesome Lisa! We’re so happy you liked it. Thanks for leaving such a nice review!
This was sooo good. I used frozen broccoli (did not defrost) because that’s all I have at this time and cooked in the air fryer.
We’re so happy that you enjoyed it Natalie! It tastes perfect in the air fryer! Thanks so much for reading.
This was so good! I doubled the recipe for our family of 5 and all 5 said it was restaurant-worthy. It did take me quite a while to prepare it–partly because it was a lot of cutting and breading and dipping–partly because I’ve never made anything like it before. But it was worth it. 🙂 I used a sweet Thai style chili sauce instead of Siracha and it worked well. Oh–and I did a mix of broccoli and cauliflower and they were equally delish. Thanks for yet another great recipe!
This was BOMB and super easy. My partner is the chef in our house and a carnivore but I’m mostly vegetarian. I’ve had to step it up in order to incorporate veggies into our diets and this recipe put him over the edge. It’s the most broccoli he’s ever had, IN HIS LIFE! It truly is delicious, well spiced, and not rocket science to make. Thank you!
Easy to follow and delicious! The batter held together nicely, which is often not the case for non-egg battered dishes.
My husband said it tasted like a spicy tempura roll and I totally agreed. I had this with rice noodles and wilted kale, and can’t wait to have leftovers tomorrow!
Thanks, Jessica!
Thanks so much Erica! We’re happy that you and your husband enjoyed it. YOur sides for this dish sound incredible!