Today calls for a bang bang cauliflower salad!
Crispy, sauce-coated cauliflower piled atop a bright, crunchy kale salad — it’s a texture and flavor party. The cauliflower provides crunch and creaminess from the sauce, while the kale brings a sturdy chew and fresh bite. If you love those contrasts, this dish is for you.
We’re big fans of kale salads at home. The leaves hold up well as leftovers, take on bold flavors, and support heavier toppings without wilting. That makes kale the perfect base for crispy bang bang cauliflower.
I’ve made bang bang cauliflower in other forms, like tacos, using a tempura-style batter and frying in oil. For this salad, I prefer the air fryer because it yields super-crispy results without deep-frying. If you want a lighter, airier crumb and don’t mind frying, the tempura method is a great alternative.
The air fryer version produces an excellent, crunchy exterior. It’s best to cook in a single layer, so plan for a couple of batches if you’re preparing a whole head of cauliflower.
When the cauliflower is covered in bang bang sauce, it is irresistible.
If you prefer, you can also use classic bang bang shrimp instead of cauliflower. The sauce itself—often associated with Bonefish Grill—combines mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and chili garlic sauce. The result is creamy, a touch sweet, and mildly spicy.
The contrast of textures makes this dish sing: crunchy, saucy cauliflower paired with chewy, bright kale. For the salad base, I keep it simple: massage kale with olive oil, let it rest, then dress with lime juice, salt and pepper. Add pickled onions for tang and crunch, and finish with shaved Parmesan.
This straightforward kale base supports the cauliflower without competing with it, creating a balanced, flavorful plate. Tossed together, it’s absolutely delicious and satisfying for dinner or a substantial lunch.
Perfectly delicious for dinner!
Bang Bang Cauliflower Salad
Bang Bang Cauliflower Kale Salad
4 people
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup seasoned fine breadcrumbs
- Olive oil, or another oil spray
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
Kale Salad
- 1 large bunch of kale, leaves removed from stems and chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime, freshly juiced
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan
- 1/4 cup pickled onions or sliced red onion
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Prepare a wire rack to hold the breaded cauliflower while you finish coating the pieces.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. Lightly beat the eggs in one bowl. In another bowl, combine panko and fine breadcrumbs. Dip each floret in the egg, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded pieces on the wire rack until ready to cook. You may need two batches for one head of cauliflower.
- Arrange cauliflower in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray lightly with olive oil spray to encourage browning and crisping.
- Air fry for about 15 minutes, then remove with tongs and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining batches.
- While the cauliflower cooks, make the kale salad: place chopped kale in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and massage the leaves for a few minutes until they soften. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and chili garlic sauce to make the bang bang sauce. Stir in the chopped chives.
- When all the cauliflower is cooked, drizzle or toss it with the bang bang sauce so it’s evenly coated.
- Squeeze lime juice over the massaged kale, season with salt and pepper, then toss with shaved Parmesan and pickled onions. Top the salad with the bang bang cauliflower and serve.
My kind of salad.