These Crispy Panko Cauliflower Bites are the BEST way to eat cauliflower. They are breaded and oven baked to perfection. Even the kids will love them!
This Cauliflower is out of this world delicious. I remember trying Buffalo Sauce on Cauliflower for the first time last year and I could not believe how much it tasted like wings! What a discovery. It blew my mind!
These are honestly better because they have breading. The batter is nice and thick, and it really holds that panko coating on.
I couldn't help myself from creating a lot of different flavor combinations here. In the recipe card, you can find three different sauces I made. Buffalo is a personal favorite, but the honey soy sauce and sriracha are a close match, if not a tie. They also taste amazing drizzled with homemade hot honey! They are really easy to create, so why not try all of them.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Baked Breaded Cauliflower:
- This recipe is crispy and delicious
- It's a veggie that you can get the kids to eat & you will love too
- The sauces make it extra fun to dip these crunchy bites into
- Cauliflower is loaded with nutrients and fiber
If you are looking for more easy vegetable recipes, try these Zucchini Roll Ups, Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, Caprese Burrata and Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Carrots.
Ingredients:
Cauliflower- Cauliflower is filled with vitamins and fiber and it crisps up wonderfully in this recipe. It also has a nice meaty texture when baked. Buffalo Cauliflower wings have been all the rage and I can see why. They are delicious!
Flour and Eggs-Whisked together to create a thick batter to hold onto the Panko breading.
Panko- Japanese breadcrumbs that have a coarse texture and give really crispy results.
Garlic Powder, Salt, and Chili Powder- To add seasoning to the breadcrumbs for an extra flavor boost.
When it comes to sauces, you have a few options. These Asian Dipping Sauces pair nicely with the Japanese Panko:
Honey & Soy Sauce- Creates a salty & sweet combination, which is great for drizzling onto the cauliflower or you can dunk the cauliflower into it.
Sriracha & Mayonnaise- Makes a creamy and spicy combo that is one of my go to dips.
*Full recipe ingredients and quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
If you love Asian flavor, check out my Asian Shrimp Tacos, Spring Roll Salad, and Spicy Cucumbers.
Substitutions or Variations:
If it's game day, or you want a different variation of spice, try tossing them in Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce. The Wing Sauce has just the right amount of heat and it is nice and creamy to coat the cauliflower bites. I love to serve this style with Ranch and Blue Cheese.
See the recipe below in Dipping Sauces section.
Big on Buffalo Sauce? Try these Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas too.
How to Make Crispy Panko Cauliflower Bites:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a rack on top. If you don't have a rack, line the baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour. Put some effort into this to create a really smooth batter.
Step 2: In another large bowl, mix the panko, chili powder, garlic powder and salt.
Step 3: Dunk one piece of cauliflower into the batter, then coat it in the Panko breading.
Step 4: Transfer to the baking rack on the cookie sheet and repeat with all the cauliflower pieces. Bake for 25 minutes.
Step 5: Prepare to be amazed at how good a vegetable can taste. Dip or toss into one or all of the sauce variations and enjoy!
Dipping Sauces for Cauliflower Bites:
Asian Style Sauces:
For the honey soy sauce- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and honey or try my gyoza sauce.
Sriracha Mayo Sauce- In a small bowl, whisk together the sriracha and mayonnaise.
Buffalo tossed Cauliflower:
Fill a large bowl with 1 cup of Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce. Make sure it is the Wing Sauce. Hot sauce will not work because it's too thin.
Once the Cauliflower comes out of the oven. Toss it into the bowl with the Wing Sauce.
Serve this version with Ranch or Blue Cheese dipping sauce.
Expert Tip:
- Don't skip the baking rack over the cookie sheet. This helps the cauliflower crisp up on all sides.
Love Easy Appetizer Recipes? Try my Asian Turkey Meatballs, Mango Habanero Salsa, and Vegetarian Nachos.
Recipe FAQs:
This cauliflower is breaded in a crispy panko to start with, which helps with the crispiness. I've also used a baking rack on top of my cookie sheet, so the bottoms don't get soggy. A high baking temperature and making sure the cauliflower have enough space, will also help to keep them crispy.
I was surprised at how similar it is. If you are a vegetarian and used to eat chicken wings, you've got to give them a try. On the flip side, if you aren't a vegetarian and just need more veggies, try them out too!
Storing Leftovers:
This recipe will be best served fresh and crispy. Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the oven or pop them in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them up again.
More Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Cauliflower Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Panko Cauliflower
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Crispy Panko Cauliflower Bites are the BEST way to eat cauliflower. They are breaded and oven baked to perfection. Even the kids will eat them!
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces, washed and dried
- 3 eggs, whisked
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 and ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Sriracha Mayo:
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
For Honey Soy Sauce:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
For Buffalo Sauce:
- 1 cup Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce (make sure it is Wing Sauce. Hot Sauce is too thin and will not work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a rack on top. If you don't have a rack, line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour. You really have to put some effort into this to create a smooth batter.
- In another large bowl, mix the panko, chili powder, garlic powder and salt.
- Dunk one piece of cauliflower into the batter, then coat it in the Panko breading.
- Transfer to the baking rack of the cookie sheet and repeat with all the cauliflower pieces.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Prepare to be amazed at how good a vegetable can taste! Enjoy!
For the Asian Style Sauces:
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and honey.
In another small bowl, whisk together the sriracha and mayonnaise.
For the Buffalo Sauce:
Get a large bowl and fill it with 1 cup of Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce. Make sure it is the Wing Sauce. Hot sauce will not work because it's too thin.
Once the Cauliflower comes out of the oven. Toss it into the bowl with the Wing Sauce.
Serve this version with Ranch or Blue Cheese.
Equipment
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: oven baked
- Cuisine: american
Holly
We loved these! We did the buffalo style and they were so good.