Bang Bang Cauliflower Kale Salad
User Reviews
5
Bang Bang Cauliflower Kale Salad
Description
The recipe starts by cutting cauliflower into florets, dipping them into lightly beaten eggs, then coating with a mix of panko and seasoned fine breadcrumbs. Air frying with a spray of olive oil crisps the coating thoroughly without excess oil. While the cauliflower cooks, fresh kale is prepared by removing stems and chopping before being dressed lightly with olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper.
The bang bang sauce combines mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and chili garlic sauce, providing a creamy, slightly spicy coating for the cauliflower. Tossing the air-fried florets in this sauce coats them thoroughly, adding a rich flavor contrast to the vegetable.
Serving the coated cauliflower over kale, garnished with shaved Parmesan and pickled or sliced onions, adds complexity of textures and flavors—crispness, freshness, acidity, and umami. This combination offers a satisfying salad suitable as a side or light meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower cut into florets, head
- 2 egg lightly beaten, large
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup breadcrumb fine, seasoned
- olive oil or another oil spray
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 3 teaspoons Chili garlic sauce
- 3 tablespoons chives fresh, chopped
kale salad
- 1 kale leaves removed from stems and chopped, large bunch
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime freshly juiced
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese shaved
- ¼ cup onion or sliced red onion, pickled
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. I like to have a wire rack sitting near to place the breaded cauliflower before it’s all ready to go.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. In one large bowl (or plate), lightly beat the eggs. In another bowl or plate, combine the panko and fine breadcrumbs. Dip each piece of cauliflower in the the egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Place it on the wire rack until you have enough finished to do a batch in the air fryer. I found that for one head of cauliflower, I had to do two batches.
- Once the cauliflower is breaded, place it in a single layer in the air fryer. Spray it with the olive oil spray. This helps it brown and get crispy.
- Set the air fryer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the cauliflower with kitchen tongs and place them on a plate. Repeat with another batch of cauliflower if needed.
- As a note, when the cauliflower is air frying, I like to make the salad. To make the kale salad, place the kale in a bowl. Drizzle on the olive oil and using your (clean!) hands, massage the kale for a few minutes, until all the leaves are coated. This breaks down both the toughness and bitterness. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- To make the bang bang sauce, whisk together the mayo, sweet chili sauce and chili garlic sauce. Sprinkle in the chives.
- Once all of the cauliflower is done, drizzle it with the bang bang sauce and toss.
- Squeeze the lime juice on the kale salad and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with the shaved parmesan and pickled onions. Top with the bang bang cauliflower and serve!
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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