Bang Bang Broccoli Recipe - Grilled Cheese Social (2024)

This bang bang broccoli is the ultimate side vegetarian dish. It's creamy, crunchy, spicy and SO GOOD! And if you switch out the mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt, it can even be healthy! It pairs perfectly with grilled meats and plenty of Asian inspired dishes!

Since I'm allergic to Shellfish, I've always dreamt of eating Bonefish's bang bang shrimp!

Every time I've ever gone to that restaurant, I've always wanted to order it... But instead, I just watch in envy as everyone else enjoys it.

But luckily for the internet (and for my mom who's had bang bang shrimp about 100k times) I was able to recreate a bang bang sauce that's pretty similar.

So rather than tossing the bang bang sauce with crispy fried shrimp, we're tossing it with some oven roasted broccoli with a bunch of crispy cashews.

On top, we add just a little bit of lime juice and cilantro to make the whole thing pop off!

And although this dish is traditionally made with mayo, you can definitely swap it out for equal parts greek yogurt.

And if you're trying to be extra healthy, be sure to use 0% fat Greek yogurt!

So let's get to it shall we!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Broccoli - Although this recipe calls for broccoli, you could def swap it out for cauliflower florets, halved brussels sprouts, or even carrots.
• Cashews - I think cashews go great in this dish but you could totally use peanuts, macadamia nuts or almonds.
• Olive Oil - Avocado, Canola or another neutral oil would work perfectly fine.
• Mayo - Feel free to swap out the mayo for equal parts greek yogurt.
• Sweet Chili Sauce - there's no real substitution for Mae Ploy's sweet chlii sauce! If you don't have a bottle, do yourself a favor and order some!
• Sriracha - If you don't have sriracha you could also use sambal or another spicy chili paste.
• Lime Juice - You could also use lemon juice or maybe even a little rice wine vinegar.
• Cilantro - Personally, I think cilantro is best but it would probably be pretty good with Thai basil, too!

How to make Bang Bang Sauce

Making bang bang sauce is the simplest thing ever!

Simply combine mayo (or plain greek yogurt) with sweet chili sauce, and sriracha in a small bowl and stir until smooth.

And then depending on the heat level, you can add a little more sriracha if you like it spicier!

How to make the Roasted Broccoli with Cashews

To make the roasted broccoli, start by preheating your oven to 425F degrees.

Next, trim your broccoli into florets. I like leaving the stem a little longer because I think it looks prettier but this is totally just for aesthetics.

Now add the broccoli, olive oil and salt right to a baking sheet and toss it all together.

Bake them at 425 for 18 minutes.

After 18 minute, remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the cashews right on top.

Put it back in the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes or until the cashews are heated through.

Remove once more and push everything to the middle of the baking sheet.

Pour the Bang Bang Sauce right on top and toss it all together -- making sure the sauce gets in all the nooks and crannies!

Now add the broccoli to the a serving plate and finish by squeezing half a lime on top and sprinkle on some cilantro.

Enjoy!

What to pair it with

This bang bang broccoli goes really well with these main dishes: Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich, these Canned Tuna Lettuce Wraps, Spicy Tuna Poke or even Hibachi Chicken and Noodles!

As for sides, try this Smashed Cucumber Salad, These Japanese Green Beans, and these Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts.

Save this recipe for another time

If you want to save this bang bang broccoli recipe for another time, you can print the recipe card at the very bottom of this post.

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Bang Bang Broccoli Recipe

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