Bang Bang Broccoli

by Monica Davis on March 18, 2026 0 comments

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This bang bang broccoli is sure to be your new favorite recipe! Crispy, crunchy fried broccoli served over rice with a sweet-and-spicy vegan bang bang sauce.

A top view of a plate filled with white rice with bang bang broccoli garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

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Why make this recipe

This vegan bang bang broccoli is seriously one of the easiest and tastiest recipes that I’ve made in a long time. It makes a quick and easy weeknight dinner with minimal effort that tastes better than takeout.

I coat the broccoli florets in a light batter, roll them in panko crumbs for extra crunch, and fry them until golden brown. Served over rice or quinoa and drizzled with a creamy bang bang sauce, you won’t be able to get enough.

Ingredients and substitutions

Broccoli Florets – I usually just buy a head of broccoli and cut the florets into bite-sized pieces. You can also buy a bag of broccoli florets ready to go. (You need to use fresh, not frozen.)
Flour – for the batter. You can use all-purpose wheat flour or a gluten-free flour mix. (I find that gluten-free actually has a lighter and crispier texture).
Corn Starch – to make it crispy. When cornstarch is fried, it gets very crispy.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder – just a little of each helps the batter puff up a little and gives it a lighter feel.
Salt – for flavor.
Onion and Garlic Powder – for flavor.
Turmeric – for flavor and color. It gives them a nice golden brown color.
Panko Bread Crumbs – for coating the broccoli after you batter it. This is optional, but it gives it a great little crunch. You can swap this out with cornmeal for a gluten-free option.
Canola Oil – for frying the broccoli pieces in. You will need enough to ensure your nuggets float and turn in the oil with ease. I like canola oil because it has a very neutral taste and a light texture. It also has a high smoke point, so it will be stable and won’t smoke or break down. You can use any other neutral-flavored oil that you like.
Rice – You can serve it over brown rice, white rice, quinoa, or noodles.
Vegan Bang Bang Sauce – For this, you will need vegan mayo, sweet chili sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, agave nectar, and sriracha or hot sauce.
Green Onions – cut into small pieces for garnish, you can also use cilantro or other fresh herbs of your choice.
Sesame Seeds – for garnish and a little extra crunch.

Helpful tools

Deep Fryer – This is not totally necessary, but it makes it much easier because you can control the oil temperature and have a basket to take out all the nuggets at once when they are done cooking.
Tongs – to allow you to drop the breaded broccoli into the hot oil without getting too close and accidentally getting splashed with it. (Don’t put the breaded broccoli into the basket before submerging, or the batter may stick to the basket.)

How to make Bang Bang Broccoli

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Cook the rice or grain.

Make the Bang Bang sauce

Step 2 – Make the bang bang sauce by combining the mayo, sweet chili sauce, agave, and sriracha in a bowl, then stirring until well combined.

Step 3 – While your grain is cooking, wash the head of broccoli under running water, then shake off the excess water.

Step 4 – Cut the broccoli florets off the head and into bite-sized pieces, removing the large central stem. (Try to keep the pieces a similar size, so they cook at the same rate).

Make the breading

Step 5 – Put the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (Flour, corn starch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, baking soda, and baking powder). Then pour in the water and stir the batter until smooth.

Broccoli florets in a prepared batter before frying. — Place the broccoli in the batter.

Broccoli florets that are covered with batter before frying. — Place the broccoli in the batter.

Step 6 – Place 3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl to coat the battered broccoli.

Step 7 – Put the broccoli florets into the batter and toss until well-coated.

Broccoli florets covered in batter then rolled in panko bread crumbs before frying. — Roll the battered broccoli in panko bread crumbs.

Fried battered broccoli on a paper towel after it has been fried. — Roll the battered broccoli in panko bread crumbs.

Make the deep-fried broccoli

Step 8 – Heat the oil to 334°F. Use tongs to pick up the pieces of coated broccoli and place them in the hot oil. (It will bubble and spatter, so stand back.

Step 9 – Allow the cooking in the oil to continue for 2-3 minutes, until the bubbling slows and the broccoli nuggets are golden brown.

Step 10 – Immediately remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Someone picking up a piece of bang bang broccoli with chopsticks.

Step 11 – Plate the bang bang broccoli by layering cooked rice on a plate, topping it with hot fried broccoli, then drizzling with bang bang sauce and garnishing with sesame seeds and green onions.

Pro Tips

Fry the broccoli in small batches so that the pieces have enough room to roll around in the oil and they don’t get stuck together.
Have your Bang Bang sauce or anything else you want to serve with the broccoli ready before deep-frying; that way, you can eat it while it is fresh and hot.

How can I make it gluten-free?

To make the battered broccoli gluten-free, simply swap out the flour for a gluten-free grain-based flour and the panko for gluten-free panko or cornmeal.

Storage and reheating

Bang Bang broccoli is best served fresh and hot. I suggest making it in smaller batches, so you don’t have a lot of leftovers. If you do have leftovers, store the components of the dish separately. The fried broccoli will become soggy if stored with the sauce over it.