Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe

This buffalo cauliflower recipe has been a long time coming. I’m glad to get it to you just before the big game! This recipe is a vegetarian spin on buffalo wings, featuring caramelized roasted cauliflower with an irresistibly spicy coating. It’s the perfect watch party appetizer.

Restaurant-style buffalo cauliflower is typically deep fried (and delicious), but I wanted to make homemade buffalo cauliflower in the oven. I tried it every which way to get here, and many renditions were simply not good. The cauliflower was either soggy, too saucy, too salty, or otherwise not quite right.

I gave up on the idea last year after I landed on buffalo Brussels sprouts instead.

Here’s what I ran into along the way. Many homemade buffalo cauliflower recipes feature cauliflower tossed in a flour and water mixture before baking, with the promise that it produces a deep fried effect. It would be cool if that worked, but it doesn’t. Simply roasting the cauliflower on its own doesn’t yield crispy-enough results, and tossing the cauliflower in sauce after baking negates all crispness anyway.

I finally picked up a new tip from a loosely-written Bon Appetit recipe—cornstarch. Cornstarch helps make my baked sweet potato fries extra crispy, and it does the same for this cauliflower, offering a crispy outside to a high-moisture vegetable without frying. That means that this recipe is gluten free as well. Hooray!

It’s way too easy to eat this buffalo cauliflower straight off the sheet pan before it makes it to the serving platter. You have been warned.

You’ll find step-by-step photos and the full recipe below, but here’s why this recipe works so well:

Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe by Tasty

Cauliflower is aaaaall the rage nowadays, and there’s nothing like a new trend to get you excited to fire it up in the kitchen! Maybe you love cauliflower rice, or you’re often found chowing down on a cauliflower crust pizza. But we’re throwing it back with the recipe that started all the #cauliflowerlove: buffalo cauliflower. They’re so flavor-packed that won’t even miss wing night with these around.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition Facts: calories 265 calories, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fat 9 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 7 grams, Sugar 12 grams

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¾ cup milk or milk alternative
• 1 head cauliflower
• ¼ cup buffalo sauce or hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F (230˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and milk, and stir until well-combined.
3. Break the head of cauliflower into florets, about 1½-inches wide. Add the cauliflower florets to the batter, making sure each piece is evenly coated. Arrange the coated cauliflower on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the buffalo sauce, coconut oil, and honey and stir until evenly combined. Brush the buffalo sauce mixture on the cauliflower and bake for another 20 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower

This buffalo cauliflower recipe is completely irresistible! It strikes the perfect balance of crisp, tender and spicy. Recipe yields 4 generous side servings.

Prep: 20min

Total: 1h

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 side serving, no dip or additional veggies

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 side serving, no dip or additional veggies, calories 196 calories, Sugar 4.1 g, Sodium 410.8 mg, Fat 13.5 g, Saturated Fat 4.9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 18.3 g, Fiber 5.8 g, Protein 4.8 g, Cholesterol 15.3 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower (about 3 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons Frank’s red hot sauce, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Optional, for serving: Ranch dressing or blue cheese dip, carrot and celery sticks and strips of bell pepper

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cauliflower from sticking.
2. Cut the cauliflower into large florets, about 2 to 3 inches in size. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with the cornstarch, garlic powder and pepper. Then drizzle in the olive oil and toss until lightly and evenly coated.
3. Arrange the florets evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Set the used bowl aside, but keep it nearby.
4. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes on the lower rack, then gently toss. Return the pan to the lower rack and bake until the cauliflower is tender and golden, about 10 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in your reserved bowl, combine the hot sauce and melted butter. Whisk to combine. Taste, and stir in another tablespoon of hot sauce if desired (it won’t taste as intense once it’s on the cauliflower). Once the cauliflower is golden, transfer it to the bowl and gently toss until the cauliflower is well coated.
6. Arrange the cauliflower on the pan in a single layer once again. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cauliflower is blistered in spots, about 10 more minutes. Serve as desired.

Buffalo Cauliflower

FAQ

Is buffalo cauliflower healthier than wings?

How to make Costco Buffalo cauliflower?

What is buffalo cauliflower made of?

How do you make buffalo cauliflower eat smart?