Perfect for Game Time! Right now we have basketball and hockey playoffs – right in the middle of baseball season. These buffalo cauliflower bites are a crowd pleasing snack that is a twist on the traditional buffalo wings but without the chicken. They are not meant to taste like chicken but they do taste pretty good. It’s really all about the buffalo sauce. This is a fun recipe that can cater to various tastes and dietary needs. In my house, we have vegetarian (me) plus gluten free and dairy free omnivores. Everyone was happy.
I posted a recipe for Buffalo Wings Two Ways five or six years ago just before I stopped eating chicken. It included a recipe for both chicken and cauliflower ‘wings’. I decided to circle back and improve on the cauliflower recipe and try to give it more of a coating for the buffalo sauce to stick to. We (me and my test kitchen peeps) went through a few variations and methods but are satisfied with this final version. Due to my gluten free people, I used half almond meal and gluten free panko instead of flour. I was aiming for a thicker and crisper crust. Using white flour or gluten free white flour will result in a lighter crust which some people might prefer. You can also use a whole grain flour like white whole wheat flour for a few extra nutrients or crushed breadcrumbs for some crunch. Any combination of flour and breadcrumbs will work as well.
Why cauliflower? For me the biggest reason is because its not chicken and I still get to have the buffalo sauce. 😉 For everyone else, cauliflower is a chameleon that can become whatever you want it to be. It’s mild nature allows it to absorb flavors and it can be grated and formed into a multitude of carb free and gluten free foods; rice, mashed potatoes, pizza crust, tortillas… Cauliflower is not empty though in spite of its white color. Its an excellent source of vitamin C and good source of B vitamins. Click through for 18 Massive Benefits of Cauliflower
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER BITES
- 1 large head cauliflower (4-5 cups)
- 1 cup vegan milk or water
- 3/4 cup flour/breadcrumbs (or almond meal, GF panko)*See TIPS.
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- cooking oil spray (optional)
- 1 cup Buffalo Sauce(some use butter so check labels)
- 1/2 cup Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing (optional)
- 1-2 cups carrot and celery sticks (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Remove core and cut cauliflower into florets. Cut the larger ones in half.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour/bread mixture, garlic and onion powders, pepper and salt. Add milk and stir until smooth. If it feels too thick (and its not sticking to the cauliflower), add more milk or water. Heavier flour mixtures may need more liquid.
- Using a fork, dip the cauliflower florets into the batter to fully coat and place on the baking sheet. Don’t crowd them, or they will stick together. Spray with cooking oil (optional). Bake for 25 minutes.
- While the cauliflower are baking, prepare the veggies and dips
- Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Using a fork, dip each floret into the buffalo sauce on each cauliflower bite and place back on the baking sheet.
- Bake for another 10- 20 minutes. You can broil for a few minutes for a golden color but don’t take your eyes off of them. They should be tender but not soft.
- Serve with your chosen veggies, dressing and some extra buffalo sauce.
Tips:
I used half almond meal and half gluten free panko (as I was serving gluten free people) which made a nice crunchy coating, however, all purpose white flour is a little lighter. Or feel free to use a combination of flours and breadcrumbs. I also found that dipping them individually into the batter provides better coverage than brushing or stirring them all together. Dairy free people need to check labels to make sure the Buffalo Sauce doesn’t include butter. I used Sweet Baby Rays which does not.
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER BITES
- 1 large head cauliflower (4-5 cups)
- 1 cup vegan milk or water
- 3/4 cup flour/breadcrumbs (or almond meal, GF panko)*See TIPS.
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- cooking oil spray (optional)
- 1 cup Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing (optional)
- 1-2 cups carrot and celery sticks (optional)
-
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Remove core and cut cauliflower into florets. Cut the larger ones in half.
-
In a medium bowl, stir together flour/bread mixture, garlic and onion powders, pepper and salt.
- Add milk and stir until smooth. If it feels too thick (and its not sticking to the cauliflower), add more milk or water. Heavier flour mixtures may need more liquid.
-
Using a fork, dip the cauliflower florets into the batter to fully coat and place on the baking sheet. Don’t crowd them, or they will stick together.
-
Spray with cooking oil (optional). Bake for 25 minutes.
-
While the cauliflower are baking, prepare the veggies and dips (optional)
-
Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Using a fork (since they’re hot), dip each floret into the buffalo sauce on each cauliflower bite and place back on the baking sheet.
- Bake for another 10- 20 minutes. You can broil for a few minutes for a golden color but don’t take your eyes off of them. They should be tender but not soft.
- Serve with your chosen veggies, dressing and some extra buffalo sauce.
Tips:
I used half almond meal and half gluten free panko (as I was serving gluten free people) which made a nice crunchy coating, however, all purpose white flour is a little lighter. Or feel free to use a combination of flours and breadcrumbs. I also found that dipping them individually into the batter provides better coverage than brushing or stirring them all together. Dairy free people need to check labels to make sure the Buffalo Sauce doesn’t include butter. I used Sweet Baby Rays which does not.
goodmotherdiet 
Great post 🙂
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