Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
We are big fans of buffalo cauliflower in our house. The buffalo and blue cheese combo was one of the flavors I missed most when I first became a vegetarian. I bought some of the fake chicken patties and would coat them in buffalo sauce and blue cheese for a buffalo sammie, but this option, baked buffalo cauliflower, is SO MUCH BETTER! Not only does it taste better, but it is better for you. Raf had a similar concern after he stopped eating meat. When we first started dating he had been a vegetarian for a few months but wasn’t sure he could keep it up during football season, so I introduced him to this style buffalo “wings’ and well… he is still a vegetarian 5 years later.
So, it did take me a little while to nail down the best version of buffalo cauliflower. I tried different variations of batters and breadcrumb-ing (some lighter, some heavier) before coming up with this combo that totally hits home and has an awesome texture. To make them I combine flour with unsweetened oat (or almond) milk to make a batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the cauliflower but not too thick that it heavily glunks on. Then I roll the batter covered cauliflower in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture which creates the perfect texture. The cauliflower pieces are then baked at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes (flipping halfway through) until the breadcrumb coating is golden brown and crispy. Then toss the cauliflower in your favorite buffalo sauce. I use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo sauce (it’s a classic) but there are so many options out there, or you could make your own!
You want to serve these right away after coating them. I love serving them with the classic blue cheese dipping sauce with carrots and celery on the side. These are a perfect game day snack but there is no reason to save them only for football season… These yummy bites should be enjoyed year round!
If you enjoyed this recipe you should check out these Buffalo Rice Balls too!
Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 (+) cup of unsweetened oat or almond milk
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- your favorite buffalo sauce
- For Serving: Blue cheese dressing, carrot sticks, celery
Instructions
- PREHAT: your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with a non-stick spray. (I actually use an avocado oil spray for this)
- COMBINE: Start with two medium bowls, add the flour and oat milk to one bowl, stir to combine and create a batter, if the batter seems to thick add a little more milk a tablespoon at a time. In the second bowl combine the breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder and paprika.
- BATTER UP: Dip each floret first in the batter, shaking off any excess then roll in the breadcrumbs to fully cover. Place finished cauliflower pieces on your prepared baking sheet. Continue until all the florets are coated. (Tip: Use one hand for the batter and one for the breadcrumb mixture, helps keep the process cleaner)
- BAKE: Bake the cauliflower at 400 for 20 minutes, flip all the pieces over and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes until the breadcrumbs are nice and golden brown.
- COAT: When the cauliflower is done in the oven place and a large bowl with your favorite buffalo sauce. Toss to event coat each piece in sauce.
- SERVE: Enjoy the buffalo cauliflower with blue cheese dipping sauce (or ranch or whatever your heart desires) and celery and carrots.