Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Cauliflower was once just the sidekick of broccoli and carrots in mundane vegetable medleys. But in recent years, it has proved to be more than just a one-trick pony. Now it masquerades as a substitute for rice and mashed potatoes. You’ll find it in soups, pizza crusts and—in today’s recipe—as a stand-in for buffalo wings. Cauliflower is truly a culinary chameleon!

This was my first attempt at making buffalo cauliflower bites, so I studied at least a dozen different recipes before developing my own. Here are a few things I discovered along the way:

  • There are a few different ways to prepare your baking sheet. My preferred method is to cover it with aluminum foil first for easy cleanup. Then I place a an oven-safe cooling rack on top, which allows air to circulate below the cauliflower, keeping it from becoming soggy. You can also place the cauliflower directly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or one that has been greased with oil.

  • The amount of hot sauce can be adjusted according to your preferences. In the recipes I viewed, measurements ranged from 1 tablespoon to a full cup. I can’t handle too much heat, so I used 2 tablespoons, which was enough to coat the florets completely. If you like hot and spicy, you could add another 1-2 tablespoons, but any more than that and your cauliflower will be swimming in sauce.
  • I chose coconut oil as a vegan alternative to the butter that’s typically used in buffalo sauce. While the hot sauce was undoubtedly dominant, I could taste the slightest essence of coconut in the finished cauliflower bites. This didn’t bother me, but if you have an aversion to coconut, you might want to experiment with another oil.
  • When the cauliflower bites go into the oven for round 2, it’s a good idea to check them at the 10-minute mark. Mine were fine after the full 20 minutes and probably could have kept baking even longer. But, every oven is different, and it’s best to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
  • These didn’t turn out as crispy as I’d expected. I read through the comments on other recipes and found this to be a common complaint, but I’m not sure anything can be done to remedy it. Perhaps it’s the moisture in the cauliflower that keeps the batter from crisping up perfectly. Crispy or not, this is a healthy snack with all the flavor of buffalo wings, and it’s definitely worth a try.

 

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
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Ingredients

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
    • Batter
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup water
    • Buffalo Sauce
  • 2-4 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot Original)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven-safe rack on top. Grease the rack with oil.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, garlic powder and salt. Whisk in water until smooth.
  3. Add cauliflower to bowl and toss until each piece is coated in batter. Spoon cauliflower onto prepared rack in a single layer.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes until batter is set.
  5. While cauliflower bakes, mix together melted coconut oil and hot sauce.
  6. Remove cauliflower from oven and toss with buffalo sauce until each piece is evenly coated.
  7. Return to rack and bake for another 10-20 minutes, until cauliflower begins to brown. The time will vary depending on your oven.
  8. Cool slightly before serving.
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