Crispy buffalo cauliflower is tossed in a 2 ingredient buffalo sauce then baked until beautifully caramelized on the outside, tender on the inside, and loaded with that tangy sauce we all love! Serve with raw veggie sticks and your favorite creamy dip for a light and easy appetizer!
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Crave-able Crispy Tender Bites
Buffalo cauliflower bites are not meant to taste like Buffalo wings, but I assure you, if it’s the crispy edges, a crunchy coating, juiciness on the inside, and the flavor of the buffalo sauce you’re after, these little appetizers have that and more.
The caramelized edges made from baking not frying get a little help from a secret ingredient. So often we associate a crunchy coating with a batter made of flour, but this time, we’re using cornstarch too!
Then, once we bake them for a bit, we toss them in the sauce and continue to bake so the sauce has a chance to caramelize. These Buffalo cauliflower florets turn out perfect every time!
So, whether you’re looking for a vegetarian game day snack or a lighter, meatless appetizer for a Super Bowl party, easy Buffalo cauliflower wings are always a welcome addition. Don’t forget my buffalo chicken dip too!
Why This Recipe Works
- A healthier option. Crispy baked buffalo cauliflower is made with a light batter and without deep frying. You can make them low-carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly by omitting the flour batter if you’d like. They’re also a vegetable, so there’s that!
- All the flavor! Everyone loves that tangy, spicy, slightly buttery sauce. These addicting cauliflower bites are going to be the first things to go. Even if straight off the baking sheet!
- Easy peasy. Cutting the cauliflower without little bits flying everywhere may just be the hardest part of all of this.
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- All-purpose flour & cornstarch: The flour is used to thicken the batter to coat the veg and the cornstarch is used to absorb excess moisture ensuring crispy results.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper are all the staples of a simple seasoning. You can play around with whatever seasonings you like.
- Water: The liquid used to turn the flour into a batter. It’s light and won’t weigh it down.
- Cauliflower florets: I suggest chopping a head of cauliflower yourself so you can get them uniform size for even baking. If you do buy pre-chopped, you can go through it and cut any larger ones down to size. I also like to cut them down lengthwise so they lay flat on the baking sheet.
- Buffalo sauce: A combination of Frank’s Red Hot original or Frank’s Buffalo wing sauce and melted butter.
A Variation
If you want to savor the flavor of the roasted cauliflower and make them gluten free, do this:
Toss the cauliflower with 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, and pepper. Drizzle with 2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil. Bake as directed.
What is Buffalo Sauce?
It’s more than just a hot sauce. Typically people use hot sauce for heat, but Buffalo sauce while it does add heat, also adds incredible flavor. That’s because in addition to the hot sauce, it’s made with vinegar (the tang is addicting!), Worcestershire sauce, and butter, giving it that smooth, rich consistency and taste.
You can make your own from scratch, or take a little shortcut with me by combining Frank’s Red Hot with melted butter. So easy and so good on buffalo cauliflower and more.
How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower
- Make the batter. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then, stir in the water until it becomes a smooth batter. Toss in the florets and make sure they’re all evenly coated, then drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake the florets. Transfer the cauliflower to an unlined, nonstick baking sheet (also why we drizzle with olive oil) and arrange them in a single layer leaving enough room in between each one. Cook in a preheated 425ºF oven for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for another 10 minutes.
- Whip up the Buffalo sauce. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the hot sauce and butter. Remove the cauliflower from the oven once the 25 minutes of bake time is up and pour the hot sauce mixture overtop each floret.
- Finish baking. Toss carefully until they are all coated and place the baking sheet back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until the edges are nice and crisp.
Serve buffalo cauliflower just like you would your wings. With a side of cool creamy blue cheese or ranch dip and some fresh carrot and celery sticks.
Expert Tips
- Get rid of excess batter. Once you’ve tossed the veggies in the batter, allow any excess to drip off before placing them on the baking sheet.
- Easier cleanup. I like to bake mine directly on the baking sheet, but you can also use foil or parchment paper lining for easy cleanup.
- Similar size. It’s important to cut the pieces evenly. Not too small or they’ll burn, and not too big or they’ll be underdone.
- Extra crispy buffalo cauliflower wings: Broil for 2-3 minutes during final cooking time.
Recipe FAQs
You can. The only thing is you’ll probably need to work in batches as you’ve got a smaller area to work with and you don’t want to overcrowd the basket.
After the first coating, roast them at 400ºF for 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Then, after saucing them, cook them for another 5-7 minutes.
No, I wouldn’t. Stick with fresh, raw cauliflower. If you use frozen, once they are thawed they are mushy, which sort of defeats the purpose!
Rather than pouring the sauce overtop the florets, use a basting brush to coat each one individually. You could also use a small spoon to drizzle the sauce overtop.
Either way, you want to make sure you’re using the desired amount to achieve maximum Buffalo sauce flavor.
There could be several reasons starting with how well you dried your florets after washing them. Any remaining moisture will only create steam. Also if you did not allow any excess batter to drip off.
Too much moisture would also hinder the crisping process. You also want to remember to have just a single layer, keeping space between the pieces so the heat can circulate evenly.
Last, it could be that you’ve overcooked them. Bake until tender-crisp, it’s totally fine to check on them along the way!
Serving Suggestions
If you’ve managed to resist eating them directly off the pan, I would suggest serving them with some dipping sauces just like you would buffalo chicken wings. Blue cheese dressing and ranch dressing are classic choices.
You can also make them a part of your dinner with a side of baked sweet potato fries and chicken wings! I’d say lemon pepper wings instead of traditional since you’ve already got your Buffalo bases covered.
You could even use these nuggets of buffalo cauliflower as a salad topper for our buffalo chicken salad, in a veggie taco, or in place of chicken in our buffalo chicken wrap.
Storing
Keep leftover buffalo cauliflower stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or the air fryer to get a little crispy back or in the microwave for a quick reheat without the crispiness.
Looking for more Buffalo sauce recipes? Get started with baked buffalo chicken dip, buffalo chicken pizza, and Instant Pot buffalo chicken.
More Easy Appetizers
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Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt , to taste
- Freshly cracked pepper
- ¼ cup water , as needed
- 1 head cauliflower , chopped and florets sliced lengthwise (about 7 cups)
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil , plus more if needed
Buffalo Sauce
- ⅓ cup Frank's Redhot Original Hot Sauce , or Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
For serving
- Ranch dressing , or blue cheese dressing
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Set aside a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the water until a smooth batter forms. Add the cauliflower florets and toss until coated. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Pour onto the baking sheet. Cook 15 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the hot sauce and butter.
- Remove cauliflower from the oven and add to the hot sauce mixture. Toss carefully until well coated. Return to the baking sheet. Cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is crispy around the edges.
- Enjoy warm with ranch dressing, celery, and carrots, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Mini appetizers, Side Dishes, Super Bowl, Vegetarian
Buffalo cauliflower is one of my favorite snacks! Thanks for the easy recipe!
This recipe is super easy to follow and the results are amazing! Definitely making again!
Great recipe! Delicious