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These buffalo cauliflower bites are baked until golden brown and crisp, then coated in a buttery buffalo sauce. The balance of flavors and textures is incredible, and you’ll love how hands-off this recipe is!
In my kitchen, I love experimenting with new cauliflower recipes for my family. That’s why they’ve been enjoying cauliflower casserole, sesame cauliflower, and cauliflower buffalo wings.
In this buffalo cauliflower recipe, cauliflower is the star of the show. Each floret is coated in batter and baked until the outside is golden brown and crisp while the inside remains tender and flavorful. Then, they’re smothered in spicy, buttery, buffalo sauce, soaking into every nook and cranny.
Pair them with fresh veggies or dipping sauces, and you have the perfect appetizer, side dish, or game-day snack ready to go!
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Diet-friendly. These buffalo bites are naturally vegetarian and made with simple ingredients. They’re also easy to make vegan and gluten-free with a few basic swaps.
- Healthier. Like my curry cauliflower, baking these cauliflower bites makes them WAY healthier than deep frying– and don’t even get me started on how they compare to buffalo chicken wings.
- Minimal prep and cleanup. I can not understate how quickly this dish comes together. And since only one bowl and one baking dish are required, cleanup is a breeze.
Ingredients needed
Just 7 basic ingredients are needed to get these buffalo bites on the table. Here’s exactly what you’ll need:
- Cauliflower. One large fresh head of cauliflower, chopped into equal-sized florets.
- Flour. I used regular all-purpose flour, but you can use gluten-free flour if needed.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk. If you don’t have milk, water will work.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Buffalo sauce. The star ingredient. I used Frank’s Buffalo Sauce, but there are tons of options, so use your favorite.
- Butter. A little melted butter will thin out the sauce and add an extra flavor component.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to make buffalo cauliflower bites
Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 450F/220C and line a baking sheet with greased foil or parchment paper.
Step 2- Dredge. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with ½ cup milk and salt and pepper to taste. Add the cauliflower florets to the flour mixture and toss to coat.
Step 3- Bake. Place the cauliflower florets in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. While the cauliflower is baking, stir together the buffalo sauce and butter.
Step 4- Coat in sauce. Pour the buffalo sauce mixture over the cauliflower and toss to coat. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until crispy and beginning to brown.
Air fryer option
Don’t want to use your oven to make this recipe? Try my air fryer buffalo cauliflower which uses, you guessed it, the air fryer.
Recipe tips and variations
- Add seasonings. Add some garlic powder or onion powder to the flour mixture to elevate the flavor.
- Make vegan buffalo cauliflower wings. All you have to do is swap the butter for vegan butter or oil.
- Chop evenly. I know cauliflower can be tricky to cut into uniform shapes, but try to chop them into roughly equal bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Add more heat. If you’re a spice nut, add a few extra dashes of straight hot sauce. I used Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
- Make a display! Don’t get me wrong, these buffalo bites taste incredible on their own, but when I want to take them to another level, I serve them on a tray with carrot and celery sticks along with a handful of sauces, like ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or cheese sauce.
- Toss in bread crumbs. This is totally optional, but if you want to ramp up the texture of these buffalo bites even more, toss them in panko bread crumbs after the flour mixture.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover buffalo bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To freeze: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge, or add more reheating time.
To reheat: To keep their crispy texture, I recommend reheating leftover buffalo bites in an oven at 350F for 8-10 minutes or in the air fryer at 375 for 4-5 minutes. I would avoid microwaving the bites as they’ll likely get soggy.
Frequently asked questions
Buffalo cauliflower can be a healthier alternative to chicken as cauliflower is fat-free and very low in calories. However, cauliflower also lacks protein, so it depends on your individual goals. Whichever you choose, I recommend baking instead of frying to make them healthier.
These cauliflower bites are great on their own, or you can serve them with crispy veggies and dipping sauces, like ranch or blue cheese dressing.
These buffalo cauliflower wings are suitable for a keto diet by swapping the all-purpose flour for almond flour. If the batter is too thin, add an extra tablespoon of almond flour.
More veggie appetizers to try
- Zucchini fries– Crispy, crunchy, and made in the oven or air fryer.
- Veggie chips– Light and savory chips made with whatever root veggies you have on hand.
- Baked sweet potato tots– A healthy and grain-free twist on classic sweet potato tots.
- Cauliflower steak– Buttery and tender, dressed in melted butter and simple seasonings.
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Video
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower approximately 5 cups
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2/3 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220C.450F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or foil, grease it well, and set aside. Chop your cauliflower into bite sized pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, milk, salt, and pepper. Whisk well. Add the cauliflower and toss to coat.
- Place the battered cauliflower on the lined tray and bake for 20 minutes. While the cauliflower bakes, whisk together the buffalo sauce with the butter.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven and brush each piece with buffalo sauce. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe originally published August 2020 but updated to include new information, photos, and a video for your benefit.
I don’t like buffalo sauce…. Is there any other flavoring that can be used instead??
Sure, use a hot sauce of choice.
Can you use frozen cauliflower to make this?
I haven’t tried but feel free to experiment and see.
The instructions at the top say “In a mixing bowl, combine your milk with spices and whisk together. In another bowl, add your almond flour. Moving quickly, dip your cauliflower in the milk mixture, before dipping in the almond flour”. But the instructions on the recipe card say “In a mixing bowl, add your almond milk, salt, and pepper. Whisk well. Fold through your almond flour until fully incorporated. Dip your cauliflower pieces completely in the batter”. I’m assuming the latter is correct, yes?
Sorry the latter is correct, I’ll amend this now- Thanks for pointing it out, Ira!
Can’t wit to try keto nan bread & broccoĺi wing bites.
Fantastic 🙂