These spicy and crispy buffalo cauliflower bites are the best vegetarian wing alternative there is and will make a cauliflower lower out of anyone. Easy to make with just 10 minutes of active cooking these buffalo cauliflower wings are healthy-ish and perfect to dip in blue cheese sauce or put in tacos or on pizza.
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Now there's no recipe from this blog I make more often than these Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. It's my all-time #1 favorite - and my friends' favorite as well.
Whether served as a snack on its own, with a side of potato wedges or in the oh-so-popular Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos - they're a winner every time.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's easy with just a few simple steps
- It's pretty quick with just 10 minutes of actual "cooking"
- Spicy, crispy & flavor packed - it's just impossible to stop eating them
- They're healthier than your standard wings
- Vegetarian and easy to make gluten and dairy free - so it works for most dietary requirements
What you need to make Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Panko breadcrumbs can be swapped for regular or gluten free breadcrumbs
- Salted butter can be switched for unsalted, but then add a pinch of salt to the sauce as well
- Hot sauce - I love Cholula and Frank's RedHot , but you can use what you have
- Flour can be substituted for a gluten free version - but then use less milk
- Milk can be switched for a non-dairy alternative
- Butter can be swapped for a non-dairy alternative like vegetable oil - ½ dl or ¼ cup for 4 servings of this recipe
How to make them
- Place flour in a large bowl
- Add all the dry spices
- Pour in milk
- Mix together until you have an even batter
- Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl
- Mix well, making sure the pieces get coated on all sides
- Add the panko breadcrumbs
- Mix well, again making sure the pieces get well coated
- Place the breaded cauliflower on a lined baking sheet
- Spread out the pieces and try to get them as separated as possible. Then bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
- When the 20 minutes are up, place butter in a sauce pan over medium heat
- Allow to melt
- With the sauce pan still over the heat, pour in the hot sauce and mix. Keep mixing until done.
- When done, it should be even in consistency and the hot sauce should have melted into the butter
- Bring out the cauliflower
- Place in a bowl
- Pour over buffalo sauce
- Mix well
- When all the pieces are nicely coated, you're done
- Pour the cauliflower pieces back out on the baking sheet
- Spread out evenly, and bake in the middle of the oven for 5 more minutes
- Bring out and serve immediately!
Tips & tricks
- You can also air fry them to make make air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites
- Choose your favorite size - bigger pieces are great for dipping, and smaller are better for adding to salads and tacos or just eating by the spoonful
- Larger pieces crisp up better - about half the size of a regular chicken wing gives the best crisp
- Make the pieces roughly the same size for an even cook...
- ...or make them different sizes to keep it interesting - with some softer pieces and some crispier
- Make it gluten-free by subsituting flour and panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free versions, and use less milk
- Make it dairy free and vegan by substituting butter and milk for vegan alternatives
- Make it less spicy by using less hot sauce - this version is pretty spicy
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days - they will loose in texture, but not in flavor
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven or air fryer
Recipe FAQ
I always use Cholula Original or Frank's RedHot - but you can use any similar type of hot sauce. Just keep in mind the level of spiciness of your sauce and adjust the ratio of hot sauce to butter accordingly.
You can also use Tabasco - but then use less; half or a quarter of what is stated in the recipe. You will get the heat, but not as much of that buffalo sauce flavor.
Sriracha is another option which changes the flavor profile a lot, but they still come out delicious.
Yes, absolutely! However, since you are then not mixing the sauce with butter your wings will not turn out as crispy.
If your buffalo cauliflower is soggy it's probably due to making the pieces too small, not cooking them long enough, or not having the heat high enough. Adding a bit more time at a higher temperature usually does the trick!
What to serve with Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are great with everything you'd normally serve with buffalo wings; including blue cheese, ranch dressing, and celery sticks. But they also go amazing together with avocado and cilantro.
So either have them on their own as a snack or appetizer with a cooling dip, or serve them on top of a buffalo cauliflower pizza or in buffalo cauliflower tacos.
They will also make a great side for chicken quesadillas or vegetarian tacos.
More delicious buffalo recipes
Looking for more quick & easy buffalo recipes?
- Buffalo Shrimp
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
- 15-minute Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Loaded Sweet Potato Skins with Buffalo Bacon & Blue Cheese Sauce
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Buffalo Cauliflower
Print Pin RateIngredients
Buffalo Cauliflower
- 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower medium-sized = around ½ lb (450 g)
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoon salted butter or unsalted + a pinch of salt
- ½ cup hot sauce Cholula, Frank's RedHot, or other
To serve
- 1 batch 5-minute Blue Cheese Sauce optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 430°F (225°C) and place a non-stick baking paper on a sheet pan.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-size pieces.1 medium-sized head of cauliflower
- Mix together the flour, milk, salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl. Add the cauliflower and mix well, making sure the pieces get covered on all sides.½ cup flour, ½ cup milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add the panko to the bowl, and mix well. Make sure the cauliflower pieces get covered on all sides with panko as well.⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Spread out the cauliflower pieces on the sheet pan and make sure they are well separated. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is cooking you can prepare the buffalo sauce. Melt butter in a sauce pan and pour in the hot sauce while the butter is still hot on the stove. Mix well to an even consistency.3 tablespoon salted butter, ½ cup hot sauce
- After 20 minutes, remove the cauliflower from the oven and place in a bowl. Pour over the buffalo sauce. Toss, making sure to cover the cauliflower well, and then return to the baking sheet. Pour over any remaining buffalo sauce and place back in the oven for an additional 5 min. Bring out and serve immediately with the dipping sauce of your choice.1 batch 5-minute Blue Cheese Sauce
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
- Make it gluten-free by subsituting flour and panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free versions, and use less milk
- Panko breadcrumbs can be swapped for regular or gluten free breadcrumbs
- Make it dairy free and vegan by substituting butter and milk for vegan alternatives
- Butter can be swapped for a non-dairy alternative like vegetable oil - ½ dl or ¼ cup for 4 servings of this recipe
- You can make these in your air fryer * - check out my complete guide to making buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer
- Choose your favorite size - bigger pieces are great for dipping, and smaller are better for adding to salads and tacos or just eating by the spoonful
- Larger pieces crisp up better - about half the size of a regular chicken wing gives the best crisp
- Make the pieces roughly the same size for an even cook...
- ...or make them different sizes to keep it interesting - with some softer pieces and some crispier
- Make it less spicy by using less hot sauce - this version is pretty spicy
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days - they will loose in texture, but not in flavor
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven or air fryer *
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
These sound like such a wonderful vegetarian alternative and sound so tasty and full of flavour! Might have to make some for myself right now!
Emmeline Kemperyd
I think you probably should! 😉 It's such a nice yummy treat!
Helen @ familly-friends-food.com
These look so easy and sound delicious. I'mm sure my family are going to love them!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Everyone usually does 😉 Let me know how they turn out for you!
Mirlene
The bites to love - no doubts about that. And that dips works so well with the bites (my friend is making a very similar recipe). Excited to make it myself now!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Let me know how it turns out!
Tawnie Kroll
So easy and delicious, your step by step photos were so helpful! Thank you!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Tawnie, happy I could help! 😀
Deanne
I love buffalo everything and these were just perfect in some soft tacos for dinner. Going on the make ahead list for sure!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Oh yes, perfect filling for tacos! So happy you liked it!
Andrea Metlika
I really like that these are breaded and that you bake the sauce on them. Yummy!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thanks Andrea!
Elaine
I love it when I find a new cauliflower recipe - it makes it so much fun to know that when I buy cauliflower next time, I will be cooking it a new way. Definitely a great dipping idea and absolutely agree - NO NO to frying!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Same here, Elaine! I've become so obsessed with cauliflower these past years so I am always looking for new ways to make it. But this way is THE favorite one for sure! Thank you for commenting!
Kushigalu
One of my favorite flavors. Cauliflower looks so delicious.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Kushigalu!
Michelle
Love this healthy snack! Easy, cheap, and you don't feel like you're eating vegetables!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Exactly! And so so tasty!
Adrianne
Love the vego wings idea here! The steps along the way are awesome. Looks healthy but tasty at the same time. YUM!!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Adrianne! Yep, a bit healthier at least but even tastier than the reg wings in my book.
Cheese Curd In Paradise
These are perfect for game day! I love that they are baked in the sauce on a sheet pan. They get crisp and are perfect for dipping in that delicious and perfect blue cheese sauce!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you for your comment! Def perfect for game day - or just a lazy Saturday in front of Netflix 😉
Byron Thomas
I'm a food blogger as well, and I can totally relate to the desire to update photos because your photography skills have improved. I also look at things like styling a plate and angles. I think over the years I've gotten much better at locating problems before we eat all of the food so that I can do a re-shoot. 🙂
This buffalo cauliflower looks easy to make and yummy too. I love the twice bake method!
Emmeline Kemperyd
So true! I think what's most valuable is seeing the mistakes beforehand - like a spot somewhere or something that's just a little bit off. Saves a lot of trouble in editing!
Danielle
Such a great walkthrough - one of the easiest instructions I've seen. I was wondering what else to make with cauliflower and here you go - your recipe! Paired with blue cheese dip this cauliflower looks like the perfect crowd pleaser!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you so much Danielle! Yes if you haven't made this then this should definitely be next up - buffalo cauliflower is the only thing I crave more than wings now I think.
Harriet
Crisp, crunchy and spicy your recipe looks and sounds so nice.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Harriet!
Kylee
Whilst I am a confirmed, card-carrying carnivore, I can't deny that every time I make these, I sway a little towards vegetarianism. We've made these 3 times this month already, it's a keeper!!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Wow! That's a good review! So happy you like them! 😀 😀 I do love my meat as well but yeah these babies... the only thing I get more severe cravings for than ribs & normal wings 😉