Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Blue Cheese Dip

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Easy Buffalo cauliflower bites with blue cheese dip are a must for your Super Bowl or tailgating party! These spicy little bites are a healthy twist on your favorite chicken wings.

I love anything in buffalo sauce which inspired today’s buffalo cauliflower bites recipe. If you dipped my son’s stinky sneaker in it I would be hard-pressed not to eat it. Okay, a mild exaggeration, but you get my point. Maybe it’s the upstate NY girl in me, maybe it’s the lover of spice and a little heat, but if I see something slathered in buffalo sauce on the menu I’m ordering it.

I‘m all about the buffalo chicken sandwich, buffalo chicken salad and buffalo chicken dip. I’m in for a big splash of Frank’s RedHot on my eggs and yes…I have made (and am mildly obsessed) with a buffalo deviled egg.

And of course there is no food more synonymous with football and especially Super Bowl parties, than buffalo wings. Until…buffalo cauliflower?

I’m not going to say these buffalo cauliflower bites will turn you off from chicken wings forever, but they are seriously good. See, I get it. We’re still in the resolution/healthy part of the year. We’re still exercising and cutting calories, but frankly it’s exhausting. I’m not one to crash diet, but yeah, after a little slow and steady I’m finally feeling the holiday weight slough off and I’d like to keep it that way. And I really don’t want to think about it all the time.

I absolutely indulge here and there, but when I can have all the flavor and less than half the fat and calories? No brainer. Sign me up.

We’re big cauliflower people in my house. We love it crispy and crunchy; sliced and grilled; sheet pan roasted; pureed until smooth, or bathed in coconut curry. So naturally cauliflower was going to get the buffalo treatment.

Let’s make Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

I tested quite a few different preparations, but today I’m sharing my fave.

1. These cauliflower florets take a quick dunk in a buttermilk batter and are roasted until just golden brown.
2. Then they take another dunk in a Sriracha buffalo sauce bath.
3. A quick trip back to the oven to soak it all up. When they’re done, they’ve soaked in all that goodness, but don’t fall apart when you pick them up.
4. I serve mine the classic way, with a cooling blue cheese dipping sauce and a few sticks of celery for crunch.

Now this is a party food you can get behind. Spicy, tangy, tasty, oh and yeah, a healthy twist on fried wings. Now, to be clear, I still know how to party. Trust me I’m not all carrot sticks and cucumbers.

So in addition to these buffalo cauliflower bites, you can bet these wings and these sausage rolls will be showing up at our Super Bowl festivities and of course I’ll have a sweet treat or two. But in the interest of moderation and maintenance, it’s nice to have some options. And when moderation tastes like indulgence, well pass me a plate!

Tips for success

• The mix of flour and corn starch creates the perfect batter, ensuring that they’re not gummy or too soft after roasting.
• Shake off that excess batter and make sure the pieces are separated on the baking sheet. This allows the coating to brown slightly and adhere to the cauliflower.
• Don’t skimp on the second trip back into the oven. It allows the buffalo sauce to bake into the cauliflower and brown.
• These bites are on the mild side, so dial up the Sriracha if you like more heat!

More Cauliflower Love

• Creamy Cauliflower Mash
• Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner with Cauliflower and Broccoli
• Lemon and Herb Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
• Roasted Cauliflower and Grapes with Yogurt Sauce
• Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

4 from 1 vote

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Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Blue Cheese Dip

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Easy Buffalo cauliflower bites with blue cheese dip are a must for your Super Bowl or tailgating party! These spicy little bites are a healthy twist on your favorite chicken wings.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buffalo cauliflower

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 456 kcal

Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For…

Ingredients

Battered Cauliflower

• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

Buffalo Sauce

• 4 oz unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
• 1 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 cup Franks RedHot Sauce
• 2 Tbsp sriracha sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Blue Cheese Dip

• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Battered Cauliflower

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together the corn starch, flour, baking powder, salt and buttermilk until smooth in a medium bowl.
3. Toss a few pieces of cauliflower into the batter at a time and use a slotted spoon to remove, shaking off excess batter.
4. Place the cauliflower on the lined sheet pan, separating the pieces. Roast for 20-25 mins, until beginning to brown. Remove from the oven.

Buffalo Sauce

1. While the cauliflower roasts, whisk together all of the ingredients for the Buffalo sauce and set aside.

Blue Cheese Dip

1. While the cauliflower roasts, whisk together all of the ingredients for the blue cheese dip and set aside.

Buffalo Cauliflower

1. Toss the roasted cauliflower in the Buffalo sauce and shake off the excess sauce. Reserve sauce.

2. Place the cauliflower on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 5 mins.
3. Serve with the blue cheese dip and reserved Buffalo sauce.

Recipe Notes

• The mix of flour and corn starch creates the perfect batter, ensuring that they’re not gummy or too soft after roasting.
• Shake off that excess batter and make sure the pieces are separated on the baking sheet. This allows the coating to brown slightly and adhere to the cauliflower.
• Don’t skimp on the second trip back into the oven. It allows the buffalo sauce to bake into the cauliflower and brown.
• These bites are on the mild side, so dial up the Sriracha if you like more heat!

Nutrition Facts

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Blue Cheese Dip

Amount Per Serving

Calories 456 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 1877mg82%

Potassium 564mg16%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 950IU19%

Vitamin C 49.4mg60%

Calcium 241mg24%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2017 but was republished with tips in February 2023.