Can I get away with Buffalo Cauliflower Wings?
Normally Don (the hubs) wouldn't be to keen on a buffalo chicken wing alternative, especially one that is completely meatless! When I told him we were taking the Meatless Monday Night challenge to start incorporating a more plant-based diet, he groaned "I think we should just do away with all days of the week that start with 'M'!" haha I explained how that wouldn't work, because we could just make it a Tofu Tuesday. He wasn't amused...When Monday night rolled around, I had these spicy buffalo cauliflower bites, aka cauliflower wings, ready and waiting for him when he walked in the door from work. As usual, Don is a good sport and will try anything I make, so he dug right in! I was in the other room when I heard, "WOW! If I didn't know better I'd think these were chicken wings!" SCORE!!
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites for the WIN!
Don gobbled them right up and asked for more! Meatless Monday Night mission accomplished! He also loved the homemade ranch dip I made for dipping the buffalo cauliflower bites. Shhhhh I didn't tell him that it is dairy free. I figured I better not push my luck. Now, I need to run out and get more cauliflower, because these Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are going to be making a regular appearance on game days!
Scroll down past my photo tutorial to access the ingredients and directions all in one place, if you prefer. Thanks!
How to Make Dairy Free Ranch Dipping Sauce
Start this recipe by making the dairy-free ranch dip, that way it can chill in the refrigerator while the buffalo cauliflower bites are being prepared. The dip is very easy to make and can be mixed by hand. I recommend using fresh herbs for maximum flavor.
In a mixing bowl, combine the following:
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped
- fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare the batter for the buffalo cauliflower bites by combining the following:- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
and whisk until smooth and thickened.
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Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Published 10/22/2015
Ingredients
Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing- 1/2 cup Silk Soymilk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Silk Soymilk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter
- 1 (5 ounce) bottle cayenne pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup Silk Soymilk, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 tablespoon fresh dill, 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh chives, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk to combine. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place an oven-safe rack on top of the foil and spray generously with cooking spray.
- Prepare the batter for the cauliflower by combining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup Silk Soymilk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, & 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Gently toss the cauliflower with the batter, being sure to coat the cauliflower thoroughly.
- Place the coated cauliflower onto the prepared rack, being sure to leave space between each one. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to brown.
- While the cauliflower is baking, melt 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter and mix with 1 (5 ounce) bottle of cayenne pepper sauce and 1 tablespoon honey. Whisk to combine. Give it a taste and adjust the flavors to your liking. When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the oven and toss with the hot sauce mixture.
- Spray the rack with cooking spray again and place the cauliflower back on the rack. Put back in the oven for 10 more minutes until browned to your liking. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a serving dish with the Dairy-Free Ranch Dip and enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 mins.
Total time: 45 mins.
Click here to visit Life Tastes Good's Appetizer page for more delicious appetizer recipes such as my Skillet Jalapeno Popper Dip
Tags: Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, Appetizer, Football, Silk, Dairy-Free, Meatless, Vegetable, Spicy, Buffalo Wings, Ranch Dressing
I love using cauliflower instead of chicken. It makes an amazing appetizer. Yours look so crispy and delicious especially with the dipping sauce.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try these! Such a fun change up from chicken!
ReplyDeleteYou make these look so tempting! I'm seriously going to have to give these a try sometime! I know Joe would be skeptical, but if Don liked them so will Joe!
ReplyDeleteExcellent use of the Silk Marion! So creative! I especially love that you batter-baked the cauliflower. I've never seek that, but I can imagineit gave the florets some texture before buffalo saucing them up. I love this recipe.
ReplyDeleteToo cute about Don and so smart with your response...however I bet if you make tofu he will love it too. lol I have to try this out, looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteCould you use almond milk instead of soy?
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried that, but I don't see why not. I imagine the only difference would be in the taste with the added nuttiness from the almond milk. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you! Thanks for the great question. Happy New Year :)
DeleteIs there something that can replace the soy milk? I'm sensitive to it because of thyroid issues. They look so yummy!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! You can use regular milk. Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!
DeleteIf you want to keep it dairy free, I used unsweetened almond milk. Both the batter and dip come out delicious.
DeleteIf you want to keep it dairy free, I used unsweetened almond milk. Both the batter and dip come out delicious.
DeleteIs there something that can replace the soy milk? I'm sensitive to it because of thyroid issues. They look so yummy!
ReplyDeleteI use unsweetened original almond milk (Blue Diamond brand), but you can also use cashew milk, coconut milk, rice milk, oat milk, etc.
DeleteLast night I made buffalo cauliflower bites using part of your recipe (I used ranch dressing I had on hand, Franks Wing Sauce, and dairy milk rather than the Silk soy milk) so basically I used the batter and baking methods for the buffalo cauliflower. They turned out fantastic! I like that they weren't soggy and of course, the incredible flavor! We didn't finish all of them last night so I reheat the remaining in the oven for lunch today. They were still just as good reheated. :) When I have more time, I'd like to give your ranch dressing and homemade sauce a try as well. Thank you for the great recipe!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like the recipe, Julie. Thanks for taking the time to let me know! You put a big smile on my face :)
DeleteTrying to understand why you used mayo if you are posting about dairy free and meat free. Sub out mayo with Just Mayo this would make the recipe complete animal free.
ReplyDeleteMany people do associate mayo with dairy, however it is eggs, oil, & vinegar. No dairy. The recipe is meat free, but if you would like this to be vegan, then by all means use a substitute :) I hope that helps ~Marion
DeleteI was wondering if you could sub the AP flour for cassava flour to make it paleo?
ReplyDeleteI've been searching for a good buffalo cauliflower recipe and this one looks delicious! I'm wondering if it's possible to sub the AP flour for cassava flour to make it grain/gluten free?
ReplyDeleteI have not tried that and having not worked with cassava flour it is hard for me to give you a good answer. The flour acts as a coating in this recipe to help hold the hot sauce better and also to crisp them up a little better. I don't know how cassava flour would perform. I'm sorry I'm not much help, but please let me know how it works if you give it a try. Thanks so much!
DeleteI have made a similar recipe using cassava flour and it works well. Since it is such a starchy flour, cut the liquid in half and add more as needed to make it a batter. It will thin out quickly. I've also used garbanzo bean flour, which works really well too, though not paleo, it would be grain free, and also adds a nice bit of protein. A combination of garbanzo and cassava works well too!
DeleteDoes it have to be fresh cauliflower? I had frozen a bunch a while back and was wondering if I could use that. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I haven't made this recipe with frozen cauliflower, but I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work. Enjoy!
DeleteIf using frozen cauliflower, would it need to be thawed any first?
DeleteMary, I haven't tried it, but I would thaw it first before using in this recipe. Enjoy!
DeleteOk, thanks! Looking forward to trying your recipe.
DeleteWhy did all my batter drip to the bottom tray? Seemed like you can't substitute regular milk because it isn't thick enough. Next time I will use a lot less milk!
ReplyDeleteI have made this with regular milk just as I did with the soy milk. It might be that your flour was not completely combined with the milk. It does take a bit of whisking to incorporate enough for it to thicken. I hope that helps :)
DeleteI just made these and they were yummmmm - thank you for the recipe :)
ReplyDeleteThis makes me smile! I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Emmie! Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know! Have a super week ~Marion
DeleteI made this recipe tonight and it was delicious. I used Frank's red hot sauce which I chose to dilute a bit more with another tablespoon of vegan butter. Also, I added 5 minutes to the initial baking time and 5 minutes more to the bake time after having added the buffalo sauce. And may I just say that this non dairy ranch dressing is that absolute BEST. It was amazing I was so impressed with myself after making it Lol Word of Advice; invest in one of those sheet racks the author uses in her pictures. It makes a world of difference when it comes time to take your freshly battered cauliflower from the baking sheet.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, This recipe is definitely going into my arsenal. Thank you so much!
So glad you love it Kimberley! Thanks for stopping by ~Marion
DeleteHi! New blogger and a new-ish vegan here!
ReplyDeleteI tried your recipe a couple of months ago and fell in love with these cauliflower bites! I've made them countless times, since then.
I'm hoping I can link your recipe to my post and use your picture in the post itself?
Please let me know if this is ok?
Thank you so much for sharing!
Best regards, B.
So glad you love it! My hubs bugs me all the time to make these. He can't enough! Totally fine to link to the recipe & use a photo. Thanks for asking and happy blogging!
DeleteCarolyn, I agree eggs are a meat by-product, but they are not meat. This recipe is not vegan, but it is meatless.
ReplyDeleteI have not tried that, so I'm not sure how that would turn out. Would love to hear your results if you try it!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, I'm sorry the sauce was too hot for you. This is the first time I've had someone mention it being too hot. It is usually more of a sweet heat with the added honey. Did you make sure to mix the hot sauce with the butter and honey and taste it first before tossing it with the cauliflower? I always recommend tasting first and adjust the flavors as needed. If you add more honey and butter it will cut through the heat for you. I hope that helps! ~Marion
ReplyDeleteHello, this recipe looks so delicious! Thank you for sharing. I can't wait to try it out!! I actually shared this recipe here http://www.meshkomoments.com/healthy-football-game-food/ in my list of Healthy Football Game Food Ideas!! :)
ReplyDeleteHoney isn't Vegan. Vegans will not be using honey. They could use raw agave nectar, however.
ReplyDeleteSharing this recipe (and my version) on my blog Monday. My recipe went off the rails. Did you see the Friends' episode where Rachel prepares an English Trifle and ends up with Shepherd's Pie? Yep! Linked to you for the original recipe! Enjoy the laugh... https://notatrophywife.com happy friday laura
ReplyDeleteWhat are the nutrition facts?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe, Marion! These came out super delicious and were just as tasty after reheating the leftovers! Definitely will make these again!
ReplyDeleteMy very meat and potatoes loving husband asks me to make this recipe all the time! I'm so glad you like it too, Denisse! Have a super week! ~Marion
DeleteI was wondering around how many calories the buffalo bites are?
ReplyDeleteHi! Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe?
ReplyDelete