This Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe is my favorite to make when I spot a lovely coliflor at my local Farmers Market. It’s easy to prepare with a homemade sauce but there’s always the option to use a classic bottled favorite, too.
It’s the roasted in the oven and toss-in sauce part to dunk in a ranch that gets this all the snack hype around here. 🙂
Why you Should try Coliflor at Home
This recipe is easy, and even easier if you have a shelf stable chili oil ready to go. And we’ve got you covered on a quick sauce recipe if you don’t.
If you do have chili oil, then you’ll only need to add vinegar to a few spices to doct’r up into your own homemade buffalo topping.
It’s an easy way to put a spin on your favorite appetizers with flavors and chiles that may already be in the kitchen. Max value and flavor are feel good wins in fresh-fooding here.
A note from Erika:
This is a popular recipe pick vegetarians, vegans, gluten sensitive, during Lent Season, and us folks who just want to find ways to get more veggies into our meals, because health. 🙂
Ingredients in Buffalo Cauliflower
Grocery Quick List: cauliflower, chili oil, sea salt, ranch dressing or bleu cheese for dipping.
- 1/2 cauliflower head
- chili (oil based)
- vinegar
- spices (dried chile seco, or ground)
Optional fresh herb garnishes:
- Chopped parsley, dill, or cilantro.
- Celery/carrot sticks if you’re trying to get additional greens in.
Ingredient Notes / Variations
- Cauliflower – is high in vitamins and minerals while low in calories which is helpful when trying to slash the cals.
- A medium size head weighs just under 2 pounds (on average).
- Always wash the produce well, and carefully remove any oxidation (browned spots) if the appearance bothers.
- Tip: Half medium head (see photo below) is all that is used for this appetizer size recipe. Enough for about 3 persons. Since it taste best fresh roasted, make only what you need!
- Hot Sauce – whip up my easy to make buffalo sauce beforehand or as the cauliflower bakes. It’s easy, simple 2-step.
- Oil based chili oil is an easy backup if short on spices.
- For no pica/mild and nutty flavor, my salsa de cacahuate (peanut salsa) is an awesome oil based option too.
- Avoid adding any water! This is your heads up.
- Dipping sauces – Ranch dressing, Bleu cheese, Labneh, and Cucumber Dip all go really well for dipping cauliflower.
- Mix it up a bit and find your perfect taste.
Method Preview: Prep, bake, coat, shake, and 5-min finishing bake at the end!
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make the Easy Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Grind the toasted dried chile and guajillo, blend it, then combine all spices, oil, and vinegar into a sauce.
If you prefer a refined sauce, use a strainer to run the buffalo sauce through.
To Roast the Coli-Floret Drums in Oven
Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
Prep the fresh cauliflower, wash, pat dry, and split the florets.
Place florets on baking tray and bake for 18 minutes.
A printer-friendly recipe card with instructions is available at the bottom of this post.
Once baked for 18 minutes, they will appear with gold and browned roasted edges like this photo below.
Now slide the florets into the bowl, and toss in buffalo sauce.
Slide back onto oven tray and bake for final 5 minutes.
Do not let the buffalo cauliflower chill on the hot surface once it’s finished baking. It’ll keep softening up because a hot pan means continued baking.
Once done, Transfer immediately onto large plate and serve with favorite creamy Bleu cheese or a classic Ranch.
Ways To Spice It Up
Spicing this recipe up with the chili flavors of your choice is what makes it so good. It’s adaptable to the spiciest of dried peppers you’d like to try.
As for a dipping sauce, spicy chipotle sauce is awesome in addition to ranch or bleu cheese staples.
Foods To Eat with Buffalo Cauliflower
- Baked Artichokes
- Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus
- Spinach Dip
- Quesadillas
- Esquites (elote-vaso)
A few ideas for what to serve alongside this tasty appetizer for an even bigger snack / eat-fest.
Ways To Flip Leftover [Cauliflower]
Any extra cauliflower can be made into more tasty food ideas. Here’s a few ways we flip them into new meals:
From raw: cauliflower steaks, cauliflower rice, veggie fritters, vegetarian ceviche, pickled cauliflower, cauli-pizza crust, topping to chopped salads, and cauliflower mac.
From baked leftovers to more meals: tostada, quesadilla, salad, taco bowl, added to pasta dishes and soups.
A note from Erika:
We’ll continue to update with more ideas as we go along and be sure to update this list that is meant to help you! If you have cauliflower recipe ideas, please comment below to share with the community of Comida-Makers.
Pro Tips / Receta Notes
Recipe yield: 3 cups, appetizer for 3 ppl.
Storage: Place any leftovers in food safe storage and cover with airtight lid. There won’t be any left but if there is, eat within 3 days for best tender snack bites.
If you prefer a refined sauce, use a strainer to run the buffalo sauce through.
Please star rate this LatinasQueComen Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe. Your stars and shares help us reach Comida-Makers. Thank you!
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Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower
DESCRIPTION
Equipment
- Blender
- Long Spoon
- Medium mixing bowl (to toss in buffalo sauce)
- Small baking pan
- Aluminum foil (optional for easy clean up)
Ingredients
- 1/2 whole Cauliflower about 1 lb florets
For the buffalo sauce from scratch
- 1 tsp sesame seeds toasted
- 1/2 whole dried guajillo toasted
- 2 dried chile arbol toasted
- 2 tbsp evoo
- 1.25 tbsp vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic
- 1/4 tsp onion
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/8 ginger powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Optional dressing on the side:
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing or bleu cheese for dipping buffalo florets
Instructions
To make buffalo inspired sauce
- Toast sesame seeds and broken up dried chiles on a pan on low heat for 2 minutes. Watch them carefully to avoid burning.
- Transfer all toasted contents from pan carefully into blender cup and blend toasted chile and sesame for about 20-30 seconds. Add all remaining ingredients and blend to mix. Note: For thinner sauce blend for 40-45 seconds.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash and dry halved cauliflower selected.
- Cut into florets (hands for some, knife for others) and place them on a lined baking sheet.
Time to bake Cauliflower
- Bake for 16-18 minutes and set a timer as a friendly reminder.
- Once done baking, take cauliflor out and slide the roasted florets into a large bowl and pour the sauce over them, and gently toss while in the bowl.
- Slide coated buffalo sauce cauliflower back onto the baking sheet and bake for final 7 minutes.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and transfer veggie buffalo florets onto a plate and serve with a creamy dip.
Notes
- Recipe yield: about 3 cups roasted buffalo cauliflower.
- Storage: Cover and seal with airtight lid. Reheat in toaster oven, air-fryer or eat cold. Eat within 4 days for best taste.
For the full post with helpful tips and ways to flip leftover fresh Cauliflower, visit LatinasQueComen.com. Thank you!
Nutrition
Equipment
- Bowl
- Knife
- Vegetable Peeler
- Large Spoon
- Aluminum foil (for quick cleanup)
If you loved this recipe…
Try these appetizers too! They were created with the same amount of love.