Flavorful, crispy and satisfying Buffalo cauliflower bites are a must-have when it comes to game day. Add this recipe to your appetizer spread with a side of ranch for an absolute classic made vegan and gluten-free!
Buffalo wings are high, high up on my husband's list of favorite foods, so you can imagine how excited he was when he found out I was developing a Buffalo cauliflower recipe! He was all too happy to be my official taste tester.
The final recipe got devoured (he ate almost the entire batch in one sitting!), and they're even more satisfying and filling than I thought they would be.
The classic Buffalo flavor is SUPER authentic, with an incredibly crispy outside and tender inside. It's perfect paired with my homemade vegan ranch dressing!
My husband is absolutely thrilled that these baked Buffalo cauliflower bites are officially a part of our game day snack spread, and I'm so excited to have share this recipe for all of the other fans out there.
Ingredients
This recipe only has 5 ingredients! The breadcrumbs are an easy one to make ahead of time so they're ready to go when you want to make these bites.
- Cauliflower - I use a medium head of cauliflower (1.5 pounds) cut into small florets. Cutting the cauliflower evenly is an important step because we want them to cook evenly! Watch my 1-minute reel on how I cut cauliflower!
- Arrowroot powder - This is a thickening agent that works similarly to corn starch. It thickens at a low temperature and adds a bit of stretchiness. When combined with water, it turns into a batter that helps the breadcrumbs stick to the cauliflower.
- Panko breadcrumbs - You can buy gluten-free breadcrumbs, but I prefer my homemade gluten-free version for taste, texture and nutrition (it adds plant-based protein and healthy fats)! These are really simple to make, and for this recipe I pulse them a few extra times in the food processor since I find smaller crumbs stick to the cauliflower better.
- Vegan butter - I usually reach for Miyokos brand. It has amazing flavor and it melts just like real butter. You could also use an avocado oil spray for a lightened-up version, although I prefer the taste of the vegan butter.
- Buffalo sauce - This recipe calls for one cup of spicy Buffalo sauce, which is exactly one bottle of the Primal Kitchen sauce I love! You can use any Buffalo sauce you like - just double check the ingredients as many are not vegan.
How to Make Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
This fan-favorite appetizer takes a few steps but is really easy to make! A little bit of preparation and ingredient assembly at the beginning goes a long way in making delicious and crispy cauliflower bites.
1. Pour the breadcrumbs into a large bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk the arrowroot powder with the water until it's smooth and thick (it should have a texture like glue). This is your batter!
2. Batter the florets. One at a time, dip the florets into the arrowroot liquid, then into the breadcrumbs.
3. Drizzle with melted butter.
4. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack.
5. Toss in Buffalo sauce and bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Flip and bake for 5 more minutes.
7. Enjoy while they're hot!
Tip to make them extra crispy: After baking, broil the bites at 550-degrees for a couple of minutes to finish them off! Again, watch closely to avoid burning all of your hard work!
Plant-Based Protein in the Breadcrumbs
Even though these cauliflower buffalo wings are totally vegan, they still contain a decent amount of plant-based protein thanks to the homemade breadcrumbs! I make them with almonds and cashews for an alternative that's flavorful yet still has the perfect structure and crunch.
These bites are vegan and gluten-free. They're a really fun and allergen-friendly addition to game day! If you make them, tag me on Instagram and leave a review below so I can cheer you on.
Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 20-22 bites 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Flavorful, crispy and satisfying Buffalo cauliflower bites are a must-have when it comes to game day. Add this recipe to your appetizer spread with a side of ranch for an absolute classic made vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 medium (1.5 pounds) head of cauliflower, cut into small even-sized florets (see my 1-minute video on how to cut cauliflower into florets)
- 3 tablespoons filtered water
- 5 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (this is my homemade gluten-free vegan version)
- ¼ cup vegan butter and/or avocado oil spray
- 1 cup vegan Buffalo sauce (I love Primal Kitchen - 1 bottle is 1 cup)
- serve with my homemade vegan ranch dip alongside carrots and celery sticks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a half sheet baking sheet with parchment paper OR spray a cast iron skillet very generously with avocado oil.
- Pour the breadcrumbs into a wide bowl and set aside. I find this recipe works best with finer breadcrumbs (the larger chunks won't stick as well to the cauliflower).
- In another bowl, whisk together water and arrowroot powder until smooth. It should be thick and sticky like glue. This is your batter.
- To "batter" the cauliflower florets, dip them one at a time, first into the water/arrowroot powder mixture (fully coating) and second into the panko breadcrumb mixture until fully coated on all sides with breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet or in the skillet and repeat until all florets have been fully coated.
- Spray the breaded cauliflower bites very generously with avocado oil spray. Or, drizzle half of the melted butter overtop. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack.
- Remove from oven and toss the cauliflower bites well in the Buffalo sauce to fully coat each piece. You can do this on the pan directly by drizzling the Buffalo sauce overtop each piece or place all cauliflower in a bowl and toss very gently with tongs until fully coated.
- Once fully coated in the buffalo sauce, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and use tongs to flip each floret 180 degrees.
- Drizzle with the rest of the melted butter (or spray with more avocado oil spray). Bake another 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy, watching closely at the end to ensure they do not burn.
- If you want to get them extra crispy, you can broil them at 550 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple minutes at the very end (again watch closely to avoid burning).
- Use tongs to transfer the crispy cauliflower bites to a serving platter. Serve immediately while hot alongside carrots and celery sticks with chilled vegan ranch dressing for dipping.
Notes
These are best served fresh. They can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator and enjoyed later but they will not be as crispy as when they are fresh out of the oven. If reheating from the refrigerator, broil for a couple minutes to help them get crispy again.
Avocado oil spray works for a lighter version but I prefer the flavor and texture with the melted vegan butter.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven Baked
coco says
my arrowroot mixture was watery and the arrowroot stuck to the bottom of the bowl. How do i avoid this in the future
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Coco. I'm sorry to hear it didn't go smoothly for you. Did you whisk the arrowroot mixture well? You might want to whisk immediately to avoid the clumping at the bottom. And maybe try and keep adding warm water until it is incorporated. I hope that helps. Did it turn out okay overall? Elaine
Bobby Gordon says
Bobby says