Oh, Cauliflower, you have morphed into so many things. Cauliflower is a substitution like no other – rice, mashed potatoes, and yes, spicy and irresistible roasted buffalo cauliflower bites.
Cauliflower is a versatile and classic standby. It absorbs spices and sauces well. I use it in curry dishes frequently and have it on hand for snack, lunch, and dinner recipes. Grate or chop it to get the texture just right.
This Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower can be a game day appetizer served with ranch dressing (my favorite), carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Our favorite is a buffalo cauliflower salad with kale, microgreens, radish, tomatoes, red onion, carrots, and a crumble of gorgonzola cheese. Yum!
Cauliflower Roasting Tip: It is tempting to cut the cauliflower florets into smaller pieces – please, do not. Keep the cauliflower florets whole. Smaller pieces will yield a soft and mushy result. Remember to roast the florets at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once removed, increase the temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for the final 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook the cauliflower and be sure to serve them hot.
Hot Sauce: Grocery store shelves are full of many hot sauce varieties. When I run out of my homemade version, I use Frank’s Red Hot. The addition of lemon juice and honey kicks the sauce up a notch.
1 head of cauliflower **Buffalo Sauce** 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you use frozen cauliflower, defrost it first and pat it dry before adding it to the batter.
You may use a store-bought buffalo sauce. I prefer the recipe method as it gives the sauce a fresh taste and a little zing from the lemon juice.
Reheat in an oven, do not microwave.
Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons lemon juiceInstructions
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Break the cauliflower into 1 1/2 to 2-inch florets.
4. In a large bowl, whisk flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and milk until a smooth batter is formed.
5. Add florets to the batter. Toss to coat evenly.
6. Arrange cauliflower on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
7. In a separate bowl, combine the hot sauce, coconut oil, honey, and lemon juice.
8. Remove cauliflower from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Brush the florets with the buffalo sauce.
10.Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the florets start to brown.
11.Serve hot!Notes
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