Recipes and Food > Side Dish Recipes

Buffalo Cauliflower

Name: Buffalo Cauliflower
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pound Unsalted butter; 1 pint Hot sauce; 1/2 oz Worcestershire sauce; 4 oz Kosher salt; 2 oz Ground cumin; 2 tbsp. Garlic powder; 1 tbsp. Onion powder; 2 oz plus 2 tbsp. Smoked paprika; 1 tsp. Ground mustard; 1 tsp. Cayenne pepper; 2 pounds Cauliflower florets; 1/2 gallon Buttermilk; 2 cups All-purpose flour; for frying Vegetable oil; 2 tbsp. Ranch sauce; 1 tbsp. Blue cheese

Vegetarian

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This is probably the best vegetarian alternative to buffalo wings and the most amazing way to eat these vegetables. Have a house party? Turn your cauliflower into some sensational homemade finger food!

Prep Time 1 hour

Serves: 6

Difficulty Level: Low

Ingredients for Buffalo Cauliflower:

Unsalted butter - 1 pound

Hot sauce - 1 pint

Worcestershire sauce - 1/2 oz (use the vegetarian alternative if you're vegetarian)

Kosher salt - 4 oz

Ground cumin - 2 oz

Garlic powder - 2 tbsp.

Onion powder - 1 tbsp.

Smoked paprika - 2 oz plus 2 tbsp. (divided)

Ground mustard - 1 tsp.

Cayenne pepper - 1 tsp.

Cauliflower florets - 2 pounds

Buttermilk - 1/2 gallon

All-purpose flour - 2 cups

Vegetable oil - for frying

Ranch sauce - 2 tbsp.

Blue cheese - 1 tbsp. (crumbled)

Method of preparing the Buffalo Cauliflower:

Preparing buffalo sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan placed over low heat. Pour in the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and mix until combined. Let it simmer until it is well blended together, and set aside.
Preparing cauliflower dust: In a medium-sized bowl, combine salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. Place them all in a shaker or a sifter.
Preparing buffalo cauliflower: Preheat oven to 250ºF. Spread out the cauliflower florets evenly onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle them heavily with cauliflower dust and roast until they start to brown (for about 10 minutes).
Combine buttermilk and smoked paprika in a large bowl and mix. Place the roasted cauliflower florets in the mixture and let them soak for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
Now, using a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or electric deep fryer, heat oil to 350ºF.
Deep frying the cauliflower: In the meantime, place the flour in a large bowl and coat each cauliflower floret, wet from the buttermilk mixture, with flour. When ready, gently place them into the oil and fry for about 90 seconds each, until the crust is golden brown. Remove them from the oil and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.
Preparing the dipping sauce: Combine the ranch dressing and blue cheese in a small bowl. You can do this while the buffalo cauliflower pieces are cooling down.
Toss the buffalo cauliflower pieces in buffalo sauce and serve them alongside the dipping sauce.