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This Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe is as easy to make as it is irresistible! Baked and breading-free, it’s the perfect healthy-ish appetizer or game day snack!
All the delicious, tangy flavor of buffalo wings without the mess and calories. I’ve never been a huge fan of buffalo chicken wings, so this substitution was a no-brainer. But even all you wing fans will love these spicy baked buffalo cauliflower bites.
Tossed in your favorite buffalo sauce and served with creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing, this easy buffalo cauliflower recipe is a (mostly) healthy, low-carb snack and guaranteed crowd favorite!
Table of Contents
Awesome – just the right amount of spicy and so easy!
– Laura
Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower
- Hot sauce
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Lemon juice
Note: I decided not to coat these buffalo cauliflower bites in breadcrumbs or all-purpose flour. By skipping the breadcrumbs, you can enjoy even more of these healthy buffalo cauliflower bites guilt-free! They’re also much easier to make this way (and I’m all about easy recipes!)
How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 425°F; line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss the cauliflower in buffalo sauce.
- Bake for 25 minutes, tossing once.
- Broil 1–2 minutes for extra crispness (optional).
- Serve with chives or extra sauce.
Tips For the Best Buffalo Cauliflower
For a crispy, battered version: In this recipe, we’re skipping batter or flour to make this recipe lighter, gluten-free, and easier to make. If you prefer a crunchier version, toss the florets in a simple batter mixture of flour (½ cup), milk (¼ cup), and water (¼ cup) before baking. Or, lightly coat the cauliflower with cornstarch, garlic powder and black pepper.
Adjust the heat: It’s easy to control the spice level. For a milder flavor, add extra melted butter or a drizzle of honey. For more heat, you could sprinkle the cauliflower with cayenne pepper before roasting, or drizzle with extra hot sauce.
Reader Tip: Some readers recommend tossing the cauliflower florets in the buffalo hot sauce after they’ve been baked vs beforehand. Both methods work great, so I recommend trying each to see which one works best for you.
Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To make the buffalo sauce, whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt, in a medium bowl.
- Transfer the cauliflower florets to a large bowl and toss in the buffalo sauce mixture. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer over the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes, tossing once midway through cooking. The insides should be tender, and the outsides should be crisp. Optional: Broil for 1-2 minutes at the very end of cooking.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh chopped chives or drizzle with additional buffalo sauce, if desired.
Notes
- If you like extra crispy edges, set the oven to broil in the last 2 minutes of baking and cook until just brown around the edges.
- Some readers have mentioned that their cauliflower bites come out less soggy when they bake their cauliflower florets in a little olive oil first, before adding any hot sauce. After the cauliflower is baked, then they transfer to hot sauce mixture and toss to coat. Let me know what works best for you!
- Buffalo cauliflower is best enjoyed immediately.
- Air Fryer Instructions: Air fry at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes then flip the florets and continue to air fry for an additional 5 minutes. Remember to cook in batches, if necessary. The cauliflower florets should be cooked in a single layer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Serve Buffalo Cauliflower
Serve as a snack, game day appetizer, or spicy side dish, buffalo cauliflower loves being dunked in creamy blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, or any other creamy sauce or dip.
Entirely gluten-free and vegetarian, serve your perfectly prepared cauliflower bites in fun-size cups or on a large platter with veggies like crunchy celery sticks, carrot sticks, and sliced bell peppers drizzled with all your creamy favorites.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Note that the cauliflower will soften as it cools.
- Reheating: For the best results, reheat in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes or in an air fryer for 3-4 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave, but the cauliflower will stay soggy.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do not recommend making this recipe with frozen cauliflower florets, as they are more likely to end up soggy or mushy once thawed and cooked.
Absolutely! Use your favorite store-bought wing sauce or make your own, it’s entirely up to you. I always try to make my own buffalo sauce, but If I’m short on time, my favorite store-bought sauce is Wing-Time Buffalo Wing Sauce.
Yes, to make this buffalo cauliflower recipe vegan, simply swap the butter for a plant-based butter alternative.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes,
- Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
If you try making this Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
Very tasty!
Thanks, Octa 😀
It was a bit soggy but it was still delicious!
Oven temp? Only three ingredients. Now I’ve got to go elsewhere to find the temp.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post, above this comment section 🙂
Guilt free perfection! A new favorite!
I just made this, loved it!! I roasted the cauliflower first with olive oil, salt and pepper at 425 for 20 minutes and then tossed in the sauce. No sogginess!
Great recipe ! Extra good because there’s no breading ! I have made it with frozen – not thawed – cauliflower and it is almost as good as made with fresh especially if broiled for a couple of minutes at the end. I also omit the salt but that’s just personal taste.
Thank you for the great feedback and rating, Lorraine 😀
This is my favorite buffalo recipe! I make this weekly!! It’s super simple and the flavor is always perfect. The cauliflower does get a bit soggy sometimes but that doesn’t bother me because I’m too busy enjoying the amazing flavor! Thank you for sharing this, I’m actually prepping it for dinner right now!
Thank you for the perfect feedback Callie 🙂
Loved it!
I forgot to mention that I omitted the salt!