The Best Buffalo Cauliflower

This vegan buffalo cauliflower recipe with blow you away!  No need to ever eat any other type of buffalo nugget after you try this one! Perfect crispy fried cauliflower with spicy vegan buffalo sauce and vegan blue cheese dressing for dipping!  Watch your friends and family go crazy for these buffalo wings!

You’ll LOVE these buffalo cauliflower wings because they’re…

• vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and can easily be made gluten-free.
• quick and easy to make.  The nuggets fry up in less than three minutes!
• perfectly light and crispy.
• simply the most delicious vegan buffalo sauce you will ever have!

What you will need to make buffalo cauliflower…

• Cauliflower Florets – I usually just buy a head of cauliflower and cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.  You can also buy a bag of florets ready to go.  (You need to use fresh, not frozen cauliflower).
• Flour – for the batter.  You can use all-purpose wheat flour or a gluten-free flour mix.  (I find that the gluten-free actually has a lighter and crispier texture).
• Corn Starch – to make it crispy.  When cornstarch is fried, it gets very crispy.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder – just a little of each helps the batter puff up a little and gives it a lighter feel.
• Salt – for flavor.
• Onion and Garlic Powder – for flavor.
• Paprika- for flavor and color.
• Cayenne – for extra spicy wings (optional)
• Canola Oil – for frying the cauliflower in.  You will need enough so that your nuggets can float and turn in the oil with ease.  I like canola oil because it has a very neutral taste and a light texture.  It also has a high smoke point, so it will be stable and won’t smoke or break down.  You can use any other neutral-flavored oil that you like.
• Buffalo Sauce – many store-bought sauces are vegan, just check the label to be sure.  However, I highly recommend that you make your own with my easy vegan buffalo sauce recipe.  It uses traditional hot sauce with my homemade vegan butter which makes an authentic tasting sauce!
• Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing – for dipping.  You can easily make your own with my blue cheese dressing recipe or you can also make your own vegan ranch.

Tools:

• Deep Frier – This is not totally necessary, but it makes it much easier because you can control the temperature of the oil and you have a basket to get out all of the nuggets at once when they are done cooking.
• Tongs – to allow you to drop the breaded cauliflower into the hot oil without getting too close and accidentally getting splashed with it.  (Don’t put the breaded cauliflower into the basket before submerging, or the batter may stick to the basket).

How do I make vegan buffalo cauliflower wings?

Make your vegan buffalo sauce:

Prepare the Cauliflower:

1. Wash the head of cauliflower under running water then shake the water off of it.
2. Cut the cauliflower florets off the head of cauliflower and into bite-sized pieces removing the large stem in the center of the head.  (Try to keep the pieces a similar size, so they cook at the same rate).

Make the batter:

1. Put the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (Flour, corn starch, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, baking soda, and baking powder).
2. Pour in the water and stir the batter until it becomes a smooth paste.
3. Put the cauliflower pieces into the batter and toss until well coated.

Deep Fry the Cauliflower: 

1. Heat oil to 334° F.
2. Use tongs to pick up the pieces of coated cauliflower and place them into the hot oil.  (It will bubble and spatter so stand back).
3. Allow to cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the bubbling slows down and the cauliflower nuggets are golden brown.
4. Immediately remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Toss in vegan buffalo sauce or for crispy buffalo wings, dip in the buffalo sauce.
6. Serve with vegan ranch or vegan blue cheese dressing.

If you don’t have a deep fryer – you can use a saucepan filled with about 3-4 inches of oil.  A thermometer that goes up to 400°F will also be helpful.  You can then use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the cauliflower from the oil.

Frying temperature – I find that 334°F is the perfect temperature to fry cauliflower.  I don’t fry it quite as hot as some other things like french fries because I want it to cook slow enough to cook the cauliflower all the way through.  However, don’t cook it lower than 325° F or it will absorb too much oil and get soggy instead of crispy.

If you don’t have a thermometer – you can test the temperature of your oil by cooking one piece first. You know that you have the right frying temperature if it bubbles vigorously when you first put it in and then the bubbling slows way down after about 2-3 minutes and you have a crunchy golden brown cauliflower nugget that is cooked through.

Pro Tips:

• Once you put the sauce on, they will start to lose their crispiness.  Only add the sauce just before eating or serve it on the side.
• If you want a healthier alternative to the deep-fried nuggets, you can also use my roasted cauliflower nuggets instead of the fried cauliflower.

Do you love buffalo sauce?  Try my vegan buffalo chicken sandwich!

Make sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan recipe ideas!

5 from 2 votes

Print

Buffalo Cauliflower

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

2 mins

Total Time

17 mins

 

A breaded deep-fried cauliflower that can be used for buffalo cauliflower, orange cauliflower or popcorn cauliflower nuggets.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buffalo cauliflower, cauliflower nuggets

Servings: 4

Calories: 218 kcal

Author: Monica Davis | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

For the Buffalo Sauce:

• 1/3 cup vegan butter
• 1/3 cup hot sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

For the Battered Cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower about 4 cups of florets
• 3/4 cup flour gluten-free flour mixes work great!
• 2 tbsp corn starch or potato starch
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt (reduce for lower sodium or if using seasoning with salt in it)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 3/4 cup water

Oil For Frying:

• 3 inches oil for frying

Instructions

Make the Vegan Buffalo Sauce

1. Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan or in a microwave.  

2. Add the hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt.

3. Stir with a whisk until hot sauce and butter are completely mixed.

Prepare the Cauliflower:

1. Wash the head of cauliflower under running water then shake the water off of it.
2. Cut the cauliflower florets off the head of cauliflower and into bite-sized pieces removing the large stem in the center of the head.  (Try to keep the pieces a similar size, so they cook at the same rate).

Make the batter:

1. Put the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (Flour, corn starch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, baking soda, and baking powder).
2. Pour in the water and stir the batter until it becomes a smooth paste.
3. Put the cauliflower pieces into the batter and toss until well coated.

Deep Fry the Cauliflower:

1. Heat oil to 334° F.
2. Use tongs to pick up the pieces of coated cauliflower and place them into the hot oil.  (It will bubble and spatter so stand back).
3. Allow to cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the bubbling slows down and the cauliflower nuggets are golden brown.
4. Immediately remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

5. Serve hot with buffalo sauce drizzled on top or on the side and vegan blue cheese dressing or vegan ranch!

Recipe Notes

If you don't have a deep fryer - you can use a saucepan filled with about 3-4 inches of oil.  A thermometer that goes up to 400 F will also be helpful.  You can then use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the cauliflower from the oil.

Frying temperature - I find that 334°F is the perfect temperature to fry cauliflower.  I don't fry it quite as hot as some other things like french fries because I want it to cook slow enough to cook the cauliflower all the way through.  However, don't cook it lower than 325° F or it will absorb too much oil and get soggy instead of crispy.

If you don't have a thermometer - you can test the temperature of your oil by cooking one piece first. You know that you have the right frying temperature if it bubbles vigorously when you first put it in and then the bubbling slows way down after about 2-3 minutes and you have a crunchy golden brown cauliflower nugget that is cooked through.

Nutrition Facts

Buffalo Cauliflower

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 218 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 794mg35%

Potassium 481mg14%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin C 69mg84%

Calcium 59mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.