This easy vegan buffalo cauliflower recipe is bursting with spicy buffalo sauce poured over crispy fried cauliflower nuggets. They taste like they came from your favorite pub, but made at home in minutes. Serve them with some vegan blue cheese or ranch dressings for dipping and they are sure to be a hit!
You'll love this buffalo cauliflower recipe because it's
- 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!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- 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 or Ranch Dressing - for dipping. You can easily make your own with my blue cheese dressing recipe or you can also make your own vegan ranch.
Helpful tools for cauliflower nuggets
- 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. Note: If you don't have a deep frier, you can use a small pot filled with about 2 inches of oil.
- Tongs - Use the tongs 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 to make vegan buffalo cauliflower
Make your vegan buffalo sauce
- Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan or in a microwave.
- Add the hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt.
- Stir with a whisk until hot sauce and butter are completely mixed.
Prepare the Cauliflower
- Wash the head of cauliflower under running water then shake the water off of it.
- 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
- 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).
- Pour in the water and stir the batter until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Put the cauliflower pieces into the batter and toss until well coated.
Deep Fry the Cauliflower
- Heat oil to 334° F.
- 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).
- Allow to cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the bubbling slows down and the cauliflower nuggets are golden brown.
- Immediately remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Toss in vegan buffalo sauce or for crispy buffalo wings, dip in the buffalo sauce.
- 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 for cauliflower
I find that 334°F (168°C) 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 (163°C) or it will absorb too much oil and get soggy instead of crispy. Check out my full post for more details on how to make deep-fried cauliflower if you need more detailed instruction.
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!
More vegan cauliflower recipes
- Vegan Cauliflower Risotto with Spinach
- Easy Cauliflower Stuffing
- Fried Cauliflower
- Orange Cauliflower
Subscribe to my email list to get my free eBook “The Beginner’s Guide to Homemade Vegan Staples” or if you are ready to fully dive into making your own vegan cheese and other vegan staples, check out my cookbooks.
A breaded deep-fried cauliflower with spicy vegan buffalo sauce poured over the top.
- 1/3 cup vegan butter
- 1/3 cup hot sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 head cauliflower about 4 cups of florets
- 3/4 cup flour gluten-free flour mixes work great!
- 2 tablespoons corn starch or potato starch
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (reduce for lower sodium or if using seasoning with salt in it)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 3/4 cup water
- 2-3 inches oil for frying (enough for the cauliflower to float)
- 1/2 cup vegan ranch
- 1/2 cup vegan blue cheese
-
Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan or in a microwave.
-
Add the hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt.
-
Stir with a whisk until hot sauce and butter are completely mixed.
-
Wash the head of cauliflower under running water then shake the water off of it.
-
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).
-
Put the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl (Flour, corn starch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, baking soda, and baking powder) and give them a stir.
-
Pour in the water and stir the batter until it becomes a smooth paste.
-
Put the cauliflower pieces into the batter and toss until well coated.
-
Heat oil to 334°F (168°C)°.
-
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).
-
Allow to cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the bubbling slows down and the cauliflower nuggets are golden brown.
-
Immediately remove from oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
-
Arrange on a serving plate and serve hot with buffalo sauce drizzled on top or on the side and vegan blue cheese dressing or vegan ranch!
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 (200°C) 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 (168°C) 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 (165°C) 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.
*This was originally posted on October 12, 2019. It was updated on January 12, 2021, to include new images and more detailed instructions.
