Vegetarian Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Total time50 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time35 min

Crispy cauliflower florets get dunked in a thick, seasoned batter loaded with garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, then baked on a rack until the coating turns golden and set. From there, the real magic happens: a glossy, tangy buffalo sauce built on hot sauce, butter, and a splash of white wine vinegar gets tossed all over the par-baked pieces before they go back in the oven to caramelize into sticky, tender bites. The result is all the fiery, buttery punch of classic buffalo wings with none of the meat, so it's an easy win for a vegetarian spread. Serve them hot with celery sticks and a cool, creamy dressing on the side for dipping, and watch the platter disappear at game day or movie night alike. This one's a reliable go-to whenever you need a crowd-pleasing vegetarian appetizer that still delivers serious heat and crunch.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the cauliflower

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 lbs), cut into 1 ½-inch florets
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For the batter

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

For the buffalo sauce

½ cup hot sauce (such as frank's redhot)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp white wine vinegar
¼ tsp worcestershire sauce

For serving

celery sticks, for serving (optional)
blue cheese dressing or blue ranch dressing, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Set a wire rack on a large baking sheet and coat the rack lightly with cooking spray or brush with oil.
2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and olive oil until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

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