Loaded with flavor but without the fat and calories of chicken, these Cauliflower Buffalo Bites are a delicious, healthy option.
Buffalo Chicken Wings are one of my favorite appetizers and one of our favorite restaurants serves the best! I’m still trying to perfect a copycat recipe so I’ll let you know when I do. So, this post is not to say that I’ll never eat chicken wings again, but Cauliflower Buffalo Bites are so tasty and full of the perfect Buffalo chicken wing goodness without all the bad fat from the wing skins. Plus if like me, you have someone in your house who doesn’t eat meat (in our case a young person who won’t eat chicken since we have pet chickens), this is the perfect option for them.
Ready in less than 30 minutes, the cauliflower bakes twice in the oven. The cauliflower first goes in with some dry seasonings and gets roasted just enough and then tossed with the wing sauce and butter (coconut oil works great for vegan option). The reason for baking twice is, you don’t want the wings to get soggy and this helps prevent sogginess from happening. I must insist one thing for your cauliflower buffalo bites; be sure to use Frank’s Buffalo Style Hot Sauce for the recipe. It makes all the Buffalo Wing difference!
I serve the Cauliflower Buffalo Bites with regular Buffalo wing dipping sauces and accompaniments. Here I’ve just combined equal amounts of mayonnaise and sour cream, then toss in blue cheese crumbles, season with black pepper and a dash of the hot sauce. Add carrot and celery sticks too.
Cauliflower Buffalo Bites
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- Olive oil to drizzle
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon melted butter, Use coconut oil for vegan option
- ½ to ¾ cup Frank's Buffalo Wing Style hot sauce, or other hot wing sauce of choice
Other:
- 1 gallon or larger size plastic bag
- *I probably use about ⅔ cup of hot sauce and they have just enough heat.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F degrees.
- Place bite-size cauliflower florets into plastic bag. Drizzle olive oil over florets to barely coat.
- Add 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, ¼ a teaspoon of salt and ⅛ a teaspoon of pepper. Close bag and toss ingredients around so all florets are coated.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan and bake on middle rack for 15 minutes, turning florets once during baking. Check them at the 10 minute mark for desired tenderness. You don't want them to be soggy!
- Remove florets from oven. Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in medium glass bowl. Add ½ to ¾ a cup of hot sauce to butter. Toss cauliflower and stir to cover all florets with hot sauce. Start with about half the sauce and add more to your taste.
- Return to oven and cook for additional 5 minutes.
- Serve with any dip you like, ranch dressing or Blue Cheese dip.
Adapted from Gal On A Mission.
So good! I was so surprised, I like cauliflower but my husband is iffy on it sometimes, but we all loved these. Great job & thank you!
Thanks Desiree! I love that even your husband liked the cauliflower, I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. It means a lot. 🙂
I just baked these and they are so delicious. I didn’t bake enough Lol. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks, Maria! Glad you liked them!
This was so delicious!! I made “ranch” out of Greek yogurt and a packet of ranch seasoning too so it’s super healthy and so easy! A new go-to lunch for me!
Also I used frozen cauliflower!! I put them in a bowl and poured hot water over it for a few minutes and then dried them with paper towel. Same cooking directions and they were so good!!!
Hi Cara, I’m so glad you liked the recipe. I LOVE Greek Ranch yogurt for dipping too, AND thanks for your tip on the frozen cauliflower. That’s so good to know that frozen works as well as fresh! Your comments really mean a lot and I especially love when readers come and share tips for others. 🙂
A Family Favorite! One of the few foods everyone in my house can agree on.
Followed the recipe exactly and it came out great! Will definitely make again.
I made these last night, exactly as written and they were perfect! Will definitely be making again. Thank you
Hi Melissa, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and I’m glad you liked the Buffalo Bites! 🙂
I will definitely be making these yummy looking babies.
And YES!! I will use Franks. Can’t get enough of that stuff.
Thanks Corina! I make these weekly, they’re super easy and a great method for cauliflower. I hope you like them!
Hi! I’m looking forward to making these soon as I love wings, but I had a question about the calories. I noticed it was 44 calories per serving and there were 6 servings, but about how many “wings” were in each serving? Thanks!
Hi Madison, it’s basically 1/6th of a head of cauliflower. The “wings” will depend on how small you cut up the pieces and how much cauliflower you use overall. So I would portion it out into six equal portions to visualize. Hope this helps! I’m making it for dinner as we speak. 🙂
Hi!
Can i use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh? Please let me know.
Hi, I would not. The buffalo bites are best with crisp, fresh cauliflower. The frozen cauliflower might be a little too soft in the end.
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make them?
Hi Vanessa, I prefer these eaten fresh out of the oven and have never made them ahead of time. However, I think you could cook them about half way through and then toss them with the wing sauce and refrigerate for a few hours. Then just before serving, reheat them for about 5-10 minutes to finish cooking and warm them. You need to watch them so they don’t get overcooked and become too soft.
These look amazing! What a great healthy snack to have for a Super Bowl Party!
How long can leftovers last?
Hi Molly, I would eat the leftovers the next day. Any longer and they can be a little too soggy for my taste.
I can’t wait o make these for a Super Bowl party. Do they freeze well?
Hi Emily, No they do not, sorry to say. If you freeze after cooking, they’re pretty soggy when thawed. I hope you try them, they’re super easy and super tasty!
I remember the first time I had buffalo cauliflower, it was such a pleasant surprise how tasty it was. Your version looks great, a tasty and relatively healthy snack.
I’ve made these several times. They are always delicious! A big hit for easy appetizers at parties! I wash my cauliflower and pat dry very well… never disappointed.
Thanks Neli!
With game day round the corner, these would make for some wonderfully delicious and healthy snacking!
Unique and tasty preparation of Cauliflower looks tasty and delicious. Kids to grab such amazing stuff. Best for a party snack too.
I would really like to try these, they look awesome!! One question, do you think they would still taste ok if I left the butter out?
Hi Nickie, I think it would taste great without butter. The butter kind of “calms down” the heat in the Buffalo Bites though, so maybe add the sauce a little at a time until they reach the level of heat that you’re comfortable with. Thanks for making these, we love them!
These sound amazing! Does anyone know if you can make these in an air fryer? And if so, for how long and at what temperature? Thanks, in advance, for your response!
Hi Laura, I’ve never made them in an air fryer but just Googled “Cauliflower Buffalo Bites in air fryer” and several recipe links came up that looked similar to mine. If they’re different as far as the seasoning, etc., you could probably combine my seasonings and sauce with the air fryer cooking instructions. Thanks for stopping by. Maybe I need to buy an air fryer. 🙂
This was so good! I saw where someone baked for 11 minutes then broiled for 5 afte sauce. I tossed with oil in bag then once on pan I sprinkled with garlic powder and ranch seasoning. It turned out amazing.
Hi Linda!
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment and thanks for your tips. Have a great week!
FOUND THIS RECIPE ON AIR FRYER SITE. NO AIR FRYER MENTIONED AND YOU KEEP CALLING THEM WINGS IN DESCRIPTION NOT BITES
Kenny, Air Fryer picked up my recipe for the Cauliflower Buffalo Bites. I think they share it as an option to make in their air fryer. I’ve never intended this to be an air fryer recipe per se. I compare the bites to chicken wings and talk about the buffalo wing sauce, I don’t call the bites wings. Thanks for writing.
I used vegan butter and all the hot sauce. There was a lot of sauce left over, so I put the cauliflower back in the oven for a few more minutes and drizzled the hot sauce over it and cooked for an additional few minutes. Overall, I cooked them a little longer than suggested, however, they still came out slightly crunchy, which is perfect for me. I love lemon, so I drizzled a little lemon over it and it was amazing!
Chloe, I love lemon too and this suggestion sounds like something I have to try! Thanks for sharing and I’m glad you liked the Buffalo Bites.
These look amazing. I’ve been trying to find ways to make my kids eat some Cauliflower! Certainly need to test this out!
Thanks Joe, Everyone in our family, grownups and kids alike love this recipe. Let me know what you think.
Fantastic recipe! Made it and didn’t add as much hot sauce but it was still delicious.
Ashley, These are favorites in my family and I too sometimes cut back on the hot sauce. Thanks so much for stopping by to comment.
How do you make these in a hot air fryer?
Hi Denise, I have never used a hot air fryer before. I am only guessing here but I’m thinking you could fry them and then pour the sauce over before serving. Sorry I can’t be of help with that appliance.
Just made, sneaked a taste. I think my family will have to find something else for a vegetable tonight, I am taking whole bowl and hiding in my closet so I don’t have to share!
This looks delicious! Thank you! Have you ever tried a dip with it? (I see the lady above does that.) If so, what’s good? Seems like a great appetizer in addition to a veggie side!
Hi Lynda, I’m not sure who the ‘lady above’ is :), but I’ve pictured mine with a blue cheese dip that is classic buffalo wing fare. I make a mixture of about 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, blue cheese crumbles-to taste (approximately 1/2 cup). Then I add salt and pepper to taste, plus to give it just a little zing, I add some hot sauce, about 1/2 teaspoon. This does not make the dip hot, just helps to really blend all the other flavors. Hope this helps and thanks for stopping by. We love these and make them often! Have a great weekend.
It’s hard to find a recipe that works well for my whole family and this one is just the ticket. I eat meat but not bread (most buffalo anything recipes call for breading, but not this one) and the rest of my family is vegetarian. This recipe has become a family favorite – we literally make it at least once a week. So, I wanted to report back on a couple of things.
First, substituting broccoli for cauliflower (or combining the 2) in this recipe works beautifully.
Second, the 2 roasting steps in this recipe can be combined into 1 with no noticeable difference, greatly simplifying the time required to whip this up. In a large mixing bowl or Tupperware with a lid, add a drizzle of EVOO to the melted butter, spices and Frank’s buffalo sauce. Mix. Then add cauliflower/broccoli florets and shake to coat. Cook for 20-25 minutes and voila, perfection.
Third, I serve the buffalo cauliflower with Alton Brown’s blue cheese dressing recipe. My family prefers that I make it with feta, and I always use milk with lemon juice as a substitution for the buttermilk this recipe calls for.
Yum!
Jeannie, Thank you so much for the great insight into this recipe and for the shortcut options. I think I’ll try that this week and then will actually edit the recipe instructions with your suggestion. I make this with broccoli often as well and even have a separate recipe posted for the broccoli. 🙂 I’m glad this recipe is a good option for your family and really appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Hello, these look really delicious! I am wondering if Franks Buffalo sauce is really HOT. I am a vegetarian so I would like to try this but do not like things that are too spicy. A little spice is good though.
Hi Maria, If you use Frank’s “Buffalo Wing” version of sauce, it is a lot milder than the regular Frank’s sauce. I would also add half the amount listed in the recipe and then taste, then add more if you want. Also, serving them with a sour cream or other similar dipping sauce helps cut down on the heat. I usually make them with all the sauce called for and sometimes they are just a tad spicy for my 12-year old, but he still devours them. Hope this helps. Hope you love them as much as we do. Thanks for stopping by.
Made these this evening & they were super delicious! Only thing I would do different is use only 1/3 cup of sauce I had a small head of cauliflower so should have used less sauce otherwise it was sooooo good!
I made these tonight and I really, really liked them. Thanks for the recipe!
Norma, thank you for taking the time to make these and especially for commenting. I’m glad you liked them!
Can I bake these bites at night and serve then chilled the next day? Want to bring them to coworkers but no way to reheat them.
Hi Meg, I’ve never tried them cold but I bet they’ll actually be delicious! Are you going to offer a blue cheese dip or anything like that? Try it! 🙂
Tried these today for the first time and I am hooked! Can’t wait to share them with family 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Alison, I have a head of cauliflower in my fridge right now ready for this recipe! Glad you like them too. 🙂
Making these for Christmas Eve…was wandering if I could just add the buffalo sauce right in the beginning and bake instead of baking part way then adding hot sauce?!?!
So excited to make this! I’ve been craving Franks sauce all weekend and what i really love about this recipe is that I can make if and still use full fat blue cheese dressing! (I don’t use fat free products for additive reasons)….plus giving up my BC dressing was one thing that kept me from eating wings over the past year….u gotta have both ya know! If this recipes tastes like I’m hoping I can have my cake (or wings) and eat it too! Thanks!
Hello MyKidzRKute, I too use only full-fat products, we are kindred spirits! Friends can’t believe I only buy whole milk and I get discouraged when people try to make a recipe “healthy” but cutting the fat (instead of the sugar, for instance). Anyway, you are going to LOVE this recipe. I love homemade BC dressing too, and must have it with the cauliflower buffalo bites. Be sure to let me know what you think after you try them. Thanks for writing. 🙂
Hi.
I added a little rice flour seasoned with Mrs. Dash SW Chipotle seasoning to the bag. It helped keep the cauliflower crisp. Came out yummy!!! Definitely a new family favorite. Great recipe. Thank you!
Donna, I’m going to try that next time. Thanks for sharing and for commenting. Glad you like it!
I’ve made this recipe three times now– each time has turned out wonderfully! I keep cooking them less each time so they’re more crisp than soggy, and each time I keep adding on another head of cauliflower because they get eaten so quickly! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Stephanie, That is great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to comment and I’m glad they are such a hit for you.
Oh yum. Yumyumyum. I’m so trying these:D
Can these be saved after they are made? If so, how? Freezer or fridge?
Hi Vanessa, I’ve never had any left over to know for sure, but I would think you could refrigerate them and reheat in oven or broiler just until hot. If you are planning to make ahead of time, keep the cauliflower pretty crisp before refrigerating them. Maybe cook them for half as long. Good luck!
after a pretty hilarious pinterest recipe fail, i am proud to announce i nailed this one! its my Easter dish for tomorrow’s festivities and I’m pretty sure all the carnivores are not going to know what to do with themselves. i did the recipes as is (introducing myself to frank’s buffalo sauce-amazing) except i doubled it. i had that “its gonna be good” feeling 😉
Great recipe! A friend recommended and we are hooked now.
The first time we didn’t have any Buffalo sauce, so I looked up some information on the internet and just combined Siracha (which we always have at home), vinegar and butter. Very good. Bought some Frank’s Hot Sauce for the second batch and didn’t notice a difference. Also, the second time I made it, we had some potatoes we had to use up. I just chopped them and threw them in with the cauliflower and it worked out well.
Thanks for the great information. I am going to try it with some potatoes next time, definitely! Glad you like them.
Hi. Any chance that you know how many calories per serving these are? My husband and I just started a 1600 calorie diet and really trying to stay within our limits. Thanks!
Hi Melissa,
There are only 210 calories in an entire head of cauliflower (6-7 inch). The hot sauce has zero calories and the tablespoon of butter is 102 calories. So, six servings would only have 52 calories. But if you’re eating it as a side dish for only 2 people, just know the ENTIRE recipe only has 311 calories, so divide from there. Hope this helps. 🙂
I just made these tonight. They tasted delicious! But I’ve never been able to get my cauliflower crispy. I have no idea what I’m doing wrong but I followed the recipe exactly. Any suggestions?
Hi Nikki, My cauliflower never gets “crispy” either. You want to bake them until they’re just tender enough and if cooked too long, they will be too limp and soggy. Are you assuming the “crispy” is from the dark areas in my photos? That is just where the sauce cooked a little darker here and there.
I will have to use coconut oil instead of butter, going vegan! No dairy!
I think coconut oil will be amazing!
Just found this recipe online, seriously came out amazing!!! So happy to have such an awesome, simple meal 🙂
Ok, after cooking them and mixing them with the Franks sauce, I turned the oven to broil and broiled for 10 minutes and turned them over and broiled 5 more minutes. They were awesome! Myhusband doesn’t like cauliflower and he approved.
Michelle, I am shocked! I will be trying this soon for sure! Thanks for performing the experiment for the rest of us. 🙂
I’m trying it with frozen broccoli and will let yall know how it turns out!
Can you use frozen culiflower?
Jenny, I would not use frozen because I think you need to start with the super-crisp raw cauliflower to make this a success. If the cauliflower gets too soft, it’s a disaster. And I have used frozen cauliflower in the past for other dishes and I feel there is a difference between frozen and fresh in some dishes. And this would be one of them. 🙂
I wonder how broccoli would taste. That’s what I have in fridge
Mama T, I think the broccoli has too strong a flavor to work with this recipe. But let me know if you do try it. 🙂
These sound fabulous. Can’t wait to make them.
Sharon, we really loved them! Just check them to make sure they don’t overcook to soggy. 🙂