(updated April 10, 2020) // by Phoebe Lapine // 23 comments
5 from 4 votes
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Over six years ago, when I was down in Nashville for my friend Sarah’s bachelorette party, the most memorable thing we ate was not the BBQ brisket or the southern-style pecan pancakes. It was the buffalo cauliflower bites.
For our Saturday night dinner we went to Tavern, a modern sports bar-esque restaurant that serves up creative gastro-pub fare. We ordered nearly the whole menu and shared everything. The best thing (by far) was the dish of buffalo cauliflower bites, which is impressive considering they had three types of French fries.
The battered florets reminded me of one of my all-time favorite dishes: Manchurian cauliflower from Devi restaurant. It was the subject of my first ever blog post, and perhaps because of that, loosely responsible for my decision to quit my day job and work full time in the food industry.
Though it was not relevant at the time, one of the best things about the Manchurian cauliflower recipe is that it uses cornstarch instead of flour for the batter. I knew that this was probably not the case with the southern buffalo cauliflower, but back then I was a little looser with my gluten-freedom and took a few bites anyway before tearing myself away from the basket.
When I got home, I was particularly keen to reinvent the dish as a healthified gluten-free finger food.
I’ve made these bites many ways, using the corn starch base and pan-frying and more recently, as in this version, using chickpea flour and baking it in the oven, which held up very well to the wing sauce. I’d venture to say that this version is even better than the original, though who can really remember the nuances of that dish after so much Bourbon.
For those of you gluten-free, vegetarian folks who want a little indulgence at your summer BBQ, this basket of cauliflower wings is perfect.
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
5 from 4 votes
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If you’re looking for game day food that checks all the health boxes—i.e. gluten-free, plant-based, unfried—then this riff on your favorite wings is the ticket! Cauliflower holds us especially well to battering, even if said batter is made up of chickpea flour and water instead of white flour and beer.Once you coat every little floret, you bake the cauliflower at a high temp until crispy and golden. Of course, regarding the next step, I would never deprive you of the classics—toss those babes in your favorite traditional hot sauce (I like Frank’s Red Hot) and a little melted ghee or butter, if you’re feeling cheeky. Instead of sour cream or ranch dressing, make due with a little tangy, cooling Greek yogurt to take the heat off.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Author Phoebe Lapine
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 head cauliflower cut into small florets
- 1/3 cup hot sauce I like Frank’s Red Hot
- 2 tablespoons ghee melted
- Greek yogurt for serving
- Celery sticks for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes while you prep the cauliflower.
Toss the cauliflower in the chickpea batter until well coated. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking sheet using a slotted spoon, shaking off any excess batter, and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until crispy and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in another medium mixing bowl, combine the hot sauce and melted ghee.
Toss the crispy cauliflower with the buffalo sauce and serve immediately alongside celery sticks and yogurt for dipping.
If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!
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Comments
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking says I love any kind of fried vegetable. My husband hates veggies but loves anything buffalo, this might be a great compromise meal!
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- Frankie says
This is such a good idea it could make me watch football. Nah.
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- Raffaella says
I’m wondering if we can substitute the Red Hot for powdered curries.
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- Phoebe Lapine says
you mean the hot sauce for a curry powder? I don’t think I’d recommend this. You need some moisture. The manchurian cauli uses ketchup. You could definitely add curry powder to that. Or just melt more butter and make it a curry butter. But I think the acidity of the sauce is what really goes well with the fried florets.
- kami says
thank you for this recipe! it was so delicous!!!!! i will be making it again. my hubby even had seconds and doens’t really like cauliflower. 🙂
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- Phoebe Lapine says
amazing!! thanks so much for taking the time to report back! thrilled you got him to eat his veg – even if they were fried 🙂
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- Elaine says
Hello, I’m Elaine. I love food blogs. My favorite is yours and “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook. (also a blog) Between the two of you, I get the best recipes. Keep them coming. Elaine.
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- Phoebe Lapine says
Thank you SO much Elaine!! I’m thrilled you like the site. It’s always great getting positive feedback, so I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a few kind words. Sometimes blogging can feel like you’re working in a vacuum! Please let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see – recipes, advice, or otherwise. xox P
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- eric says
Great looking stuff!
I am going to try it but using a Beer Batter for the coating. I have always found this simple batter to be outstanding on fish and onion rings.
It always turns out light and flaky, the first batches go into the oven to keep warm as the ‘plot thickens’.Even good cold, days later.
Walmart sells a really nice pre-mixed batter, Louisiana fish or chicken fry I think it’s called. All the spicy stuff is already in it, but you can douse it with Franks if you dare.
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- Phoebe Lapine says
Thanks, Eric! Let me know how it turns out. Perhaps I can replicate with a GF beer batter. Like the one I use for my fish and chips. Cheers!
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- Debbie says
This was amazing!!! My Daughter-in-Law doesn’t like cauliflower, and turned up her nose at this dish. I made her try one, and she was hooked!! She had two bowlfulls!! I couldn’t stop eating them! My husband, who hates everything vegetable, ate them, and said they were good. Fabulous dish!! Thank you for sharing!
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- Ellen says
Do you think this will be ok about 4 hours later room temp. Want to bring to a potluck.
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- Phoebe Lapine says
well it won’t be crispy anymore like buffalo chicken…which is really best out of the fryer. so i’d say maybe choose something else? let me know if i can make any suggestions!
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- gezondheidsproducten bloggers says
Ziet er gezond uit,.
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- Rosamonde Simone @ KetoBotyToneAvis says
Your recipe buffalo-cauliflower is looking so yummy. I am going to try it this weekend. Thank you.
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- suzie says
Oh, wow! Thank you for this amazing recipe! I can’t believe how easy it is to make!Reply
- Harry George says
thanks for sharing great recipe yummiReply
- Mark Burnett says
It looks so yum, thanks for sharing this recipe.
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