Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower is like a cauliflower "wing" that you can dip and devour. Whip up these tasty cauliflower florets and dip them in ranch, make them into a buffalo cauliflower wrap, or eat them bare. No matter how you serve up this cauliflower dish, it will get devoured.
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You'll love this tender and delicious cauliflower with the crispy, sticky sauce. If you are a fan of cauliflower, I recommend trying this recipe soon!
Want more easy cauliflower recipes? Try my cauliflower and potato curry, vegan power tacos, or my popular cauliflower rice sushi bowls.
This Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower recipe is...
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Nutrient rich
- Wholesome
- Easy
- Quick
And while you're here, don't forget to grab a copy of my free vegan cheat sheet. It's packed with all my favorite substitutions to vegan-ize any recipe!
How to Make Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
- Start by prepping the baking sheet and preheat your oven.
- In a bowl, add flour and spice; mix to combine.
- Add the almond milk and stir until you have a smooth batter.
- Toss in the cauliflower florets and coat in the mixture.
- Spread out florets on baking sheet and bake, flipping once.
- Mix up the hot sauce with oil and syrup.
- When finished baking, coat the cauliflower in the sauce.
- Toss cauliflower back on the pan and heat for another couple minutes.
- Serve & enjoy!
Full directions for how to make Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks for Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
Florets
Make sure to rinse your cauliflower well, and then cut it into even pieces. This will allow for an even cook. If your cauliflower florets aren't similarly sized, some will bake faster than others leaving some florets overcooked and some undercooked.
Line the Baking Sheet
When I make this cauliflower, I always place parchment or aluminum foil down on the pan. You will find that the buffalo sauce is a bit messy, so the parchment paper helps to keep your baking sheet cleaner when you are all done.
Air Fryer
You can also air fry your florets instead of baking them in the oven if you want. All you have to do is lay out a single layer of cauliflower in the air fryer at 400°F. Cook them for 10 minutes, flip, and then cook again until florets are nice and golden.
Toss them in the buffalo sauce, and return to cook them for a few more minutes. Just make sure that you only cook a single layer of cauliflower in the air fryer at a time.
Variations to Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
Plant-Based Milk
You can replace the almond milk with any other plant-based milk you prefer. When swapping, simply use the same amount of milk.
Sauce
You can use a mild sauce or super spicy hot sauce for this recipe. Feel free to adjust your buffalo sauce to your taste. We love using Frank's Buffalo Sauce.
Agave
Instead of maple syrup, you can use agave syrup. Add 1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon of syrup to help tame down the spice.
Extra Crispy
Make your cauliflower a bit crispier by just allowing it to cook an additional 5-10 minutes to bake to your liking. Then add on the sauce and bake an additional 2-3 minutes.
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower FAQs
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
If you want to use frozen cauliflower, go right ahead. Just make sure that the cauliflower is fully thawed before you add it into the flour mixture. Otherwise, the breading will come off of your cauliflower florets when you bake them.
How should I store leftovers?
You will want to store any cauliflower you do not eat right away in the fridge for 2 days. When you're ready to eat it again, you can reheat your cauliflower in the microwave or warm in the oven if you prefer—either method works for this recipe.
What should you serve with vegan buffalo cauliflower?
You are more than welcome to serve your cauliflower with some vegan ranch or even blue cheese dressing for dipping. Or you can serve your cauliflower with a side of crisp veggies and keep your meal nice and light.
Recipe
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ cup almond milk plain
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets
- ½ cup hot sauce such as Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
- 1 tbsp canola oil or your oil of choice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and paprika until combined.
- Whisk in the almond milk until the batter is smooth.
- Then add the cauliflower florets and toss in the batter until they are evenly coated.
- Spread cauliflower out on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until fork tender, gently stirring halfway through.
- While cauliflower is cooking, mix together the hot sauce, oil, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Once cauliflower is cooked, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and toss with the prepared hot sauce
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower back to the baking sheet and return to the oven for 2–3 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Serve hot.
AS says
These were delicious! My family loved them. Made them w/o any oil and they were great