Buffalo Cauliflower
This buffalo cauliflower recipe is irresistible! It strikes the perfect balance of crisp, tender and spicy. Serve it as an appetizer or snack.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 1, 2024
This buffalo cauliflower recipe has been a long time coming. I’m glad to get it to you just before the big game! This recipe is a vegetarian spin on buffalo wings, featuring caramelized roasted cauliflower with an irresistibly spicy coating. It’s the perfect watch party appetizer.
Restaurant-style buffalo cauliflower is typically deep fried (and delicious), but I wanted to make homemade buffalo cauliflower in the oven. I tried it every which way to get here, and many renditions were simply not good. The cauliflower was either soggy, too saucy, too salty, or otherwise not quite right.
I gave up on the idea last year after I landed on buffalo Brussels sprouts instead.
Here’s what I ran into along the way. Many homemade buffalo cauliflower recipes feature cauliflower tossed in a flour and water mixture before baking, with the promise that it produces a deep fried effect. It would be cool if that worked, but it doesn’t. Simply roasting the cauliflower on its own doesn’t yield crispy-enough results, and tossing the cauliflower in sauce after baking negates all crispness anyway.
I finally picked up a new tip from a loosely-written Bon Appetit recipe—cornstarch. Cornstarch helps make my baked sweet potato fries extra crispy, and it does the same for this cauliflower, offering a crispy outside to a high-moisture vegetable without frying. That means that this recipe is gluten free as well. Hooray!
It’s way too easy to eat this buffalo cauliflower straight off the sheet pan before it makes it to the serving platter. You have been warned.
Watch How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower
How to Make the Best Buffalo Cauliflower
You’ll find step-by-step photos and the full recipe below, but here’s why this recipe works so well:
1) Bake at a relatively high temperature on a lower oven rack
Four-hundred twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit is my go-to temperature for tender, caramelized roasted vegetables and it is perfect for buffalo cauliflower. Lining the pan with parchment paper ensures that the cauliflower doesn’t stick to the pan, and that the sauce adheres to the cauliflower rather than the pan. We’ll bake the cauliflower on an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, which promotes extra browning (more flavor!).
2) Slice the cauliflower into large florets
Aim for two to three inches in size. The cauliflower shrinks considerably as it roasts. Don’t throw out the tiny cauliflower florets and crumbs, which turn into delicious little bits in the oven.
3) Toss the cauliflower florets with cornstarch and seasonings
Cornstarch helps crisp up the cauliflower. It makes a huge difference! We’ll lightly coat the cauliflower with cornstarch, garlic powder and black pepper, then toss with olive oil.
4) Roast the cauliflower until golden
Before we add any sauce, we’ll roast the cauliflower to evaporate excess moisture and bring out its best flavor. Bake for 20 minutes, toss, and bake until golden, about 10 more minutes.
5) Toss the roasted cauliflower with buffalo sauce
Homemade buffalo sauce is simply a mixture of melted butter and Frank’s hot sauce (you can substitute another red hot sauce, if you prefer, but Frank’s is classic). Combine the roasted cauliflower and buffalo sauce in a bowl and gently toss so the sauce coats the cauliflower all over.
6) Bake once more
Finally, return the saucy cauliflower to the oven until blistered and drier to the touch. This step brings out even more irresistible flavor and makes the buffalo cauliflower more finger friendly.
7) Serve as desired
This buffalo cauliflower is terrific with blue cheese dip or ranch dressing. Carrot sticks, bell pepper strips and celery are classic accompaniments as well.
Buffalo Cauliflower Serving Suggestions
We discovered that buffalo cauliflower makes a fun salad component. Try massaged chopped kale or romaine, my favorite chickpea salad or crispy baked chickpeas, and a creamy dressing, like ranch, blue cheese or Caesar.
Here are some Super Bowl-worthy recipes to serve with buffalo cauliflower:
- Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Favorite Chickpea Salad
- Homemade Vegetarian Chili
- Monster Cookies
- Ultimate Veggie Pizza
View more game day recipes here.
Please let me know how your buffalo cauliflower turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower
This buffalo cauliflower recipe is completely irresistible! It strikes the perfect balance of crisp, tender and spicy. Recipe yields 4 generous side servings.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower (about 3 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons Frank’s red hot sauce, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Optional, for serving: Ranch dressing or blue cheese dip, carrot and celery sticks and strips of bell pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cauliflower from sticking.
- Cut the cauliflower into large florets, about 2 to 3 inches in size. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with the cornstarch, garlic powder and pepper. Then drizzle in the olive oil and toss until lightly and evenly coated.
- Arrange the florets evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Set the used bowl aside, but keep it nearby.
- Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes on the lower rack, then gently toss. Return the pan to the lower rack and bake until the cauliflower is tender and golden, about 10 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, in your reserved bowl, combine the hot sauce and melted butter. Whisk to combine. Taste, and stir in another tablespoon of hot sauce if desired (it won’t taste as intense once it’s on the cauliflower). Once the cauliflower is golden, transfer it to the bowl and gently toss until the cauliflower is well coated.
- Arrange the cauliflower on the pan in a single layer once again. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cauliflower is blistered in spots, about 10 more minutes. Serve as desired.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute vegan butter, such as Miyoko’s Creamery brand. Serve with a suitable dip, if desired—this Creamy Avocado Dip might be nice.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I just realized I’ve had this recipe open on my computer for over a month and when I make this today it’ll be my 3rd time making it! It’s so good! I know I was warned but I did pick at them while they were “cooling” on the pan and ended up eating them all before they even made it to the plate!
This was DELICIOUS ‼️‼️
I’m glad you loved it, Liz! I appreciate your review.
Love the taste of this and have made it twice now. How do I get the cauliflower from falling apart after roasting in the oven? I cut them into larger florets the second time around, but I am still left with the majority in crumbles. Delicious crumbles, at least.
Hi Jenn! Does your cauliflower seem airy or dense? That can impact how it holds together.
Delicious!
Was gone before I could get a picture.
I did add a teaspoon of sugar.
Wasn’t as crispy as I had hoped, but I fully attribute that to me being too lazy to dry off my cauliflower after I had washed it. Flavor was delicious anyway! I also added a diced sweet potato and a red onion for the heck of it. I threw the finished product in a warm pita and added spinach and a drizzle of ranch and it truly hit the spot. This will be going on my rotation for sure.
I’m glad you were still able to enjoy it, Abby!
Great recipe! I’ve been making it like once a week since I came across it. I’d love to try it in a salad, but it never lasts that long. Who knew corn starch had so much magic? Kate knew. Thanks again for this one!
You’re welcome, Emily! I’m glad you loved it.
Stuff like this is why Cookie and Kate is my favorite recipe blog. Easy to make, but still tasty enough that my non-veg friends don’t feel like they’re going without if I make it for a dinner!
Thank you, Rachel! I appreciate your review.
Omg, this is so good!! I did turn oven to 400 because I didn’t have parchment paper and didn’t want it to burn and used sweet baby Rays buffalo sauce. So sorry I didn’t do the entire head of cauliflower. Thank you, thank you, wonderful for my card party.
OMG! It was amazing, perfect crunch and tasted . Thank you
You’re welcome, Renuka!
This was a hit for dinner. Saved for next time!
Great to hear, James!
I just made this and it was amazing! Great recipe, Thank you
You’re welcome, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
This was amazing! Your trying and trying again was worth it. So delicious. Thanks
You’re welcome, Reanna! I appreciate your review.
Could you use frozen cauliflower?
Hi! It may not get the same texture, but the taste may still work. Let me know if you try it.
I’ve made this a few times. Delicious! It beats ordering them at a restaurant for sure! My favorite thing about this recipe is my husband uses the exact same sauce ratio for his wings making it an easy meal in this vegetarian vs meat household!! Last night, we made Buffalo cauliflower/chicken wraps.
That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Audra.
This was excellent! Turned it into tacos.
I love that idea! Thank you for sharing, Aviva.
Hello,
Can you make this recipe one day ahead?
Thanks
Claire
I prefer it best served right away for the best results.
By far the best
This is a really good recipe. Better than the deep fried options available at take out places.
Thanks for Sharing this Awesome recipe. great and good recipe you have shared.
You’re welcome! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Oh my, this was great, (my bad – using my guy’s hot sauce so it was a bit HOT, but that’s on me.) Your recipe is easy, well laid out, and fabulous. thank you, thank you
btw: I also added carrot sticks and brussel sprouts to the cauliflower, and they were wonderful as well.
I’m excited you enjoyed it, Cate! Thank you for your review.
This was super delicious! The next day, I reheated the leftovers in the air fryer. Mmm.
Great to hear, Tracy! Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is delicious and healthy!! The crispy bits are everything! Since I’m single, I halved the recipe and found it to be a perfect snack during football. Also, I might’ve missed it but I did not see what temperature they should be baked at. I used 375 Fahrenheit.
I’ve only ever had deep-fried Buffalo cauliflower, which is great but not healthy. What a delicious alternative! We made 1/2 a recipe for 2, and served it with roasted potato fries and a high-protein greens mix with a simple creamy dressing. The perfect dinner! We will definitely make this again.
Great to hear, Cindy! I appreciate your review.
I’m so excited to try this! Do you think it could still work with frozen cauliflower?
It may be a little softer, but may work. Be sure to thaw first. Let me know how it turns out, Bayley!
So good! I could eat the whole thing by myself!
Love to hear that, Magdaline!
Hello,
Overall it was pretty good. However, the cornstarch gave the cauliflower a grainy taste. Any solutions on how to fix that?
Thanks
Did you use starch or cornmeal?
Hi Kate! I made these last night for the Oscars, and they tasted great! I did everything you said to do, but my florets were kind of limp. What could I do to crisp them up when I make them next time? Just not cook as long? (or that’s the way they’re supposed to be.) Thanks!
Great to hear, Amy! I’m glad you loved it.
Was having trouble making them crisp up before adding sauce. Was using tin foil since I didn’t have parchment, cooked for 50mins. Thanks
After reading multiple recipes online, I decided to come here to check yours…. It’s amazing and so simple. Thank you for doing what you do!
I’m glad you love it!
Made this tonight with some rib eye steaks and a tossed tomato, beet greens, cucumber salad. It was fabulous!! The blue cheese dressing went with the steak, salad and the awesome cauliflower. Will make again again for sure! Thank you Kathryne.
You’re welcome, Heidi!
Hi this looks delicious. Would it be possible to prepare any of this in advance for a dinner party. Thanks
We loved it! The corn starch is a real game-changer. Definitely a new staple for our family. We ate the entire tray in one meal. Thank you for sharing this!
You’re welcome, Ann! Thank you for your review.
Took it out of the oven after 20 min on 425 and it was gross and mushy. Not at all crisp. Total waste of my time, effort and money.
I’m sorry to hear that, Pam. Was your pan overcrowded?
I’m pregnant and vegan and have been just dying for some good buffalo cauliflower – I tried another recipe last week that was not great and decided I’d try this one this week and it was delicious and everything i wanted!! The baby liked it too :)
Congratulations! I’m glad it was a hit with both of you.
Hello, I would like to make this recipe but don’t like anything spicy. Could you suggest an alternative to hot sauce? Thank you. Charlotte
Hi, There are more mild sauces you can try. I would suggest finding one that suits your tastes.
I LOVE Buffalo Cauliflower and have cooked it countless times in various ways. This recipe is always the BEST!!!
Great to hear, Viveca!
First, doubled the recipe: Added diced potatoes with cauliflower then to the sauce, substituted Frank’s Hot Sauce (none in pantry) with asian sirachi sauce, added some BBQ sauce, added some maple syrup to sauce – AMAZING
Glad you loved it! Thank you for sharing how you made it.
Delicious! Some batches are much more crispy than others, but cutting the cauliflower into smaller pieces does help. I used Aldi brand hot sauce, and I’ve used both arrowroot and Almond flour before and they were both great.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kat! I appreciate your review.
I understand after reading some of the comments that the cauliflower’s moisture content can have an effect on the recipe’s success, and for me this turned out a horrible mess, we couldn’t force ourselves to eat it and it was a waste of a good cauliflower. Thinking of trying to repurpose it into a sauce or an ingredient in veggie burgers. We weren’t fans of the blue cheese dip recipe either.
I’m sorry to hear that, Gordon. I appreciate your feedback.
I have made this several times and love it. The biggest challenge is not eating the entire head of cauliflower myself in a single sitting.
Great to hear, Buffalo!
Anxious to try this as I had the same experience with not crisp cauliflower but didn’t want to make a batter & fry.
Turned out great! Served this buffalo cauliflower inside tacos with blue cheese crumbles & cilantro on a corn tortilla and it was delicious! I added a Tbls of soy sauce for some more umami flavor in the hot sauce & butter mixture, which was nice as well. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Great to hear, Leah! I appreciate your review.
This turned out great!!!
What non dairy alternative would work for the butter ?
You can try it! Let me know what you think, Suzi.
This recipe made the tastiest cauliflower I’ve ever eaten! I followed the recipe exactly as written and the results were delicious. Highly recommend!
That’s great to hear, Raina! I appreciate your review.
This looks great with one caveat — I don’t like chili flavor, which means I don’t like buffalo flavor. But is there something else I can coat the cornstarchy florets with, that would have the same amount of interest without chili flavor? I love Asian flavors, I wonder if something like hoisin sauce with sesame oil would work, or maybe mixing mayo and parmesan cheese. But I’m looking for your expertise. Thank you, I love your recipes.
I made these and loved the flavors despite accidentally using garlic salt instead of garlic powder. I had difficulty however in evenly distributing the cornstarch (despite tossing with florets in a sealed plastic bag) so some pieces were nice and crispy, while others were quite soggy. How do you distribute it evenly?
Try sprinkling it a little bit at a time to avoid over caking some and not others.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I am wondering if anyone has tried the first part of the recipe, made the frank sauce and tossed then traveled to a friend’s with it and did the last bake? I want to keep these crispy and hot. Or what about putting in a crock pot after the recipe is completed?
I don’t know if it will maintain the same texture, but you can try it. Let me know what you think!
Wow! I made this for the Superbowl. In my oven, it needed 5 minutes less that recommended. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. It was my favorite part of the meal and was the healthiest. My husband loved it, too!
Great to hear, Anne!
Wow…just wow! I had a head of cauliflower that needed to be used up and went searching for recipies and found this one. I made it as written – easy and delicious. This one went into my permanent file as I will be making it again (and again). I also made the blue cheese dip (with sour cream). Yum.
Thank you for sharing, Sandra! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.