Buffalo Cauliflower

Buffalo Cauliflower is a healthy play on buffalo wings made by oven-roasting cauliflower florets and tossing them in a spicy buffalo wing sauce.

Lately, I've had a slight obsession with all things buffalo flavored.  Which surprises me about myself, because I used to dislike hate buffalo anything.

I don't know what was wrong with me.  Buffalo sauce rocks.

While I do love chicken wings, the traditional vessel for tangy spicy buffalo sauce, I'm rather picky about them, in general.  They have to be crispy.  Rubbery chicken skin is just gross.

And the sauce has to be buttery and spicy, but not too spicy.  I swear some restaurants just dump on the Chernobyl sauce straight with no butter and call it buffalo.  Not a fan of a burning mouth for 3 hours after I eat.  Call me crazy.

Because I am so darn picky about my wings, I've started getting my buffalo fix elsewhere, like my Buffalo Roasted Chickpeas, Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tenders, and now this Buffalo Cauliflower.

Genius, right?  I saw it done somewhere (probably on Pinterest) and I knew when my honey came home with two heads of cauliflower the other day, that I would be giving it a shot.

I adore roasted cauliflower and it was the perfect base for my beloved buffalo sauce!

The firm texture, crispy browned bits, and chicken wing-like shape make Buffalo Cauliflower a fun and healthy alternative to fried chicken wings!  Yes!

Buffalo Cauliflower

   

Ingredients

CAULIFLOWER

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 3 tbsps olive oil
• 1 tbsp hot sauce

BUFFALO SAUCE

• 3 tbsps butter, melted
• 2 tbsps hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and buffalo sauce.  Spread out onto a baking sheet.
3. Roast for 15 minutes, flip the pieces of cauliflower, then return to the oven to roast for 10 more minutes.
4. Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce.  Drizzle over the cauliflower and gentle toss to coat each piece.  Return the cauliflower to the oven for 5 more minutes.  Serve hot with a side of ranch or blue cheese for dipping. 

Notes

• You can use more or less hot sauce in the buffalo sauce to make them as hot as you'd like!  I used Frank's Hot Sauce.