Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
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These Buffalo cauliflower bites are crispy, spicy, and so delicious you’ll forget they’re made with veggies. Don’t forget the ranch or blue cheese for dipping!
My entire family is from Buffalo, NY, so I was raised to love anything doused in buttery hot sauce. These Buffalo cauliflower bites definitely deliver—crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a sauce that hits all the right notes. Serve them as an appetizer or game-day snack with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, or on their own as a side dish. However you serve them, they won’t last long.
While most Buffalo cauliflower recipes call for baking, I find you get much better (and crispier) results in a skillet—and in about a third of the time. Just be sure not to leave the florets too large, or they’ll brown before they’re cooked through.
Love all things Buffalo? Try my crispy baked chicken wings next—they’re a reader favorite and guaranteed to satisfy that Buffalo craving.
What You’ll Need To Make Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
- Butter & hot sauce (like Frank’s Buffalo Sauce): Melted together to make the classic spicy, buttery buffalo sauce that coats the cauliflower (or serve it on the side to keep the cauliflower crispy).
- Cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, garlic powder & onion powder: These dry ingredients make up the base of the batter.
- Milk & more hot sauce: Thins out the batter to the right consistency and brings a little heat into the coating itself.
- Cauliflower: The main event—cut into bite-size florets so they cook evenly and get nice and crisp around the edges.
- Vegetable oil: Used for pan-frying the cauliflower until golden and crispy.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Buffalo sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, then stir in the hot sauce and whisk until smooth. Or, melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the hot sauce until fully combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the milk and hot sauce and whisk until smooth—it should be about the consistency of pancake batter.
Step 3: Coat the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl and toss until all the pieces are lightly coated in batter.
Pro Tip: Toss the cauliflower gently to make sure the nooks and crannies get coated without breaking the florets.
Step 4: Pan-fry the cauliflower. Heat about ⅛ inch of oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the cauliflower in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning every couple of minutes so each piece gets golden and crisp on all sides. Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Add more oil between batches as needed, and adjust the heat if anything starts to burn.
Pro Tip: Don’t rush the flipping—wait until the bottoms are nicely golden before turning for the best texture and color.
Step 5: Serve. Transfer the cauliflower to a platter and drizzle with the warm Buffalo sauce—or serve the sauce on the side to keep the cauliflower crisp. Serve and enjoy!
More Game Day Favorites You’ll Love
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Ingredients
For the Buffalo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
For the Cauliflower
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
- 1 head cauliflower (about 2 lbs/908 g), cut into bite size (1 to 1½-inch/2.5 to 4-cm) florets
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
- Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing, optional for serving
Instructions
- Make the Buffalo Sauce: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, then stir in the hot sauce and whisk until smooth. Alternatively, melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in the hot sauce until fully combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the milk and hot sauce and whisk until completely smooth. It will be the consistency of pancake batter.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. You should have just enough batter to lightly coat all the florets.
- Heat about ⅛ inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels and set next to the stove.
- When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the cauliflower in a single layer, making sure not to crowd the pan (you’ll need to do this in two or three batches, depending on the size of your skillet). The cauliflower can splatter a bit as it cooks, so be careful. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the florets every couple of minutes to brown as many surfaces as possible—since cauliflower doesn’t have flat sides, rotate each piece occasionally so it gets golden and crisp all over. Add more oil between batches if needed, and adjust the heat to prevent burning. Transfer the cooked cauliflower to the paper towel–lined plate to drain.
- Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a platter and drizzle with the warm buffalo sauce. Alternatively, serve the sauce on the side (this will keep the cauliflower crispy). Serve right away with ranch or blue cheese dressing, if desired
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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