Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
These flavor loaded baked buffalo cauliflower bites are a fun and tasty appetizer or snack.
I’ve had these tasty little bites while dining at restaurants but I had never tried making them at home until recently. I found a recipe on Fork in the Kitchen that looked great and used ingredients I already had on hand–I love those kind of recipes! I adapted their recipe a bit buy popping the cauliflower bites back into the oven for a few minutes after saucing them, so they would crisp up a bit. I served these baked buffalo cauliflower bites with blue cheese dressing for my son and me and ranch dressing for my husband and daughter. These little bites disappeared quickly and were really tasty.
How to Make Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper then place a wire cooling rack on the parchment paper. Coat the wire rack well with cooking spray. Side Note: Use your convection setting on your oven if it’s an option.
Prepare the cauliflower by cutting it into similar sized small florets.
Coat the florets with the cornstarch until evenly coated.
Make a dredging station by whisking together the egg and water in a shallow bowl, until very well combined.
In another shallow bowl, combine the panko crumbs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, together.
Dredge the florets by dipping the cornstarch coated florets in the egg mixture then into the seasoned panko until evenly coated; set on the prepared wire rack.
Bake the cauliflower bites by placing them into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Meanwhile make the buffalo sauce by combining the hot sauce and the butter together in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until bubbling and hot; whisk well.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the sauce over the cauliflower bites until well-coated but not drenched. Side Note: You can skip this step if you want the cauliflower to stay really crispy for a longer period of time and serve the baked florets with the hot well-whisked buffalo sauce on the side for dipping.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.
Serve cauliflower bites immediately topped with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, and celery sticks on the side, if desired. Enjoy.
Equipment
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Cauliflower Bites:
- 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into same sized florets
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 large egg, well-whisked
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼-½ tsp freshy ground black pepper, to taste
Buffalo Sauce:
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
Other Ingredients:
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Blue cheese dressing
- Ranch dressing
- Celery sticks
Instructions
- Prepare the cauliflower by cutting it into similar sized small florets.
- Coat the florets with the cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Make a dredging station by whisking together the egg and water in a shallow bowl, until very well combined.
- In another shallow bowl, combine the panko crumbs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, together.
- Dredge the florets by dipping the cornstarch coated florets in the egg mixture then into the seasoned panko until evenly coated; set on the prepared wire rack.
- Bake the cauliflower bites by placing them into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
- Meanwhile make the buffalo sauce by combining the hot sauce and the butter together in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until bubbling and hot; whisk well.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the sauce over the cauliflower bites until well-coated but not drenched. Side Note: You can skip this step if you want the cauliflower to stay really crispy for a longer period of time and serve the baked florets with the hot well-whisked buffalo sauce on the side for dipping.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.
- Serve cauliflower bites immediately topped with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, and celery sticks on the side, if desired. Enjoy.
They look so crunchy! I love buffalo flavour 🙂
The food is great, Grilled cauliflower pieces look crispy and eye-catching. I will try to make this dish. Very attractive!