Description
This delectable buffalo cauliflower recipe delivers spicy, crispy goodness that rivals traditional chicken wings. Crisp baked florets coated in zesty sauce provide a satisfying plant-based alternative you’ll crave at game day gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 head cauliflower (about 1.5 pounds or 680 grams)
- 3 tbsps Frank’s RedHot Sauce
- 2 tbsps butter, melted
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 cups (2 oz or 56 g) crumbled blue cheese
- 0.25 cups sour cream
- 3 tbsps buttermilk
- 2 tbsps mayonnaise
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Floret Preparation: Deconstruct cauliflower into uniform, bite-sized pieces ensuring consistent cooking potential.
- Sauce Creation: Blend Frank’s hot sauce, unsalted melted butter, kosher salt, and granulated garlic powder into a harmonious, spicy mixture.
- Coating Process: Thoroughly enrobe each cauliflower piece in the fiery sauce, then delicately dust with cornstarch, creating a light, crispy exterior layer.
- Air Fryer Setup: Activate air fryer at 350°F (175°C), allowing 2-3 minutes for complete temperature calibration.
- Cooking Technique: Arrange florets in a strategic, non-overlapping configuration within the air fryer basket, ensuring maximum heat circulation and crispiness.
- Culinary Transformation: Roast cauliflower for 12-15 minutes, intermittently agitating the basket to promote even caramelization and textural perfection.
- Dipping Sauce Composition: Whisk blue cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, and mayonnaise into a creamy, tangy accompaniment.
- Final Seasoning: Enhance sauce with subtle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, balancing flavor profiles.
- Presentation: Plate golden-brown buffalo cauliflower alongside the zesty blue cheese dressing for a delectable dining experience.
Notes
- Floret Uniformity Matters: Cut cauliflower pieces exactly the same size to guarantee even cooking and consistent crispiness throughout.
- Coating Technique Crucial: Dust cornstarch lightly and evenly to create a perfect crispy exterior without clumping or becoming too heavy.
- Basket Arrangement Strategy: Spread florets in a single layer without touching to ensure maximum air circulation and achieve maximum crunchiness.
- Sauce Balance Key: Blend blue cheese dressing ingredients carefully, adjusting seasonings for optimal tanginess and creamy texture that complements the spicy buffalo coating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg