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Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites: Best Game Day Snack

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These crispy baked buffalo cauliflower bites are the perfect game day snack. They’re oven-baked, not fried, with a crunchy panko coating and sticky spicy buffalo sauce that even dedicated meat eaters will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-sized florets
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for serving
  • Celery sticks and carrot sticks, for serving
  • Fresh chives or green onions, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire cooling rack on top if you have one.
  2. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. Rinse and pat extremely dry with a clean kitchen towel.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Place the panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Set up an assembly line: cauliflower, batter bowl, panko bowl, prepared baking sheet.
  5. Working in batches, drop a few florets into the batter and turn until completely coated. Let excess batter drip off, then transfer to the panko bowl and roll to coat, pressing gently. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each floret.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and carefully flip each floret using tongs. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes until deeply golden and tender.
  7. While the cauliflower bakes, make the sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the hot sauce, melted butter, honey (if using), and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until smooth and warmed through. Keep warm.
  8. When the cauliflower is done, transfer to a large bowl. Pour the warm buffalo sauce over the top and toss gently until every floret is coated.
  9. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with chopped chives or green onions. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery and carrot sticks.

Notes

For extra crunch, double coat the florets by dipping in batter, then panko, then batter again, then panko. Toss with sauce right before serving to maintain crispiness. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 7 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: buffalo cauliflower, game day snack, baked cauliflower bites, crispy cauliflower, vegetarian appetizer, spicy snack

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/crispy-baked-buffalo-cauliflower-bites-best-game-day-snack/