Vegan + Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Peanut Sauce
Obviously everyone knows about buffalo cauliflower by now, but I discovered these puppies a few years back and became instantly obsessed.
Although they don’t necessarily resemble the texture of chicken wings, no one should pretend they do because they are AMAZING as a standalone delicious snack/appetizer (let's face it, I've also eaten a batch of these for dinner more times than I care to admit).
They don’t need to be called "wings", but they are definitely their own yummy appetizer/snack/dinner and dipping them in peanut sauce really satisfies that craving for something spicy, crunchy, creamy and indulgent! I got the idea to dip these in peanut sauce from Thug Kitchen, which was basically the first vegan cookbook I owned. It might seem obscure, but TRUST ME in this case - the slightly sweet + creamy peanut sauce is the ideal accompaniment to these bites, because it reduces the spice level just the right amount and adds a whole new complexity of flavour. It's a must.
These buffalo cauliflower bites are:
Completely vegan
Made gluten-free with a chickpea flour batter (which also happens to be a very cheap and accessible gluten-free flour - highly recommend getting your hands on some!)
Spicy and savoury
Accompanied by the most wonderfully creamy and rich peanut sauce, which offsets the spiciness perfectly
Oh, and I have to say it - Frank's Red Hot is the key to these. I've also made them with Sriracha, which is delicious, but there's something about Frank's that really provides that classic "buffalo" flavour. Hope you love these!
Vegan + Gluten-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
2 medium heads of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 ¼ cups chickpea flour (or sub a gluten-free/rice flour blend - may need to adjust the amount of liquid)
¾ cup unsweetened nut milk (almond works well)
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp sea salt
Avocado or other neutral oil, for baking
½ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
2 tbsp vegan butter
For the peanut sauce:
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
Squeeze of lime
Water or coconut milk, to thin
Method
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line 2 large baking sheets.
In a large bowl, whisk together your chickpea flour, nut milk, garlic and onion powders and sea salt until the mixture is smooth with few chunks remaining. Test the consistency by dipping a piece of cauliflower into the mixture - it should be thick enough to coat a piece without dripping off too much. If too thick or too thin, adjust with 1 tbsp more flour or water accordingly.
Add in your cauliflower florets to the mixture and evenly, making sure they all get coated evenly in the batter. Divide the coated cauliflower pieces between your 2 baking sheets, making sure they aren’t touching and that they have enough room between them (so they get crispy!). Drizzle both with a bit of avocado oil and place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through.
Meanwhile, make your buffalo sauce by melting your vegan butter and whisking in the Frank’s Red Hot sauce.
Make your peanut sauce by whisking together all ingredients and slowly adding in water or coconut milk, a bit at a time, until you have a smooth, creamy mixture for dipping.
Remove the cauliflower pieces from the oven (they should be golden brown) and pour your buffalo sauce mixture between both baking sheets. Toss all of the cauliflower pieces to coat them in the buffalo sauce, then return them to the oven to cook for an additional 5 minutes to cook them in the sauce.
When the cauliflower is finished baking, serve hot alongside the peanut sauce for dipping!
Serves 4-6
