Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Chilli Mayo

The baked buffalo cauliflower bites are little crispy balls with a spicy, smoky flavour which when dunked in some chili mayo, make for the best movie snack or side dish. 

Why this recipe works

I love how this caulflower bites recipe works as a vegetarian substitute for what usually is a crispy battered meat. It incorporates a vegetable whilst still being super tasty. It’s healthy in two ways, we’re getting nutrients from the vegetable thanks to the cauliflower bites and they’re made crispy through baking rather than deep frying. 

Here are some other side dishes for you to try ; Air Fryer Green Beans, Parmesan Tenderstem Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Vegetable Baked Fries

Ingredients

Cauliflower
The vegetarian star of the show.  If you love cauliflower, try these tasty recipes with cauliflower ; Rigatoni Fiorentina, Creamy Cauliflower Pasta and the Veggie Burrito Bowl

Hot sauce and Honey
Adds an extra layer of flavour and heat to the buffalo cauliflower bites. It also adds the most vibrant colour to give the batter that deep fried look and the honey adds sweetness and helps to crisp up the cauliflower bites when they’re being baked in the oven. 

Flour, Soy Milk (Unsweetened) and Baking Powder
For the batter. With the plain flour, I like the use of soy milk here, but feel free to use any unsweetened milk of your choosing. The baking powder activates the batter and causes it to rise slightly which helps to add crispiness in the oven.

Mayonnaise
Balances the smoky spicy buffalo bites nicely whilst still having a slight kick from the hot sauce that we add to the mayo. I, of course, opt for hellmans. 

Seasoning
I go for a blend of cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, onion salt and garlic granules. 

See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.

How to make buffalo cauliflower bites

Preheat oven to 180°C FAN/ 200°C

1. Start by combining the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, onion salt, garlic granules and baking powder in a large mixing bowl (Image 1).
2. Slowly stir the soy milk into the bowl and mix together to achieve a smooth thick batter, similar to the consistency of American pancake batter (Image 2).

3. Now pour the cauliflower florets into the batter and use a spatula to ensure all the pieces are evenly coated (Image 3).

4. Using up any left over batter, throw in the cauliflower leaves and ensure evenly coated (Image 4).

5. Using 2 separate greased and lined baking sheets, drizzle around half of the rapeseed oil onto the foil (approx 1.5 tbsp on each of the trays) and spread evenly across the trays. Then add the florets one by one to one of the trays and evenly distribute them so they aren’t touching each other (Image 5).

On a separate tray, place the coated caulflower leaves and distribute evenly.After around 12 minutes, the caulflower florets should be golden brown but not starting to crisp. Remove both trays from the oven.

6. Drizzle with your favourite hot sauce and honey over the florets and leaves, moving the pieces around with the spatula to evenly coat (Image 6).

7. Now pop back in the oven for around 5 minutes, keeping your eye on the florets and leaves. Remove when the cauliflower bites and leaves are crispy and golden brown. Season generously with flaky salt straight after removing the trays from the oven, as this will allow the salt to bind better (Image 7).

8. Serve with your favourite hot sauce combined with mayo to make a chilli mayo (Image 8).

Which hot sauce shall I use?

I use Frank’s buffalo wings sauce, as it’s usually used on fried chicken, which is the hot and saucy vibe that we’re trying to create with the buffalo cauliflower bites. 

Any hot sauce that allows you to use a higher volume without it being too spicy would work here. For example, we don’t want to use a dripping hot sauce like regular franks or tabasco, as we’d have to use a whole bottle to coat our cauliflower and it would be far too spicy/tangy. 

You could use Sriracha to coat the bites, but bear in mind that you’ll get more of a sweet/Asian flavoured undertone, rather than American/buffalo vibes.

Other spicy recipes to try ; 10 Minute Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles, Nando’s Spicy rice and Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice (Budget Recipe)

What can I pair this recipe with?

If you want to make this side recipe into a main meal, you could serve the cauliflower bites with a protein such as:

• Pork loins
• Steak 
• Grilled chicken 

Other foods/recipes you could pair it with: 

• Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
• Pasta salad
• Tabbouleh 
• Giant Cous Cous

FAQs

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Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Chilli Mayo

by Mimi Harrison

Print

4.62 from 54 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

£0.83

Snack

British

Servings: 4

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

MetricUS Standard

Think of these as a low-calorie, vegetarian take on chicken nuggets. These crispy baked buffalo cauliflower bites are delicious, easy to make and packed full of nutrients.

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 large cauliflower (£0.95)
• ▢ 220 ml unsweetened soy milk (£0.85)
• ▢ 4 tbsp hot sauce of choice (£1.00)
• ▢ 4 tbsp mayonnaise (£2.00/4)=(£0.50)

Cupboard Essentials

• ▢ 150 g flour
• ▢ 1 tsp paprika
• ▢ ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp onion salt
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic granules
• ▢ 2 tbsp honey
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 3 tbsp rapeseed oil onto foil

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C FAN/ 200°C

• Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, onion salt, garlic granules and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir the soy milk into the bowl until you achieve a smooth thick batter, like the consistency of american pancake batter.
• Pour the cauliflower florets into the mixing bowl and use a spatula to ensure all the pieces are evenly coated in the batter. Throw the cauliflower leaves into any left over batter and ensure evenly coated, before placing on a separate greased baking tray.
• On two foil lined baking sheets, drizzle around half of the rapeseed oil onto the foil (approx 1.5 tbsp on each of the trays). Ensure the oil is spread evenly across the tray and then add the florets onto the tray. Add them one by one so you can evenly distribute them so they aren’t touching each other. Pop them in the oven.
• After around 12 minutes, the batter should be golden brown but not starting to crisp. Remove the tray from the oven and use a slotted spatula (preferably a bendy plastic one) to rotate the pieces. Drizzle with your favourite hot sauce and honey, moving the pieces around with the spatula to evenly coat.
• Pop back in the oven for around 5 minutes or until crispy and golden. If your oven is powerful it could be less than this so keep an eye out! Season generously with flakey salt immediately when you remove them from the oven, this will allow the salt to bind better with the c. bites. Serve with your favourite hot sauce combined with mayo to make a chilli mayo.

Notes

• Choose fresh cauliflower with firm and compact florets, avoiding those with brown spots or wilting.
• Preheat the oven to a high temperature (around 220°C/425°F) to achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior.
• Cut the cauliflower into evenly sized florets for even cooking. Dip and coat the florets with batter, removing excess before placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer to ensure even browning.

Nutrition

Servings: 4 servings

Fat: 23g

Calories: 420kcal

Carbohydrates: 49g

Protein: 9g