Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower

Original Recipe: thehiddenveggies.com

EQUIPMENT:

• Deep Fryer – helpful, but not necessary.
• Tongs – for dropping the battered nuggets into the hot oil

INGREDIENTS:

For the Buffalo Sauce:

• 1/3 cup vegan butter (try Miyokos)
• 1/3 cup hot sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Battered Cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower about 4 cups of florets
• 3/4 cup flour – gluten-free flour mixes work great! (King Arthur makes a great Keto flour)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (reduce for lower sodium or if using seasoning with salt in it)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3/4 cup water

Oil For Frying:

• 2-3 inches oil for frying (enough for the cauliflower to float)

For Dipping:

• 1/2 cup vegan ranch
• 1/2 cup vegan blue cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Make the Vegan Buffalo Sauce:

1. Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan or in a microwave.
2. Add the hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Stir with a whisk until hot sauce and butter are completely mixed.

Prepare the Cauliflower:

1. Wash the head of cauliflower under running water then shake the water off of it.
2. Cut the cauliflower florets off the head of the cauliflower and into bite-sized pieces removing the large stem in the center of the head.  (Try to keep the pieces a similar size, so they cook at the same rate).

Make the batter:

1. Put the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl (Flour, cornstarch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, baking soda, and baking powder) and give them a stir.
2. Pour in the water and stir the batter until it becomes a smooth paste.
3. Put the cauliflower pieces into the batter and toss until well-coated.

Deep Fry the Cauliflower:

1. Heat oil to 334°F (168°C)°.
2. Use tongs to pick up the pieces of coated cauliflower and place them into the hot oil.  (It will bubble and spatter so stand back).
3. Allow to cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the bubbling slows down and the cauliflower nuggets are golden brown.
4. Immediately remove from oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Arrange on a serving plate and serve hot with buffalo sauce drizzled on top or on the side and vegan blue cheese dressing or vegan ranch!

PRO-TIPS:

• If you don’t have a deep fryer – you can use a saucepan filled with about 3-4 inches of oil.  A thermometer that goes up to 400°F (200°C) will also be helpful.  You can then use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the cauliflower from the oil.
• Frying temperature – I find that 334°F (168°C) is the perfect temperature to fry cauliflower.  I don’t fry it quite as hot as some other things like french fries because I want it to cook slowly enough to cook the cauliflower all the way through.  However, don’t cook it lower than 325°F (165°C), or it will absorb too much oil and get soggy instead of crispy.
• If you don’t have a thermometer – you can test the temperature of your oil by cooking one piece first. You know that you have the right frying temperature if it bubbles vigorously when you first put it in and then the bubbling slows way down after about 2-3 minutes and you have a crunchy golden brown cauliflower nugget that is cooked through.