Buffalo Cauliflower Wings Blue Cheese (Print Version)
Spicy buffalo-coated cauliflower served with a creamy blue cheese dip and crunchy veggie sticks.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cauliflower Wings
01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
04 - 1 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1 tsp onion powder
06 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for baking tray)
→ Buffalo Sauce
10 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - ½ cup hot sauce (preferably Franks RedHot or similar)
12 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
→ Blue Cheese Dip
13 - 3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
14 - ½ cup sour cream
15 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
16 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
17 - 1 tbsp milk
18 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
19 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ To Serve
20 - Celery sticks
21 - Carrot sticks
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
03 - Add cauliflower florets to the batter and toss until each piece is well coated. Shake off excess batter and arrange florets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until just golden.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, hot sauce, and honey until smooth.
06 - Remove cauliflower from the oven. Using tongs, dip each floret into the buffalo sauce, ensuring even coverage. Return to baking sheet.
07 - Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until crispy and lightly browned.
08 - In a small bowl, combine blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, milk, and chives. Mix until creamy, leaving some blue cheese chunks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Serve buffalo cauliflower wings immediately with blue cheese dip, celery, and carrot sticks.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That perfect crispy texture that actually holds up to the sauce instead of getting soggy
- A vegetarian appetizer that even confirmed meat eaters fight over
- The way the tangy blue cheese cuts through the spicy heat just right
02 -
- Do not skip shaking off excess batter or the coating becomes doughy instead of crispy
- Let the baked cauliflower cool slightly before saucing so the coating stays intact
- Serve these immediately because they lose their crunch as they sit
03 -
- Cut cauliflower florets evenly so they all bake at the same rate
- Line baking sheet with fresh parchment if making multiple batches to prevent burning