BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER WITH PANKO BREADCRUMBS
CALLING ALL MY VEGETARIANS!
4-6 servings, 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Cauliflower head (about 4 cups)
2 eggs
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
Optional: 2-3 tbsp butter (melted)
The Blistered Peppers Take:
Am I the only one new to the buffalo cauliflower game? Well, apparently I live under a rock because I didn’t even know this was a thing until early Summer 2020. New York was still in lockdown and I was going to meet some *vegetarian* friends for a socially distanced picnic in central park. I never realized how often I eat animal products until I started cooking for my vegetarian friends. I mean, jeez, that diet is limiting! Not to mention… being vegan. OMG - imagine life without sushi, steak, eggs, cheese, and well everything? Anyways, back to the story, I was meeting my *vegetarian* friends and wanted to bring a dish that was going to be a crowd pleaser. A coworker of mine had recently made buffalo cauliflower that was coated in tortilla chips so I figured I’d give it a shot. Cut to 2 years later and I’ve decided that while that chip batter is divine, it is also wayyyy too messy and time consuming. So my version of buffalo cauliflower is a little different: Panko.
As someone who loves a challenge, I wanted to make sure that my vegetarian friends never had a bad meal, in my kitchen, as well - so exploring the cauliflower world it is. I know this might come off as controversial, but, cauliflower is the chicken of vegetables. It’s sort of lacking in flavor on its own (though I go RIGHT for the cauliflower with a heap of ranch at every crudite platter!), so it’s a really great vegetarian substitute, because it takes on whatever flavor profile you throw at it! I know we’ve all seen the memes that say things like “keep the cauliflower in cauliflower” meaning stop making cauliflower into rice, pizza, cheese, chicken, etc. It’s clear those are written by meat-eating haters. But frankly, cauliflower rice is FIRE! And with an ingredient so easily interchangeable we should continue to play with it in the kitchen (I know I will).
Case in point this buffalo cauliflower. Talk about a ton of different ways to enjoy. It’s a great side dish, amazing to nosh on in the middle of a UFC fight or Sunday football, OR throw it in a wrap/pita with some lettuce and tomato and you’ve got yourself a super filling lunch or dinner! I’m telling you this is a dish that you can put in front of even your biggest burger-loving friends and family and they won’t miss the meat. Additionally, if you’re thrown by buffalo sauce as a whole - this twist of mine can help that. When you mix your favorite BBQ sauce with the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce the combination gives the cauliflower another dimension of taste; it still has some kick in it, but you’re not overpowered with that vinegar-y after taste.
Get cooking below. Tag me in your photos, DM with your feedback. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Hot tip: If you have an air fryer, swap baking these babies in the oven for a ‘healthy fry.’ Set the fryer to 400 degrees, pop the cauliflower in for about 10 minutes - flipping once halfway through - then cover in sauce and fry for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe:
Florets after egg wash
Before Buffalo sauce
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Break cauliflower head into pieces - they should be individual florets or about the size of 2-3 bites. Alternatively, you can use packaged cauliflower that is already separated into pieces/florets.
In a small to medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs. In a separate large bowl, combine Panko with seasonings: paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Lightly oil a baking sheet or cover with parchment paper. Use your hands - or if you’re a stickler for cleanliness, tongs are great as well - to place a few cauliflower bits at a time into the egg wash. Cover the florets well in the egg wash, then transfer to the Panko mixture. Once the cauliflower is covered in panko, shake off excess, and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
Do not crowd the cauliflower otherwise they won’t crisp!
Meanwhile, combine BBQ sauce, Frank’s red hot, and melted butter (if using).
Once the cauliflower has baked for 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully coat the cauliflower in the buffalo sauce mixture. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until Panko is crisp and sauce has thickened.
