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A pile of delicious golden fried cauliflower tossed in buffalo sauce and topped with green onions against white parchment paper
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4.86 from 7 votes

Fried Buffalo Cauliflower

This Spicy Buffalo Fried Cauliflower starts with fresh cauliflower florets that are buttermilk marinated then fried to golden brown perfection and finally tossed in a spicy buffalo sauce.
Prep Time13 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Marinating Time20 minutes
Total Time51 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Cajun/Creole
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 351kcal

Ingredients

For the Buttermilk Marinade

  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup vegan buffalo sauce I used Frank's
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower cut into medium sized florets

For the Flour Mixture

  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp organic brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt

For Dredge Batter and Frying

  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • enough oil for frying about ½-1 inch in desired pan

For Buffalo Sauce

  • 1/2 cup vegan buffalo sauce I used Frank's
  • 2 tbsp melted vegan butter
  • 2 tbsp chopped green onion optional for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the buttermilk marinade.
  • Transfer the cauliflower florets to the marinade and let sit for 20 minutes, stir to cover all pieces.
  • While the cauliflower is marinating begin combining all ingredients for the flour mixture in a separate large bowl. In addition, combine the buffalo sauce and melted vegan butter in a separate small bowl to make the buffalo sauce mixture. Set aside.
  • Begin heating the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  • Once the cauliflower is done marinating, transfer the florets to a separate medium sized bowl, reserving the leftover liquid.
  • In the same bowl that now has the leftover marinade liquid, add in 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk and ¾ cups of all-purpose flour. Whisk to combine (will not be totally smooth, but mostly).
  • By now, your oil should be hot enough to begin frying. To test, flick a tiny bit of water in the pan. If it sizzles and pops, it's ready. If not, wait a few more minutes before beginning. It's important that the oil is hot enough before beginning to fry.
  • Arrange your three bowls in the following order: cauliflower florets (furthest from the stove), liquid batter, flour mixture (closest to the stove).
  • Use a spoon, tongs or your hands to dip the cauliflower pieces into the liquid batter, then into the flour mixture, back into the liquid batter, and into the flour mixture again, then into the hot oil in the frying pan.
  • Repeat this process for each piece of cauliflower, for as many as you can comfortably fit in the pan at once without over-crowding. Rotate the pieces as necessary, browning on each side. Once the fried pieces feel hardened after touching with tongs, it's okay to flip.
  • Transfer the fried cauliflower from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
  • Let cool for about 5 minutes. Only drizzle or toss the ones you are going to eat with the Buffalo Sauce mixture to taste and garnish with chopped green onion. Enjoy!

Notes

Reheating Notes:
Simply place your leftover cauliflower in the air fryer at 400° for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Just toss them in for 15 minutes and BOOM! As a result, they’re ready to eat. Super crispy!
If you’re not planning to enjoy all of them the same day, you might find it best to avoid drizzling them all with the buffalo sauce, this way they can be reheated better.

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1340mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 548IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg