Recipe Review: Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower
We tend to eat foods with milder flavors around the holidays. If you’re anything like me, that can leave you craving something spicy. That’s why I decided to try this recipe for Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower — I could give in to my spicy craving with a healthy side dish.
I had almost everything I needed for this recipe already, I just needed to pick up a head of cauliflower. The prep took only about 5 minutes. I cut the cauliflower into florets and tossed it with olive oil and pepper while the oven preheated.
Forty-five minutes later, I pulled it out of the oven and tossed it with hot sauce and a little bit of butter. (The recipe calls for margarine, but since it was just 1 tbsp., I doubt it made much difference.)
The recipe calls for ¼ cup of hot sauce, and I used my personal favorite, and borderline obsession, Cholula Original. It packs a lot of flavor without being super hot.
The Verdict: Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower
We decided to serve this as a healthy appetizer and we loved it. The cauliflower was plenty tasty with just the buffalo sauce, so I didn’t bother serving it with the ranch or blue cheese.
We’ll definitely make this again, but with a few adjustments.
Pros
- Spicy! (And you can make it as mild or spicy as you want, depending on your choice of hot sauce.)
- Healthy!
- Easy!
Cons
- Not as crispy as we hoped.
Adjustments for Next Time
The flavor was fabulous, but I was hoping the cauliflower would crisp up more than it did. My sous chef (who’s a much better cook than I am) suggested that next time we:
- Roast the cauliflower at a higher heat for less time, perhaps 450° or 475° for 35 minutes.
- Toss the cauliflower in melted margarine or butter prior to putting it in the oven. That might help it crisp up a little better.
The cauliflower naturally broke into smaller pieces as I tossed it in the hot sauce, so I will start with larger florets next time.
While it wouldn’t be quite as healthy, I might also toss the cauliflower in panko or bread crumbs prior to roasting for a little extra crunch in the future.
If you’re looking to spice up your holiday cooking, give this one a try, and let me know what you think!
Servings: 4
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 96
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Cholesterol: 1mg
- Sodium: 645mg
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp trans fat free margarine, melted
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat blue cheese or ranch dressing
- 4 celery stalks, sliced into 3-inch sticks
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with the oil, and pepper. On a baking sheet, arrange the florets in a single layer. Roast, turning halfway through cooking, for 45 minutes, or until lightly golden. Transfer the cauliflower back to the large bowl.
- Add the hot sauce and margarine to the cauliflower and toss to coat. Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing for dipping and celery sticks on the side.
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