Get ready to spice up your appetizer game with these Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites! They're the perfect combination of crunchy and spicy, making them a crowd-pleaser. These bite-sized pieces of roasted cauliflower are coated in crispy panko and then tossed in a spicy buffalo sauce, giving them a bold kick in every bite.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a baking sheet by placing oven-safe cooling racks on top of it (if you don't have these, line with parchment paper); lightly grease the racks with cooking spray or olive oil.
Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. I recommend trimming the stems so they are more "nugget" shaped and easier to pick up and dip. You want them to be relatively similar in size so they cook at the same rate.
1 head of cauliflower
Toss the cauliflower florets with the corn starch until completely coated. Set aside.
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and water until combined. Set aside.
1 egg, 1 Tablespoon water
In another shallow bowl, stir together the panko, onion and garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
1 cup panko, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
Dip the corn starch-coated cauliflower in the egg mixture, making sure all excess egg drips off of the cauliflower. Then, transfer to the panko mixture and toss until completely coated. It helps to use one hand for the egg wash, and one for the panko.
Place on the cooling rack-lined baking sheet and continue the dipping process until all cauliflower pieces are coated.
Bake for 18-23 minutes until the cauliflower is fork-tender and the panko is golden brown. While the bites bake, make your homemade buffalo sauce.
Once baked, transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and toss or brush on the buffalo sauce, gently stirring to coat to keep the panko intact. To keep the bites extra crispy, skip tossing them and instead dip them in the buffalo sauce while eating.
1/2 to 3/4 cup buffalo sauce
Serve immediately (especially if you tossed the bites) with blue cheese, ranch, and/or celery sticks as desired.
Notes
If you anticipate leftovers, do not coat all the cauliflower with the sauce. Store the baked cauliflower in the fridge; when ready to reheat, preheat an air fryer to 390°F then bake for 3-5 minutes until crispy again. This can also be done in the oven (again, using the cooling racks is recommended).