Buffalo Cauliflower Salad

Buffalo cauliflower salad has veggies and the best vegan buffalo cauliflower bites. Add a little crunch and spice to your buffalo cauliflower salad recipe, and then cool it down with some creamy cashew ranch dressing.

Since becoming plant-based, I have fallen in love with cauliflower! This cauliflower buffalo salad recipe contains nutrient-dense vegetables and crunchy, spicy buffalo cauliflower bites. And then drizzle with vegan ranch dressing for a crunchy, spicy, and delicious salad!

Jump to:

• Nutritional Benefits of Cauliflower 
• Buffalo Cauliflower Salad Ingredients
• Buffalo Cauliflower Salad Ingredients Substitutions
• Dressing Options
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• More Vegan Salads to Enjoy! 
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

In fact, cauliflower makes the perfect meat substitute for almost any dish.  Lately, though, cauliflower popularity has spiked as more people attempt to add it to their diets as a carbohydrate reducer. Instead of eating mashed potatoes or rice,  cauliflower is a great carbohydrate replacement for weight loss. So, instead of making cauliflower wings, I decided to make a buffalo cauliflower salad recipe.

Nutritional Benefits of Cauliflower 

Although cauliflower may double as mashed potatoes or transform into rice, cauliflower possesses its own nutritional benefits. In fact, the nutrients in cauliflower actually decrease instances of several types of cancer. It also aids in digestion, improves memory, and strengthens bones. Furthermore, cauliflower is also known to reduce inflammation.

My family loves General Tso Cauliflower, tahini roasted cauliflower, and Cauliflower Nachos. Because I already make buffalo cauliflower bites, I decided to use that recipe to make a buffalo cauliflower salad recipe with vegan ranch dressing.   The beauty of this buffalo cauliflower recipe, however, is you can easily turn it into buffalo cauliflower salad into a sandwich, wrap, or an appetizer as well. 

Buffalo Cauliflower Salad Ingredients

Even though buffalo cauliflower is usually served with bleu cheese, I chose vegan ranch for the buffalo cauliflower salad recipe.

Since buffalo cauliflower is served with celery and carrots for dipping, I included both in the salad. Additionally, I used my Simple Rosemary Infused Pickled Red Onions, but feel free to use white or red onions instead. 

• Cauliflower: I cut the cauliflower florets into similar-sized bite-sized pieces, so they cook evenly and are easy to eat.
• Flour: I used gluten-free chickpea flour or garbanzo flour.
• Paprika: Parika has a smokey flavor and adds to the flavor of the cauliflower bites.
• Nutritional Yeast: The nutritional yeast is both a binder and adds a layer of cheesy flavor to the cauliflower.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavors the other ingredients.
• Pepper: I prefer fresh ground pepper whenever possible.
• Bread Crumbs: I make bread crumbs by toasting Dave's bread and crumbling it in the food processor.
• Unsweetened, Unflavored Plant Milk: I prefer oat milk because it is naturally thick and creamy.
• Lime Juice and Zest: I prefer fresh lime juice and zest for the best flavor.
• Romaine Lettuce: Romaine lettuce is crunchy and fabulous as a base for this buffalo cauliflower salad recipe.
• Pickled Red Onions: I add pickled red onions to the salad for a tangy flavor, yet they are also sweet.
• Celery: Celery is a crunchy addition to the salad and is usually served with buffalo recipes.
• Tri-Colored Tomatoes: I love the beautiful red, yellow, and orange tomatoes in a salad.
• Carrots: I cut the carrots into ribbons for texture in the salad.
• English Cucumber:  English cucumbers contain fewer seeds to keep the salad from getting soggy.
• Vegan Buffalo Sauce: Not all buffalo sauce is vegan, so look for sauces without butter. Vegan Buffalo Sauce: I used New Primal and Frank's Red Hot, store-bought vegan sauces. Or make an oil-free homemade buffalo sauce recipe at home.

Buffalo Cauliflower Salad Ingredients Substitutions

• If you don't like cauliflower, try broccoli as an alternative to cauliflower.
• Choose any flor of choice.
• Try store-bought bread crumbs. Or gluten-free bread crumbs work as well.
• Any plant milk works for this recipe as long as it's unflavored and unsweetened.
• Bottled lime juice is an excellent replacement for fresh lime juice. Add ½ teaspoon additional lime juice to accommodate the lime zest for the best flavor.
• Add any greens of your choice, but I suggest a hearty green such as leaf lettuce, kale, or chard.
• Raw red onions substitute pickled onions or try green onions for a lighter onion flavor.
• Fennel is often used to substitute celery. However, it has a licorice flavor.
• Cherry tomatoes are similar to tri-colored grape tomatoes.
• If using regular cucumbers, I suggest removing the seeds to prevent the salad from getting soggy.
• If you don't like buffalo sauce, use barbeque sauce instead.

Dressing Options

Of course, the perfect marriage occurs between vegan ranch dressing and buffalo cauliflower. When I was a kid, I dipped everything in ranch dressing.  

Once I transitioned to a plant-based diet, I thought ranch was gone forever. So, despite trying many vegan store-bought dressings, I decided to make my vegan version. And you won't be disappointed. 

Vegan ranch dressing cools the spice of the buffalo cauliflower salad. As a result, buffalo cauliflower salad tastes too good to be healthy! 

Or, if you are a bleu cheese lover, try vegan blue cheese dressing.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• To make the best use of your time, prepare and cook the buffalo cauliflower while chopping the vegetables for the salad.
• Make the dressing first and refrigerate it, so it gets cold and thickens.
• If you don't like buffalo sauce, use barbeque sauce instead. Or, choose your favorite sauce for tossing the cauliflower before adding it to the salad.
• Do not add the cooked cauliflower until right before serving.
• Keep the cooked cauliflower and salad ingredients separate for leftovers, so the cauliflower can be reheated and maintains its crunchiness.

Instead of eating buffalo cauliflower as a snack, try this buffalo cauliflower salad recipe!

More Vegan Salads to Enjoy! 

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