Gluten-Free Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower

This gluten-free breaded buffalo cauliflower recipe is officially my favorite way to eat cauliflower.  Even though it’s baked, not fried, you still get the crispy on the outside, soft on the inside texture that is to live for.  

The cauliflower is coated with a thick chickpea-coconut batter and baked once to firm up the crust. Then, it is smothered in organic buffalo hot sauce and baked again until crispy perfection. You’ll definitely want the cashew dipping sauce on the side to cool down the heat. And if you end up loving this recipe, you can also make Buffalo Brussels Sprouts this way.

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Sprouted Chickpea/Garbanzo Flour

Sprouted chickpea flour is a great gluten-free alternative to white flour. Sprouting the chickpeas before they are turned into flour makes it easier to digest.

Get it for 10% off at Vitacost.

Liquid Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is the best option for this recipe – I find that almond and hemp milk are too watery, but the So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk makes such a nice thick batter that really coats the cauliflower well (It’s carageenan free, of course!).

Get it for 24% off at Vitacost.

Avocado Oil (or Ghee)

Avocado oil is great for its ability to withstand high heat and its neutral flavor. It makes this recipe completely vegan; however, if you want a more traditional buffalo sauce, I prefer to use ghee. It nourishes the gut and is easier to digest than butter for many people.

Get avocado oil for 36% off at Vitacost. If you prefer organic ghee, you can get it for 27% off at Vitacost.

Try This GF Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it (by clicking the stars in the upper right of the recipe card, below), and don’t forget to tag a photo @mariamarlowe or #mariamarlowe on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see what you come up with!

Gluten-Free Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings4 people

US ImperialMetric

Ingredients

GF Breaded Cauliflower

• 1 cup chickpea flour sprouted, ideally
• 1 cup unsweetened non dairy-milk unsweetened
• 16 oz. cauliflower

Buffalo Sauce

• 3 Tbsp. hot sauce
• 2 3/4 tsp. avocado oil or ghee
• 1/2 tsp. coconut aminos or low sodium tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Cashew Dill Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup cashews (raw) soaked in filtered water at least 1 hour
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• 1/4 tsp. unrefined salt (real, pink, or Celtic salt) or more to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and coconut milk. Set aside to thicken for 10 minutes or so, while you chop the cauliflower into 2 inch pieces and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• After 10 minutes, dunk each of the pieces of cauliflower into the chickpea coconut batter to coat. If you have a flat whisk, use that, otherwise 2 forks work to lift them out and strain them off a little, before placing them on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cauliflower pieces, leaving about an inch of space between the pieces on the sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes until the coating just starts to become golden brown. Meanwhile, make the buffalo sauce. If using avocado oil, simply add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk together with a fork until well combined. If using ghee, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the ghee until it melts, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
• Make the cashew dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bullet blender and blend until a uniformly thick and creamy consistency forms. You can thin it out, if desired, with a little extra water or oil, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• When the cauliflower comes out of the oven, use a spatula to gently release them from the parchment paper, then brush the buffalo sauce over all of the pieces to coat all the sides. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes for a more pillowy, dough-y crust, or 10 -15 minutes for a crispier crust.
• Serve with the cashew dill dip.

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