Spicy BBQ Cauliflower Bites (V & GF Options)

This is a delicious vegetarian twist on buffalo wings. This recipe can be deep fried, my preference, air fried or baked. It's crispy, crunchy, tangy with a hint of sweetness. There are many ways to create cauliflower bites. I use braised cauliflower, dipped in batter and breadcrumbs.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, small plate

Cuisine American fusion

Keyword cauliflower, cauliflower bites, cauliflower wings

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Rest time 30

Total Time 1

Servings People

Calories 864kcal

Author Dr. Wendy Dearborne

Equipment

Large bowl
Whisk
Forks x 2
Plate
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

1 large braised cauliflower head broken into large bite size florets
1/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup corn starch
1/3 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper ground
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 cup cold water + 2 tbsps
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp parsley or green onions chopped
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
2-3 cups oil for deep frying

Instructions

Making The Batter
Whisk starches, flour, salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl. Add water and mix with a spoon until a batter is formed. The batter needs to be thick enough to completely coat the back of the spoon, but not to thick, so it won’t coat the cauliflower.

Breading The Cauliflower

Set up your breading station in this order; cauliflower, batter, panko and a plate. Dip the cauliflower into the batter making sure that it is thoroughly coated. Drain off excess batter. Put the battered cauliflower into the breadcrumbs and toss, patting the panko into the batter cauliflower when necessary. To help with the dipping process, I used 2 forks instead of my hands.
Put the breaded cauliflower into the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes and maximum 24 hours.

Frying Cauliflower

Heat cooking oil 350°F
While the oil is heating prepare your sauce. In a large bowl mix the BBQ and sriracha sauce together and set aside.

Double Tap

Double tapping is a method of deep-frying food at two different temperatures. The first fry, at the lower temperature, focuses on cooking the food. The second fry makes the exterior super crispy, crunchy and less oily.
Remove the breaded cauliflower from the refrigerator and put into the hot oil. Fry until a light golden beige in color. Because the cauliflower was braised, you don’t have to worry about the interior being undercooked. Once the light golden beige color has been achieved, remove from oil and drain. Allow to cool.

2nd Fry

Increase temperature of oil to 375°F. Refry the cauliflower bites for 60-90 seconds only. They should be a deep golden brown. Remove from hot oil. Drain for 30 seconds and then put them all into the large bowl with the spicy BBQ sauce. Toss to cover all the bites with sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

You don't have to braise, nor marinade the cauliflower in plant based buttermilk for this recipe to turn out delicious. I personally feel that the end product has a better texture and taste when either of these methods are used. But, try it and see what you think. At the end of the day, what you think is what counts the most.

Gluten Free
To make this recipe gluten free: Replace wheat flour with gluten free AP flour. Or use a combination of 1/2 corn starch and 1/2 potato starch.

Instead of using braised cauliflower, you can create a seasoned plant-based buttermilk and marinade the cauliflower for several hours or overnight. This process tenderizes the cauliflower.

Plant Based Buttermilk
3/4 cups of plant-based milk
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or vinegar
Mix well set aside for 5 - 10 minutes. During this time the milk will thicken. Add your desire seasoning to the buttermilk and marinade your cauliflower florets for a couple of hours or overnight. Make your batter and proceed as instructed in the recipe.

Nutrition