Buffalo Cauliflower: A Better Bar Food

Love the taste of hot wings, but looking for something healthier? If you’re a fan of this game day favorite, you’ll go wild over Buffalo cauliflower.

Making the simple swap from chicken wings to cauliflower gets more veggies into your diet and adds a world of nutrition. Cauliflower is a superfood rich in a long list of nutrients from vitamin C to fiber. And because of its mild taste, cauliflower takes on the flavors of any sauce you dress it with.

At first glance, wing sauce may seem sinful, but hot sauce is made with chilies, a healing superfood that contains the potent antioxidant capsaicin — that’s what tingles your tongue with spicy heat. It calls for less than a tablespoon of butter per serving, and if you can purchase grass-fed butter, you’ll not only get the richness, but also the extra omega-3 fatty acids it has compared to butter made from grain-fed cow’s milk. And when you’re shopping for the cauliflower, look for bright white florets with no black or dark spots, which indicate spoilage.

Buffalo Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup hot sauce
3 tablespoons butter, preferably grass-fed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Zest and juice the lemon and place it in a large bowl along with the cauliflower. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss well.

Spread the cauliflower on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30, minutes until brown and fork tender.

While the cauliflower bakes, make the sauce. Place the hot sauce, butter and tomato paste in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook 4 to 5 minutes, whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. Pour over the cooked cauliflower and toss well. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

More information

Find out more about cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.