Quick answers
Buffalo cauliflower is a vegetarian take on classic buffalo wings – cauliflower florets baked in a spicy, tangy buffalo sauce. This flavorful dish goes great with cooling, creamy dips and sides. Here are some top picks for what to eat with buffalo cauliflower:
- Ranch dressing – The classic pairing for buffalo wings works well with cauliflower too.
- Blue cheese dressing – Another classic buffalo wing dip, the bold flavor is a perfect match.
- Celery and carrot sticks – Crisp, fresh vegetables help balance the rich flavors.
- Creamy coleslaw – Cool cabbage pairs nicely with spicy cauliflower.
- Guacamole or avocado slices – The creaminess helps mellow the heat.
Complementary flavors and textures
When choosing what to serve alongside buffalo cauliflower, think about complementary flavors and textures. The spicy, tangy cauliflower needs something cooling and creamy to balance it out. Here’s more on how to build the perfect buffalo cauliflower meal:
Cooling dairy
Creamy dips and dressings help counter the heat of the buffalo sauce. In addition to ranch and blue cheese dressing, other good options include:
- Greek yogurt dip
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Tzatziki sauce
- Raita
Aim for dips made with cooling dairy like yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese. Herbs and garlic add nice flavor without overpowering the cauliflower.
Crisp vegetables
For textural contrast to the tender baked cauliflower, add some crunch with fresh veggies:
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
- Cucumber slices
- Jicama sticks
- Radish slices
- Bell pepper strips
Celery and carrots are classic for good reason. Jicama, radishes, cucumbers, and bell peppers also work well. Serve them raw and crisp or give them a quick pickle.
Leafy greens
Cool, delicate salad greens help offset the richness of the buffalo sauce. Good options include:
- Mixed greens
- Spinach
- Arugula
- Romaine lettuce
- Iceberg lettuce
- Cabbage slaw
Make a simple green salad, spinach salad, or cabbage slaw. The greens pair nicely when dressed with a bright vinaigrette.
Starchy sides
Don’t forget a hearty side dish or two to round out the meal:
- Baked potato
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice pilaf
- Pasta salad
- Bread rolls
The buffalo cauliflower brings the flavor – accompany it with a starchy side that fills out the plate. Baked or mashed potatoes, rice, pasta salad, or bread are all good choices.
Full meal ideas
Using these tips, here are some full meal ideas with buffalo cauliflower as the star:
Buffalo cauliflower tacos
– Buffalo cauliflower
– Corn tortillas
– Shredded lettuce
– Diced tomato
– Sour cream
– Hot sauce (optional)
Pile spicy, crunchy cauliflower into tortillas along with cooling lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. Add extra hot sauce if you want an extra kick.
Buffalo cauliflower bowl
– Buffalo cauliflower
– Brown rice
– Romaine lettuce
– Cherry tomatoes
– Ranch or blue cheese dressing
Build a grain bowl with brown rice as the base, topped with spicy cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing.
Buffalo cauliflower bites plate
– Buffalo cauliflower
– Celery and carrot sticks with ranch dip
– Pasta salad or potato salad
– Dinner roll
Serve traditional sides like celery, carrots, potato or pasta salad, and a roll alongside the cauliflower for a filling plate.
Buffalo cauliflower salad
– Romaine lettuce
– Buffalo cauliflower
– Cucumbers
– Cherry tomatoes
– Blue cheese crumbles
– Blue cheese dressing
Turn it into a full meal salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, tangy blue cheese, and dressing.
Mediterranean buffalo cauliflower
– Buffalo cauliflower
– Spinach salad with vinaigrette
– Hummus
– Whole wheat pita bread
– Greek yogurt tzatziki sauce
Take it Mediterranean with spinach salad, hummus, pita, and tzatziki. The cooling tzatziki sauce complements the cauliflower perfectly.
Meal planning tips
Buffalo cauliflower is easy to add to all kinds of meals. When planning buffalo cauliflower dishes, keep these tips in mind:
- Think creamy, cooling accompaniments. Ranch, blue cheese, yogurt dips, etc.
- Add something green and leafy for contrast. Lettuce, spinach, cabbage slaw.
- Crunchy raw veggies give good texture. Carrots, celery, bell pepper strips.
- Include a hearty side. Potatoes, rice, pasta, bread.
- Let the cauliflower be the star. Keep additional sauces and ingredients simple.
- Embrace versatile serving styles. Tacos, bowls, salads, plated dinners.
With its bold, tangy flavor, buffalo cauliflower works for everything from game day snacking to healthy weeknight dinners. Get creative with crunchy vegetables, creamy dips, hearty sides, and different serving styles.
Conclusion
Buffalo cauliflower requires complementary flavors and textures to balance out its spicy, creamy flavor. Focus on cooling, creamy dips like ranch, blue cheese, yogurt dips, guacamole, and sour cream. Crisp raw vegetables like carrot and celery sticks, radishes, and bell peppers give a necessary crunch. Leafy greens like spinach and salad greens add a fresh contrast. And don’t forget starchy sides like potatoes, bread, rice, or pasta to round out the plate. With the right accompaniments, from tacos to grain bowls, salads, and more, buffalo cauliflower makes for a versatile, crowd-pleasing meal.