Cauliflower florets are tossed in a creamy oat flour batter, coated in panko breadcrumbs, and tossed in vegan buffalo sauce before being twice-baked to make perfectly crispy vegan buffalo cauliflower nuggets! Tuck these tasty morsels into warm tortillas for a taco dinner that everyone will love!
The day after I made this recipe for the first time, my husband asked if we were having those “bomb ass tacos” again for dinner that night because he really liked them. I thought that sounded like a great name to call these vegan buffalo cauliflower tacos because they really are bomb ass! They’re crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth, tender on the inside!
This dish is not complicated to make and it only requires a few simple steps to make something truly delicious! You can enjoy these zesty buffalo cauliflower nuggets in tacos, as vegan “wings” with dipping sauces, or as a spicy salad topping. Plus, it’s ready in less than one hour!
Step by Step Instructions
Step #1 – Start by making the batter in a large mixing bowl. Add the oat flour, dried seasonings, and unsweetened coconut milk to the bowl. Mix it well until a smooth batter forms.
Step #2 – Next, cut the head of cauliflower in half and then cut each half in half. Cut the wedges into pieces that are about 1 1/2 inches big. Put all of the florets in the bowl with the batter and toss it well to coat each piece.
Step #3 – Put the panko breadcrumbs into a small bowl. Use tongs to pull each piece of cauliflower out of the batter bowl and then dip it into the breadcrumbs to coat. Arrange the breaded florets on a parchment-lined tray and bake it for 15 minutes.
Step #4 – Remove the tray from the oven and carefully transfer the cauliflower into a large clean bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over it and use a large spoon to gently toss the cauliflower in the sauce. You might lose a few breadcrumbs while doing this, but that’s ok. Return the cauliflower to the baking tray and bake until crispy.
Step #5 – Now it’s time to build the tacos! In a warm tortilla, add spinach, thinly sliced red onions, buffalo cauliflower, and pesto cream sauce.
Sauce Options
I served this vegan buffalo cauliflower with pesto cream sauce because I love the combination of fresh and cooling herbs with the slightly spicy, tangy vegan buffalo sauce. However, instead of the pesto sauce, you could serve the tacos with vegan ranch dressing, dairy-free sour cream, cilantro lime salsa, hummus, or vegan garlic aioli.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these easy buffalo cauliflower tacos with any of the following sides:
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
- Lemon Tahini Wheat Berry Salad
- Quinoa Spinach Salad with Mango Dressing
- Arugula Avocado Tomato Salad
How Long Does it Last in the Refrigerator?
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. After a few days, the coating starts to get a little soft and it won’t crisp up as well when you reheat it.
How to Reheat It
To make the buffalo cauliflower crispy again when you reheat it, you should arrange the cauliflower on a large baking tray so they’re not touching each other. Then put the tray in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes or until the florets are crispy. Don’t warm it in the microwave because it will make the coating soggy, not crisp.
Can I Freeze It?
Let the baked buffalo cauliflower florets cool completely and then arrange them on a baking tray so they’re not touching each other. Freeze for 2-3 hours and then you can transfer the frozen florets to a freezer-safe container.
To reheat, transfer the frozen cauliflower to a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes at 375 degrees or until the florets are hot and crispy.
Recipe Variations
I used the vegan buffalo cauliflower to make tacos, but you could also enjoy it in the following ways:
- Skip the Tortillas: The cauliflower doesn’t have to be eaten in tacos, it’s great on its own. You could serve a big platter of vegan buffalo wings with vegan ranch and celery sticks on the side for dipping.
- Add it to Salad: Take your salad to the next level by topping it with a hearty serving of the buffalo cauliflower and drizzle vegan ranch dressing over the top. YUM!
- Cauliflower Steak: Slice a head of cauliflower into 1-inch thick steaks and then follow the same instructions to batter, bread, and season it to make an impressive main course.
Substitutions & FAQ
- Cauliflower Substitutions: I haven’t tried it yet, but I think broccoli or romanesco florets would also be delicious battered, baked, and tossed in buffalo sauce.
- Coconut Milk Substitutions: Any unsweetened plant milk can be used to make the batter, but I think that coconut milk is best because of its creamy texture.
- Can I make homemade vegan buffalo sauce? Sure, it’s very easy! Try this recipe.
- Can I use hot sauce instead of buffalo? I have used hot sauce in a pinch when I didn’t have any buffalo sauce on hand, and it did work, but it was very spicy. If you love spicy food, go for it!
- Gluten-Free: To makes these tacos gluten-free, you need to use gluten-free oat flour, breadcrumbs, and tortilla wraps.
Success Tips
- Try to cut the florets into pieces that are easy to eat, but not too small, because the bigger pieces are easier to batter and coat.
- You can use whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand, but I’ve found that panko bread crumbs make the best crispy coating.
- Use unsweetened coconut milk from a refrigerated carton to make the batter. It’s a little bit thinner than canned coconut milk, but it’s super creamy. If you use canned coconut milk, you’ll need to add water to thin the batter because it will be very thick.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze it for a future meal.
Want More Vegan Cauliflower Recipes?
Low-Carb Mushroom “Fried Rice”
Roasted Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Steaks
Keto Roasted Veggie Tofu Tacos
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Bomb Ass Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
Equipment
- (2) Large Mixing Bowls
- Small Bowl
- Large Baking Tray
- Blender
Ingredients
Pesto Cream Sauce
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Buffalo Cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (from a carton)
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups vegan buffalo sauce (I used Frank's buffalo sauce)
Tacos
- 8 medium tortillas
- 5 oz spinach
- 1 small red onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup oat flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp black pepper, and 2 cups coconut milk. Stir together until all of the lumps have dissolved and the batter is smooth.
- Put all of the cauliflower florets into the bowl with the batter and use a large spoon to stir and coat each piece of cauliflower with the batter.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs into a small bowl. Use tongs to dip each piece of cauliflower into the breadcrumbs. Make sure to rotate the cauliflower to coat each side. Arrange the battered cauliflower on a parchment-lined tray and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is baking, make the pesto sauce. Add 1/3 cup raw cashews, 1 garlic clove, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, salt, and pepper to a medium blender cup. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little bit more water until you reach your desired consistency. Store the sauce in the fridge to chill until you're ready to serve.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Carefully, transfer the cauliflower into a large mixing bowl and pour 2 cups of vegan buffalo sauce over the top. Use a large spoon to gently toss the cauliflower with the sauce. Put the florets back onto the tray and bake it for an additional 10-12 minutes or until cauliflower bites are crispy.
- In a warm tortilla, add fresh spinach, thinly sliced red onions, 4-5 buffalo cauliflower bites, and a drizzle of pesto sauce.
Notes
- Try to cut the cauliflower florets into pieces that are easy to eat, but not too small, because the bigger pieces are easier to batter and coat.
- You can use whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand, but I've found that panko bread crumbs make the best crispy coating.
- Use unsweetened coconut milk from a refrigerated carton to make the batter. It's a little bit thinner than canned coconut milk, but it's super creamy. If you use canned coconut milk, you'll need to add water to thin the batter because it will be very thick.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze it for a future meal.
- To make these tacos gluten-free, you need to use gluten-free oat flour, breadcrumbs, and tortilla wraps.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally shared on 12/1/16, but I updated it on 8/11/20.
