This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
These Spicy Baked Cauliflower Bites are easy, crusted with breadcrumbs, spicy sauce and addictive. Serve with celery ranch sauce below or other vegan ranch. vegan soy-free.
Baked Cauliflower is always in season. Crusted with just salt and pepper, some spices, or battered and crisped up with breadcrumbs. These super spicy breaded cauliflower bites will be on fire at your superbowl party. literally on fire in your mouth too!
Hot sauce + black pepper + cayenne. All the heat you need! Taste the batter before using. If you don’t need a jug of cold water after tasting, you are good to go. Add more flour + water if too spicy.
Serve with a cooling dip like the celery ranch on this post.
Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes for the crunchy coating to make gluten-free.
2 more days to Game day! Go Seahawks!
More super bowl apps from the blog
Sriracha Mango Cauliflower bites, Thai Layered Dip, Buffalo Chickpea Pizza and many more here!.
You can also make Spicy Potato wedges with it. Use sliced russet potatoes instead of cauliflower.
Hot!
Spicy Baked Cauliflower Bites with Celery Ranch
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 2 to 3 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp evoo
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne/ red chili powder
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 1.5 to 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, canned, preferably full fat
- 1/4 cup water
- 3.5 to 4 cups cauliflower florets
Breadcrumb coating:
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
Celery Ranch Sauce:
- 1/2 cup ground cashew
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup almond milk
- 2 tbsp flour or 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
- 2/3 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, can be omitted
- a very generous dash of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder , or 2 roasted garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 tsp ranch seasoning, Or use equal amounts of dried parsley, dill, thyme, garlic powder and onion powder.
- 1 to 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 tsp celery seeds, (omit to make plain ranch, add some fresh dill for plain ranch)
Instructions
Make the Cauliflower bites:
- In a bowl, mix everything except cauliflower for the batter. if the batter is too thin, add more flour or starch.
- In another shallow bowl, mix everything under breadcrumb coating.
- Dip cauliflower in the batter, then coat in breadcrumbs and place on parchment lined sheet.(use gloves or a fork. the batter is spicy)
- Drizzle any remaining batter on the cauliflower. Spray oil.
- Bake at pre-heated 425 degrees F / 220ºc for 25 minutes or until a toothpick goes through the cauliflower easily. Serve warm with dip.
Make the Celery Ranch dip:
- Blend everything except celery seeds. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add celery seeds and blend for a few seconds. Chill and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! about the celery ranch dip- if you add starch or flour wouldn’t the milk need to be boiled? else would be eating raw flour…..? Thanks!
People eat raw cookie dough. You can toast both before using
A resounding success- we had it with guacamole💖
Awesome!
Thanks Terri!
Hi Richa…I LOVE your recipes. I have joined a vegan group, and am enjoying more and more vegan food. Everything I have made from your books and online have been wonderful! I have a question about this Spicy Baked Cauliflower recipe though… when you say “hot sauce” what do you mean. There are a lots of hot sauces out there, and some are super HOT. Sriracha? The Asian one? or another kind. Sometimes I tone down the heat a little, but most of the time I go for it! Thanks so much for your books and this website.
its franks hot sauce or you can use any hot sauce that is mainly cayenne and vinegar like tabasco or other. Sriracha has garlic and is thicker.
Thanks so much…I tried it yesterday with Sriracha and used a little less…they were fantastic. They even warmed up well in the microwave later in the day…still crispy…great recipe!
awesome!
Hi! These look great, and I have a guest who is vegan coming to my son’s graduation. I’m thinking they might be too spicy for some of the guests. Is there something I might use instead of the hot sauce for liquid that would be tasty but not as spicy? Thanks for help! Was thinking to serve them as an appetizer and use toothpicks to eat them. Will that work with how they come out?
You can use 1 tbsp vinegar and the rest hot sauce. Also dont use the remaining batter on the breaded cauliflower(step 4). Just bake and serve with the batter sauce mix on the side. The cauliflower will be more crunchy and people can dip as much as they like.
Delicious! I’ve made these twice now and they are so so good. I made them for a party and everyone loved them, carnivore and vegan alike! Thanks so much for your amazing recipes, Richa!!
thats awesome!
Hi Richa
can you clarify how I would grind the cashews for the ranch sauce please? As well, do the cashews need to be soaked before hand?
thank you for your help!
no they are dry. You put them in a blender 1 tbsp of starch and blend until they become a fine meal and use.
Thank you kindly Richa,
very much appreciate you responding back!
Susana
Is it OK that the Ranch sauce is not cooked – ie using the flour ???
THANKS – would love to know this!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE your ecipes Richa’XXXX
yes, it is ok. people eat raw cookie dough with all flour uncooked. you can omit the flour and add a tbsp more cashews.
I made this for my co-op of 56 people along with your Turmeric Lemon Rice and the recipe for BBQ Tofu that you shared. This dish packed a little too much heat for my housemates, but the batter was extremely tasty otherwise. Pairing the cauliflower bites with ranch eased some of the kick. The BBQ tofu and lemon rice were consumed within minutes.
Everyone in the house loves your recipes, and I’ll be using them weekly! It’s my agenda to gradually convince everyone that the grass is greener on the vegan side 😉
Love and thanks from Berkeley <3
Thats awesome! Yes these can get hot for some. Adjust the cayenne and black pepper and paprika. Paprika can be mild to hot.
So good! I could barely wait until they cooled off!