This easy vegetarian Buffalo Cauliflower Dip recipe mixes 'pulled' cauliflower with a rich, hot and creamy sauce, topped with melted cheese. It’s perfect served with crackers and raw vegetables as a flavorful party appetizer or for any game day event! Easily vegan.
We adore the rich flavor of Buffalo Cauliflower Dip. The hot sauce pairs wonderfully with the creamy, cooling cream cheese and sour cream.
Normally, this dip is bulked out with chicken, but cauliflower makes a great meat-free substitute!
During the cooler months, we tend to see all of our favorite party appetizers come out. This is because there are many more gatherings and loads of people enjoy game day with their favorite foods.
Buffalo is such a popular flavor this time of year and many are enjoying chicken wings or even buffalo chicken dip. If you’re a vegetarian and want to enjoy that creamy buffalo flavor in a meatless dip form, then this recipe is for you!
If you're vegan, then you just need to swap a few ingredients to dairy-free to make it a vegan buffalo cauliflower dip!
A head of fresh cauliflower gets steamed in a skillet, 'pulled' and mixed with cream cheese and sour cream along with buffalo sauce.
Top with cheese and bake in the oven for a party dish that’s packed with spicy buffalo flavor.
Enjoy this simple vegetarian party dip with crackers or vegetables, or use it as a spread in sandwiches and wraps. This low-carb dip is sure to be a hit no matter how you use it!
If you're going to a party, tailgate, or game day event, then bring it, along with some mac and cheese balls, plus some mini baked potatoes. Everyone will love them!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
It’s a great appetizer for a party or for watching your favorite games.
This party dip is 100% vegetarian and does not contain any chicken.
It has fiber from the cauliflower and can be customized to make a lower fat version. Just swap to low-fat versions of all the dairy ingredients.
Want it vegan? Easy! Use vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, vegan cream cheese.
You can change the level of spice by using as little or as much hot sauce you enjoy.
You can prep it ahead, then heat it up in the oven before serving.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients for this vegetarian dip!
- Fresh Cauliflower - Chopped cauliflower gets cooked in a skillet to make the chunky nutritious base of this easy dip recipe.
- Water - Helps cook down the cauliflower making it fork tender and easy to scoop up.
- Cream Cheese - Gives the dip a thick texture and a tangy taste.
- Sour Cream - Makes the dip creamy and slightly tart. You can also use plain yogurt as a substitute.
- Franks Hot Sauce - Gives this dip its classic spicy flavor and buffalo taste.
- Shredded Cheddar - Adds a rich cheddar flavor to the dip and gives it a melted cheesy texture when scooped.
- Salt & Pepper - Enhances all of the flavors in the dip.
- Garnish - Fresh green onions and chives give this dip a bright green pop of color and a mild onion flavor.
Tools
- 9” Oven Proof Skillet with Lid
- Oven
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this Buffalo Cauliflower Dip recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 375F (190C) while you prepare the cauliflower dip.
Cook the cauliflower: Place the chopped cauliflower florets into the skillet along with the water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat or until the cauliflower is fork-tender and cooked through while occasionally stirring. This should take about 7-10 minutes.
'Pull' the cauli: Using two forks, shred the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Place the pan back over medium heat and cook until all of the moisture has evaporated.
Assemble the dip: To the pan with cauliflower, add the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheddar on top.
Bake the cauliflower dip: Place the entire ovenproof skillet in the oven uncovered and cook for 15 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling around the edges and the cheese has fully melted.
Garnish and serve: Remove the dip from the oven carefully, then garnish with chopped chives and green onion. Serve while hot.
Top tips
For a faster cooking cauliflower, chop the florets into smaller bite-sized pieces.
When cooking the cauliflower in the skillet, moisture can evaporate during the cooking process. Feel free to add a bit more water as needed to fully cook the cauliflower.
If you enjoy an extra crispy top, broil for a couple of minutes at the end of the cooking time, but be sure to watch it as it can burn quickly.
If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, you can cook the cauliflower and assemble the mixture in the skillet, then transfer it to a 9x9 casserole dish and add to the oven.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a selection of potato chips, crackers, slices of bread, breadsticks and raw veggies.
Toast up a batch of Yeast Free Naan and cut it into bite-sized pieces for dipping.
Bring buffalo cauliflower dip and Nutella Dip to a party for a sweet and savory combination.
Use it as a topping for a hearty Cauliflower Steak dinner.
Variations
If you don’t have sour cream on hand, feel free to use plain yogurt as a 1:1 replacement.
Lighten up this dish a bit more by using light cream cheese to lessen the overall fat content.
Finely chopped spinach, kale, or your favorite cooked greens make a great addition to this dip and add even more nutrients.
For a classic buffalo flavor, sprinkle the top with crumbled blue cheese or drizzle some ranch dressing on top before serving.
We used cheddar cheese in this recipe, but feel free to use any shredded cheese you enjoy.
Storage
Storing: This dip can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 325F in an oven-safe dish until warmed through.
Freezing: Due to the high water content of cauliflower and the separation that may occur in the sour cream and cream cheese, freezing is not recommended.
FAQs
You can use any hot sauce you enjoy, however, Frank’s Red Hot has the classic buffalo flavor that not many other hot sauces have.
If you don’t enjoy cauliflower, you can use broccoli, or a mix of celery and onion to make up the texture difference in the dip.
You can, but you’ll want to make sure that any excess moisture is completely drained from the cauliflower after cooking to prevent the dip from getting soggy.
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📖 Recipe
Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Equipment
- 9” Oven Proof Skillet with Lid
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower 4 cups of florets
- ¼ cup water 60ml
- 8 oz cream cheese cubed and softened (225g)
- 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (300g)
- ½ cup hot sauce I use Frank’s, or more if you like it hot
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1 cup freshly shredded Cheddar 100g
To garnish (optional)
- Chives chopped
- Green onions chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C.
- Add the cauliflower florets and water to a skillet over a medium-high heat. Cover with a lid and cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until soft, adding more water as needed to steam the cauliflower.
- Pour away any excess water. Gently ‘pull’ the cooked cauliflower by tearing it apart slightly with two forks, then place the pan back onto the heat and cook for a few minutes to evaporate any moisture.
- Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, salt and pepper and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Place the pan into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and the cheese has melted.
- If desired, brown the top under the broiler for a few minutes.
- Serve warm with the chives and green onions on top.
Notes
- For a faster cooking cauliflower, chop the florets into smaller bite-sized pieces.
- When cooking the cauliflower in the skillet, moisture can evaporate during the cooking process. Feel free to add a bit more water as needed to fully cook the cauliflower.
- If you enjoy a crispy top, broil for a couple of minutes at the end of the cooking time, but be sure to watch it as it can burn quickly.
- If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, you can cook the cauliflower and assemble the mixture in the skillet, then transfer it to a 9x9 casserole dish and add to the oven.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Christine
I substitute with broccoli and it came out delicious. Very good.
Mindee Taylor
This was so good even my pickiest eater could not resist eating more than their fair share!
veenaazmanov
Love this. Cheesy dishes are my favorite. This was delicious.
Tavo
Delicious dip! I made it yesterday and it was a blast in our Family's get-together!
Andrea
This is brilliant! We love Buffalo dip but never thought to make it with cauliflower!
Gina
Love sneaking in some vegetables into this classic decadent dip! You honestly have no idea the cauliflower is even there!