Warning: these bowls are addictive. If you’re anything like me and love buffalo sauce + ranch… make these ASAP.
Buffalo chicken wing’s cooler, spunkier, extra fabulous sister: buffalo chicken meatballs. I said what I said. Yes, we’re making buffalo cauliflower wings too, because we like to go all out around here. The cauliflower wings are battered in brown rice flour and baked for a gut-friendlier version of the classic!
Hot honey roasted sweet potatoes and onions give this dish a subtle sweetness to offset the heat, and the cashew based ranch + cabbage slaw cool everything down. Get a little bit of everything in each bite… chef’s kiss.
Full recipes for all elements of the bowl are below (read through full post before making). Enjoy friends!!
For the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings:
1 cauliflower head, chopped into medium/large florets
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
Dash of cayenne for extra heat, optional
1 tsp salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, or more as needed to thin batter
Set oven to 425F. Mix spices and flour with a whisk, then add milk and whisk again to combine. Add to a bowl with the cauliflower and toss well to coat the cauliflower in the batter.
Place battered cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and brush with buffalo sauce of choice, coating all sides (or just toss the par-baked cauliflower wings in a bowl with some buffalo sauce). Return to pan and add the meatballs at this point (see how to make them below). Transfer sheet pan back to oven for an additional 15 minutes until cauliflower is crisp and the meatballs are cooked throughout.
For the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs:
1lb ground chicken (or use 93% lean ground turkey)
1 large egg
2 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 green onions, white and green parts, very finely chopped
1 tbsp buffalo sauce of choice, I used Primal Kitchen
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, then roll into about 16 meatballs. If the mixture is sticky, use a bit of oil on your hands as you roll them out. Add rolled out meatballs to sheet pan with cauliflower in last 15 minutes of cooking. After cooking, transfer meatballs from the pan to a metal bowl and toss in 1/3-1/2 cup buffalo sauce right before serving.
For the Hot Honey Caramelized Sweet Potatoes:
2 medium/large sweet potatoes, chopped into bite size cubes
1 small red onion, roughly chopped (optional, but recommended)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp hot honey
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
Combine olive oil, hot honey, and spices with a whisk in a large bowl. Add chopped sweet potatoes + red onions to bowl and give them a good toss to coat all of the sweet potatoes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 425F until the exteriors of the sweet potatoes are caramelized and browned in some places, while the interior remains light and fluffy, about 30 minutes depending on size of the cubes. The red onion pieces should be crispy as well, which are such a nice touch to these bowls!
For the Slaw:
1 bag cabbage mix (red/green cabbage, carrots)
2 tbsp vegan ranch (recipe below)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, if desired
1 tbsp dill pickle juice (optional- I love the addition of the flavor here)
Apple cider vinegar, as needed
1/2-1 tsp maple syrup
Salt, to taste
Combine cabbage mix with remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Taste, adjust apple cider vinegar, maple, and salt to preference.
For the Vegan Ranch:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 2-3 hours or boiled for 5-8 minutes, then drained
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or more if desired)
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Combine drained cashews, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, spices, nutritional yeast, and salt in a high powered blender. Taste, adjust salt and lemon juice/vinegar levels to preference. Once it’s to your liking, stir in the fresh chopped dill and parsley with a spoon. If needed, thin out with a little bit more almond milk or water before serving.
For Assembly:
Buffalo cauliflower wings + chicken meatballs
Roasted and caramelized hot honey sweet potatoes + red onions
Cabbage slaw
Homemade ranch, for drizzling on top
Scallions, cilantro, and lemon wedges, for garnish
Extra buffalo sauce + ranch on the side, of course!!
I hope you love these bowls! They are in fact as delicious as they look + sound… I have been eating the leftovers for days and I swear they just get better and better. OBSESSED. If you’re a buffalo sauce fan, you’ve gotta give these a try!
If you make them, tag me on instagram or comment below - I’d love to see your creations <3
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Have a wonderful weekend friends!
With love,
Abigail