This spicy buffalo dip is made with roasted cauliflower, your favorite buffalo sauce, tahini, and some spices. It is the perfect creamy dip to serve as a healthy tailgate food and is a great vegan alternative to buffalo chicken dip!
Buffalo dip is a timeless favorite for any and all sporting event pregame parties. And I am all about it because there is nothing not to love! And while I am all for indulging in the gooey cheesy goodness of a traditional buffalo chicken dip, you know my mission with my blog is to come up with lighter and allergy-friendly options of the foods we love. But without compromising the taste of course. And this buffalo cauliflower dip does just that!
It is creamy and has the perfect kick, but it is also a lower calorie/lower carb option, and is gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and even legume free!
How to Make Buffalo Dip
That’s right! this hummus-inspired dip is made out of cauliflower, not chickpeas! And while one might argue that no chickpeas means this is not technically hummus (according to Google the dictionary would make that argument), I don’t care what you call it because this dip is amazing!
If you love buffalo cauliflower recipes as much as I do be sure to check out my air fried buffalo cauliflower gnocchi and my buffalo cauliflower “wings.” Or if you want to try a traditional hummus recipe you can try my spinach and artichoke hummus or my pumpkin hummus. And if you have a sweet tooth you definitely don’t want to miss my nut butter chocolate dessert hummus or my banana bread hummus!
Healthy Buffalo Cauliflower Dip Ingredients:
- Cauliflower – of course! This is the base of this recipe. This is a no chickpea hummus recipe so this dip is made with roasted cauliflower!
- Buffalo sauce – can’t have buffalo dip without the buffalo sauce!
- Tahini – As mentioned, my thought behind this dip was almost a buffalo cauliflower hummus recipe. Just a no chickpea hummus recipe! So I added tahini to give this a hearty, savory flavor, while making the texture creamy too.
- Spices – I keep it basic here with some salt and pepper, and then if you like a little kick I suggest adding some cayenne.
- Olive oil – this is technically optional, but I think 2-3 tablespoons of some good olive oil adds some great texture and a depth of flavor to this dip.
And that is it! Just 4-5 main ingredients stand in between you and your healthy buffalo cauliflower dip!
Tips for the Perfect Buffalo Cauliflower Dip:
This recipe is super simple. Besides the cauliflower, this recipe only calls for a few other ingredients and you just blend them all together! But here are some tips so you get the best dip the first time:
- Over-roast your cauliflower – if you feel like 40 minutes is a long time, that is because we want the cauliflower to get really soft. We are going to be blending it, so the softer it is the creamier our dip will be.
- Add buffalo sauce before roasting – this is actually an update I have made to the cauliflower dip. I did this the last time I made it – I drizzled some buffalo sauce and salt on the cauliflower before roasting. I think it added some depth to the flavor!
- Let the cauliflower cool before blending – you don’t have to let it cool completely, but if you put it in the food processor steaming hot you will create a lot of steam and you don’t want that ending up in your face 🙂
- Add more sauce! Taste it once you are done blending, and if you want a stronger flavor, or want it a little thinner, start by adding buffalo sauce.
- Then add olive oil – you want it a little creamier but don’t want to overload on the buffalo sauce? Once you have added a few tablespoons of sauce, if you want it creamier add some olive oil! I think it helps the taste too.
- Make it a day ahead – I think this buffalo cauliflower dip is great right away, but I think it is really good the next day. I don’t know the science but I feel like the flavors have time to absorb or something 😛
- Add water to make a dressing! I actually haven’t done this but I had a reader tell me she did and that this actually works as a really yummy dressing if you thin it out with water!
If I didn’t answer a question you have please don’t hesitate to reach out by leaving a comment below or shooting me a DM on Instagram!
In addition to the listed ingredients, you will need:
- a baking sheet
- parchment paper or aluminum foil
- cooking spray
- a food processor
Enjoy!
Print
Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 batch 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free
Buffalo cauliflower hummus is creamy, smooth, and has a great kick. It takes your favorite tailgate food, buffalo chicken dip, makes it healthier, vegan, easier to make, and this hummus is even made without chickpeas too!
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into 1” florets
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a greased baking sheet.
- Toss with 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce.
- Roast the cauliflower for 35-40 minutes until soft.
- Remove cauliflower from oven, let cool slightly, then combine all ingredients in a food processor.
- Blend until smooth. Taste and add more buffalo sauce and/or olive oil if desired.
Notes
Update: the last time I made this I drizzled some extra buffalo sauce and salt on the cauliflower before roasting and I think it adds some depth to the flavor!
I think that this recipe is even better the next day, it allows the buffalo taste to set in. Also while you are making it if you think it is too thick, start by adding more buffalo sauce because it will thin it (and make the taste even better in my opinion!). If you think you have too much buffalo sauce already, feel free to add a little EVOO or even water instead.
You don’t have to let the cauliflower cool all the way to room temperature before combining
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
If you try this recipe please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts! It really makes my day 🙂 If you remake on Instagram be sure to tag me at @donutworry_behealthy so I can see your creation and send you some love!
↓PIN ME FOR LATER↓
This dip is delicious!!! And this is coming from someone who doesn’t normally enjoy buffalo flavored things much. It’s light with a great texture and feels totally guilt-free to indulge with alongside a veggie platter. Highly recommend this for the next night you want to feel fancy like we did for the super bowl this year! I ran out of tahini so I ended up replacing about 20% of it with cashew butter and it worked really well.
Yay I am so glad yall loved it, definitely a favorite of mine for the super bowl too! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I make this recipe all the time! I mix it with water-sautéed veggies or thin it with water and use it as a salad dressing. I’m so thankful I found it!
I am so glad to hear this Mariah, thank you for sharing! And I LOVE that salad dressing idea – I will need to try that!