Oven-Roasted Nashville Hot Honey Cauliflower

Crispy Cauliflower Coated In Hot Honey Sauce!

My boldly flavored Nashville Hot Honey Cauliflower is easier to make than the classic deep fried chicken version, and healthier too! But don’t be fooled, it will completely satisfy your craving for a spicy, crunchy appetizer while sneaking in a vegetable.

Tossed in a marinade of buttermilk, hot sauce, and a little flour (to thicken it), then coated in seasoned breadcrumbs (store-bought or homemade breadcrumbs both work well) and roasted at a high temperature, the cauliflower florets are tender on the inside, but golden brown and crispy on the outside. What brings it all together? My homemade hot honey sauce.

Ingredient Notes

This recipe consists of 2 parts: roasted cauliflower florets and a Nashville hot honey sauce. To make the cauliflower, you’ll need:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• Buttermilk: Used to dredge the cauliflower with all-purpose flour before coating tossing in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Hot sauce: Use your favorite hot sauce here. Personally, I like Frank’s Red Hot. This gets added to the buttermilk mixture.
• Breadcrumbs: To give the florets a bit of crunch when roasted!
• Garlic powder and onion salt: These add additional flavor to the breadcrumbs and boost the taste of the cauliflower.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is a really simple cauliflower recipe that packs a lot of flavor. Let’s break it down into a few simple steps:

1. Toss the cauliflower florets in a marinade made from buttermilk, flour (you can use gluten-free flour!), and hot sauce. Thoroughly coat on all sides.
2. Dredge in breadcrumbs that have been seasoned with garlic powder and onion salt, then transfer to a prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast until crispy, about 30-35 minutes at 450F. The roasted cauliflower should be golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Make the hot honey sauce by combining butter, honey, cayenne, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, Kosher salt, and black pepper in a saucepan. Once that’s smooth and melted, pour it over the roasted cauliflower, toss well, then serve!
5. Garnish with chopped parsley, then serve with your favorite dressing. I’m team ranch dressing, but my husband prefers blue cheese. Both are great!

Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage

• To make-ahead: The Nashville hot honey sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. We prefer to make the cauliflower the day it’s being served for the best texture, but it can be cooked in advance and then reheated in a 350F oven before tossing with the hot sauce.
• Leftovers and storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes (or in an air fryer!), or until warm and crisp again.
• To freeze: Spread the cooked cauliflower florets in a single layer on a baking sheet, then freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. To reheat, thaw in a refrigerator overnight then bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve these with ranch or blue cheese dressing and either pickles, carrots, or celery, as an easy appetizer or a vegetarian main, however, you could also serve the Nashville hot cauliflower bites in tacos, on salads, or in sandwiches.

To enjoy as part of a larger main meal, consider serving over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice.

Totally irresistible, both in terms of flavor and texture! If you make our Nashville Hot Honey Cauliflower recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!

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Nashville Hot Cauliflower

Nashville Hot Honey Cauliflower is a plant-based twist on the classic Nashville Hot Chicken that is every bit as satisfying, and healthier to boot! Instead of deep frying, we're roasting cauliflower florets in a buttermilk-hot sauce-breadcrumb-mixture; don't worry they get crispy! Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing, or sandwich it between slices of white bread with mayo and pickles. Either way, you'll love every bite!

Prep20 minutes mins

Cook35 minutes mins

Total55 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buffalo cauliflower, caulifower wings, hot honey cauliflower, nashville hot honey cauliflower, nashville hot honey sauce

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 569kcal

Author: Ari Laing

Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper

Mixing bowls

Tongs

Saucepan

Whisk

Pasty brush optional

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into medium florets about 1½-2 inches
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion salt

For the Nashville hot honey sauce

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp honey, can substitute maple syrup
• 1½ – 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for serving
• Optional: carrots and celery for serving alongside

Instructions

• Make the marinade. Preheat an oven to 450F, then line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, ¼ cup flour, and 1 Tbsp hot sauce. Add the cauliflower florets, then gently toss to coat.
• Coat the cauliflower. In a second bowl, combine 2 cups breadcrumbs, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion salt, then mix well. Place cauliflower in the breadcrumb mixture, being sure to allow excess marinade to drip off before tossing on all sides. Transfer each piece of cauliflower to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room in between.
• Roast the cauliflower. Cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the florets are golden brown. While the cauliflower is cooking, make the sauce.
• Make the hot honey sauce. Combine 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp honey, 1½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the spices become fragrant, stirring well.
• Toss with the sauce. Pour the hot honey sauce on top of the cauliflower, then toss well until evenly coated. (For less spice, you can simply brush the hot sauce onto the tops of the cauliflower). Transfer to a large serving platter, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with a Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing.

Notes

• Gluten-free breadcrumbs can be substituted for traditional breadcrumbs.
• Any milk or milk-alternative can be used in place of buttermilk.
• For more spice, use the full 2 tsp of cayenne. For less spice, cut back to ½-1 tsp of cayenne.
• To make-ahead: The Nashville hot honey sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. We prefer to make the cauliflower the day it’s being served for the best texture, but it can be cooked in advance and then reheated in a 350F oven before tossing with the hot sauce.
• Leftovers and storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes (or in an air fryer!), or until warm and crisp again.
• To freeze: Spread the cooked cauliflower florets in a single layer on a baking sheet, then freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. To reheat, thaw in a refrigerator overnight then bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1656mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1476IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 4mg

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