Ranch Cauliflower Bites Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my cauliflower bites soggy? ›

Why are my cauliflower wings soggy? If your buffalo cauliflower bites are soggy, it's likely because they were not tossed with the sauce while hot. Be sure to add them to the bowl with the sauce as soon as they come out of the oven so that they stay nice and crispy.

I like to serve these healthy buffalo bites the same way I would serve wings – alongside some carrot & celery sticks and blue cheese or homemade ranch dressing, or healthy ranch dip.

"Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay. The edges will get much crispier than they would if you baked them on parchment paper.

Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Why do you boil cauliflower before cooking? Boiling the cauliflower before roasting it whole ensures that the final dish is tender all the way through. Since a whole cauliflower has less surface area than cut florets, adding sel gris to the water means that the cauliflower gets seasoned from the inside out.

Most recipes recommend blanching the cauliflower in boiling water for a few minutes for this initial stage, but it's important to pay close attention to this step. The watery problem happens when the cauliflower is either overcooked or not drained well enough after a quick blanching.

Eating one entire head of cauliflower will supply you with four times the recommended amount of vitamin C. And since this nutrient is linked to immune support, enjoying some riced cauliflower in your citrus smoothie may give you that extra boost that your body needs during cold and flu season.

When it comes to nutrition, cauliflower is a superstar. It's high in vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium.

Look for firm cauliflower with compact florets and crisp, fresh leaves with no sign of yellowing or wilting. Avoid cauliflower with small brown specks on the florets; they are a sign of aging. The size of the cauliflower head does not affect its quality.

Store it right

Keep cauliflower loose or in a perforated bag in the fridge. It freezes well too; just blanch in boiling water first to help keep the colour, flavour and texture. Simply boil it for a few minutes, plunge into ice water to cool, then drain and freeze.

What is the best part of the cauliflower? ›

All of these parts or not only edible, they are delicious and highly nutritious. Some eaters (including this one) actually prefer the stalks and leaves of broccoli and cauliflower plants to the more commonly eaten head.

The secret to giving cauliflower the perfect texture when battering and frying, is to not parboil it. When you fry cauliflower with batter, it also cooks the cauliflower. So if you parboil beforehand, you will end up with mushy cauliflower.

Transfer the riced cauliflower to the center of a clean dish towel. Arrange the towel filled with cauliflower over a small bowl, then squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the cooked cauliflower. It might not feel like there's excess moisture at first, but you may be surprised by how much liquid is released!

Give them as much space as possible so there's good air flow between the florets. Crowding the florets creates steam which prevents browning and makes the cauliflower soggy. Roast. Bake the cauliflower in a preheated oven at 425°F until crispy and golden brown!

Drain well

Make sure you drain the cauliflower really well after it's boiled up and before you add it to the dish, otherwise it will end up too watery.