I'm known among friends for my sweet tooth, but I also have a serious love for kale. In my household, I'm the only one who enjoys this leafy green, while my dad and brother can't stand its texture and bitterness. They'd pick spinach over kale any day, which I find puzzling. I'll add spinach to smoothies, but when it comes to salads, I crave that satisfying crunch and earthy flavor.
To keep my salad game exciting, I decided to create a buffalo cauliflower chopped salad. As a vegetarian, I've seen various buffalo cauliflower recipes but never made one until now. After experimenting with a spicy buffalo sauce and mixing in different veggies, I can confidently say this salad is my new favorite.
The buffalo sauce is the heart of this dish. It strikes the right balance of heat without overwhelming the palate, transforming plain cauliflower into something extraordinary. Simply combine the ingredients in a pot, simmer briefly to blend the flavors, and cool before storing in a container for future use. Toss it with roasted cauliflower, and you're set! This roasted cauliflower is also a great side dish or a topping for grain bowls.
The dressing deserves its own spotlight. To balance the heat from the cauliflower, I aimed for a cool, ranch-like dressing. I typically adjust the flavors as I blend, so I use tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, and fresh basil. Blend with a splash of water, taste, and tweak as needed!
For a filling lunch salad, I packed in plenty of vegetables. Skipping lunch leaves me rummaging through the pantry just an hour later for snacks. Sticking with the buffalo salad theme, I added cucumbers, red onion (you could swap in shallots or omit if you dislike raw onion!), celery, and kale.
I've discovered that raw kale isn't my favorite in salads. Instead, I chop it and give it a quick steam or sauté for about a minute to bring out its vibrant green color. This makes it much more enjoyable to eat. You could massage it if you prefer, but I love this quick-cook method. Finish with sliced avocado and some chopped nuts, remembering to sprinkle on salt! Ever wonder why restaurant salads taste better? It's all about the salt.
And the best part? This recipe yields enough for two servings.
I appreciate that it stays fresh (undressed) in the fridge. I prepare the entire salad, store half for tomorrow, and dress only what I'm eating now. It's a time saver and absolutely delicious!
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
Buffalo Sauce:
- 1/3 cup hot sauce
- 2 tbsp melted ghee
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, halved
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp tahini
- large squeeze of honey
- juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- small bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove, chopped
- water as needed
Salad:
- 1/2 head cauliflower, florets
- chopped kale or greens of choice
- 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- chopped nuts of choice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Sauce:
- In a small pot, combine all sauce ingredients. Simmer and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container until needed.
For the Dressing:
- Combine all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth, adding water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.
For the Salad:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a bowl, coat cauliflower florets with buffalo sauce. Spread on a lined baking tray and roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Once roasted, let cauliflower cool while assembling the salad.
- Combine salad ingredients in a bowl, add the cauliflower, and pour on the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
