Classic Buffalo-Style Salad with a Plant-Based Twist!
ICYMI, we’re seriously obsessed with all things buffalo. Most of our recipes use the classic combination of tangy buffalo sauce and chicken. This is our first entirely meatless buffalo-inspired dish and, I’m telling you, it might be our best! 🔥
This grilled buffalo cauliflower salad is the perfect dinner for summertime. It has the same fun, crave-worthy flavors and textures of a buffalo chicken salad, except a totally show-stopping grilled buffalo cauliflower is the star. You’ll quarter a whole head of cauliflower and char it up on the grill until smoky and tender, basting in plenty of buffalo sauce along the way. As a bonus, it’s totally low-effort for summer nights and won’t heat up your house, since the grill does most of the work! It’s visually stunning but tastes even better – it’s spicy, tangy, smoky, and light-tasting all at once!
From there, toss the charred cauliflower florets with whatever salad add-ins you like. We love serving grilled buffalo cauliflower salad with plenty of greens, fluffy quinoa for extra plant-based protein, and crunchy veggies like carrots and cucumber plus some cooling tomatoes and avocado. A creamy homemade herby ranch dressing takes it all over the top. So, so good!
Grill Like a Backyard Pro ⭐
Step-by-step tutorials (like how to light the grill without burning your eyebrows off) & obsessively-tested tips (for juicy, charred results). Designed for meat lovers & vegetarians alike!
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How to Grill Cauliflower
The star of this salad is this grilled buffalo cauliflower, which gets beautifully charred thanks to the high heat of the grill. If you’ve never grilled cauliflower before, there’s no need to be intimidated. Grilling cauliflower is a very straight-forward process – no special tools or equipment required!
Prepare the cauliflower. Remove the outer leaves from the head of cauliflower, then slice down through the stem to create 4 equal quarters. Why? ⇢ The most common way to grill cauliflower is to cut it into planks that lie flat on the grill grates and mimic the shape of a classic steak. While this “cauliflower steak” method is great for making an impressive vegetarian main dish, a good portion of the cauliflower goes to waste since it’s not attached to the core. Slicing the cauliflower into quarters keeps all of the florets intact and makes it much easier to handle on the grill – after all, we want all the buffalo cauliflower we can get here!
Season the cauliflower. Brush the entire surface of each piece of cauliflower with avocado oil then generously season with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Why? ⇢ Avocado oil has a high smoke point ideal for grilling. Plus, it prevents the cauliflower from sticking to the grates! The spices add an extra layer of flavor to complement the buffalo sauce.
Grill and baste. Cook the cauliflower over medium-high direct heat. After about 5 minutes per side, the florets will be tender and charred. Use a pastry brush to coat the entire surface with plenty of buffalo sauce and continue to cook a few more minutes per side, allowing the sauce to soak in as it cooks. No grill? ⇢ No problem! Roast your cauliflower in a 425 degree F oven instead.
Break into florets. Once it’s perfectly tender and saucy, break it down into grilled buffalo cauliflower bites that are easy to toss into a salad. The cauliflower should be nice and tender, so this is pretty easy going with a knife. Learn More! ⇢ How to Grill Cauliflower.
My Go-To Buffalo Sauce ⇢ While you can certainly use your favorite bottled wing sauce, my go-to Homemade Buffalo Sauce recipe comes together quickly with just a few staple ingredients.
Homemade Herbed Yogurt Ranch
No matter how much you love store-bought ranch (🙋🏻♀️), an easy homemade version is always worth the extra effort!
This creamy-dreamy yogurt ranch is the perfect dressing to bring a grilled buffalo cauliflower salad together – if you’ve been around PWWB for a while, you may recognize it from our favorite Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls. It’s like a glammed-up version of ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt and plenty of fresh dill and chives for punchy, herbaceous flavor. Plus, it’s so easy to make!
✨ Get the recipe! ⇢ 5-Minute Greek Yogurt Ranch
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Salad
For a vegan grilled buffalo cauliflower salad, combine Frank’s RedHot with plant-based butter for basting the cauliflower in buffalo sauce. Then use your favorite non-dairy yogurt to make a vegan ranch dressing and skip the cheese add-in altogether, or use a non-dairy alternative. Easy!
Salad Assembly and Serving
Once the components of your grilled buffalo cauliflower salad are ready, it’s all about assembly. This super simple step is also very strategic. We’re obsessed with creating the perfect combination of flavor and texture and love the role every layer plays in a bowl.
Here’s how we suggest building your buffalo cauliflower salad:
- Start with a bed of greens to create a fresh base. I opt for spring greens for ease, but feel free to punch up your salad with extra texture from romaine lettuce or red cabbage!
- Add plenty of fluffy cooked quinoa for some plant-based protein.
- Top with veggies like carrots, cucumber, avocado, tomatoes, celery, red onion – whatever you love!
- Crumble in your favorite cheese (totally optional!)
- Add in plenty of grilled buffalo cauliflower wings. We love how their smoky tenderness pairs with the crunchy raw veggies.
- Finish with a heavy drizzle of herby yogurt ranch dressing.
From there, simply dig in and enjoy! This salad is great on its own for lunch or dinner, especially when you’re craving something fresh, fun, and no fuss. It’s also a great addition to a summer gathering or dinner with friends. Try serving it with wings or sliders for a full-on buffalo feast.
Meal Prep Tips
Save up to 20 minutes at dinnertime by cooking the quinoa, chopping the salad veggies, and prepping the yogurt ranch dressing in advance. Each component can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I can’t wait for you to try this Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Salad! It’s a fabulous balance of cooling freshness and tangy, smoky spice – exactly what an epic salad should be! The perfect no-fuss and fun summer dinner.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Print
Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Salad
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Entrée Salads & Bowl Recipes, Main Dishes
- Method: Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This stunning Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Salad is the perfect Buffalo-inspired summer dinner!
The star of the show is a head of grilled buffalo cauliflower, which is so fun to make! Simply quarter a whole head of cauliflower through the stem, season it with smoked paprika and garlic powder, and toss it right on the grill grates. It’s beautifully tender after about 12 minutes, at which point it’s ready to baste with a simple homemade buffalo sauce of Frank’s RedHot and butter. Not only is the grilled cauliflower completely stunning, it’s deliciously smoky and spiced, all with the signature tangy heat of buffalo sauce.
From there, simply toss it into a hearty salad with greens, fresh veggies like cucumber, tomato, and carrot for texture, quinoa for plant-based protein, and a heavy drizzle of homemade yogurt ranch dressing for a seriously craveable summer salad!
As is the case with any hearty salad or bowl-style meal, a little bit of prep is involved to pull together all of the components. Feel free to take or leave any component depending on how much time you have (e.g. skip the quinoa, use store-bought ranch dressing, work with a base of your favorite store-bought salad kit, etc.). This is a flexible recipe – have fun with it!
Easily vegan and majorly meal prep-friendly. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for the full how-to! ♡ Happy grilling!
Ingredients
- grilled buffalo cauliflower, below
- herbed yogurt ranch dressing, below
- 5 ounces spring mix or greens of choice
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (⅓ cup dry quinoa cooked according to package directions)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled as desired and cut into matchsticks or shredded
- ½ English cucumber, diced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 avocado, pitted and diced
- optional:4 ounces crumbled bleu cheese or shredded sharp white cheddar
for the grilled buffalo cauliflower:
- 1 large head cauliflower, outer leaves removed and sliced into quarters through the stem
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or high smoke point oil of choice
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- ⅓ cup Franks RedHot Original or buffalo sauce of choice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
for the herbed yogurt ranch dressing:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole milk or 2% is best)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 3–4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼–⅓ cup water
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat the grill: Prepare the grill for medium-high direct heat grilling, about 450-500 degrees F. Once preheated, clean the cooking surface by firmly brushing a wire brush over the grates. (If you do not have access to an outdoor grill, you can also preheat oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring one rack is positioned in the upper third of the oven.)
- Prep the cauliflower and buffalo sauce for the grill: Meanwhile, as the grill preheats, prep the cauliflower and buffalo sauce. Place the quartered cauliflower on a small baking sheet. Use a brush to coat the entire surface of the cauliflower with avocado oil. Sprinkle the entire surface of the cauliflower with garlic powder, smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Set aside. To mix up the buffalo sauce, simply add the Frank’s RedHot Original & melted butter to a small bowl & mix to combine well. Set aside.
- Optional: Prepare the herby yogurt ranch dressing: Meanwhile, as the grill preheats, prep the ranch yogurt. In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, garlic, chive or green onions, dill, and apple cider vinegar. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine well. Thin the mixture out with water, just until your desired consistency is reached. Set aside for serving, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Grill the buffalo cauliflower: Place the cauliflower on the preheated grill. Close the lid. Grill 4-5 minutes per side, until the cauliflower is fork-tender. Once the grilled cauliflower is tender, generously brush the entire surface of the cauliflower with the prepared buffalo sauce. Cook 1-2 minutes per side longer, basting the cauliflower with extra buffalo sauce as desired. Remove from the grill and allow to cool slightly.
- Grilled buffalo cauliflower salad assembly: Chop the grilled buffalo cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Place the salad greens in a large bowl, topping with the cooked quinoa, green onions, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese (if using). Place the grilled buffalo cauliflower over top. Drizzle the yogurt ranch dressing over top, then toss to combine well. Taste and season with additional salt and ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dairy-free and/or vegan buffalo cauliflower salads: This grilled buffalo cauliflower salad is naturally vegetarian, but very easily made vegan as well with a few simple dairy-free subs. Swap butter for your favorite plant butter in the buffalo sauce, yogurt for your favorite dairy-free yogurt in the ranch dressing, and be sure to omit cheese or use your favorite dairy-free variety in the salads.
- Make-Ahead and Storage: Prepared grilled buffalo cauliflower salad components will keep, stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. If desired, reheat the grilled cauliflower in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through, then assemble salads as desired.
- Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these grilled buffalo cauliflower salads comes from prepping the veggies and the yogurt ranch dressing. Prep either or both in advance to get a head start on your grilled buffalo cauliflower salads – it takes 20 minutes, tops:
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Cool slightly then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>5 minutes active)
- Vegetable prep: Break down 1 large head of cauliflower according to the Ingredients List, above, then grate 1 large carrots, dice ½ English cucumber, and halve or quarter 8 ounces cherry tomatoes. Transfer to individual airtight containers & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>10 minutes active prep)
- Prepare the herby ranch dressing according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>10 minutes active prep)
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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Looking forward to making this tonight! Since we are out of propane, how long would you recommend roasting the cauliflower for at 425?
Hi Sara, the time for roasting cauliflower varies based on the size of the cauliflower pieces! In order to save time, we’d recommend chopping the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, and roasting for about 30 minutes. Hope that helps!
I made this last night after an intense, long day. When I started getting the ingredients out, I was missing green onions and cucumber AND my avocado was overripe. BUT it was still SO SO SO good and so easy to make. When my partner tasted the grilled cauliflower, he announced that I would be the person doing the grilling from now on. Also, I am eating the leftovers for lunch was I type this. Add this to your meal rotation immediately!
Hi Melody, we’re so happy to hear this salad was a nice ending to a long day!! And we’re all for owning the grill, too. 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind review!!