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Serve a bowl of this spicy buffalo cauliflower dip at your next party and watch it disappear! It has the classic buffalo flavor everyone loves.

Easy Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
One of the best things about sports bars is spicy fried foods. It might not be the best for your health, but it sure does taste amazing doesn’t it?
It’s actually really easy to turn bar food into healthy snacks that are good for you. Just use fresh, whole ingredients. For this dip, I used lots of cheese and cauliflower and my favorite spices – all simple ingredients that are really good for you!
This cauliflower dip is packed with nutrition and is the best appetizer for your game-watching party or snack for your next movie binge. Feel free to eat as much as you want – it’s a healthy dip that will fuel your body with protein, fiber, and lots of healthy fats.
Plus, it’s amazingly low in carbs! Serve it at your next party and everyone will enjoy it, whether they are on a low-carb diet or just a huge fan of spicy food.
Ingredients Needed
There are just a handful of ingredients in this simple and healthy dip. Thanks to the buffalo sauce, it sure packs a punch! Here’s more information about what I used.
- Cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces: Chop the entire head of cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. The smaller the pieces, the better. Use either one large head of cauliflower or 2 smaller ones.
- Cream cheese: The cream cheese gives the dip a rich and full flavor. Use 1/2 a block and soften it first.
- Ranch dressing: Ranch combines perfectly with buffalo sauce! I used 1/2 a cup of the ranch, but you can use more or less if you want to adjust how spicy it is.
- Buffalo sauce: This is where all the spice comes from. Use 1/2 a cup to really heat it up.
- Garlic powder: Add a teaspoon of garlic powder for some extra taste.
- Onion powder: A teaspoon of onion powder brings an earthy saltiness to the dip.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Divide 1.5 cups of shredded cheese. You can use other types of cheese instead, but cheddar has a classic flavor that is perfect in dips.
Kitchen Tools Required
If you have ever baked a homemade dip before, then you probably already have all the tools you need. This is what I used when I made my healthy cauliflower dip.
Gather the following items before you begin:
- Dutch Oven
- 8×8 Baking Dish
- Wooden Spoon
For measuring, you will need the following sized cups and spoons: 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, and 1 teaspoon.
How To Make Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Now that you have all the ingredients and kitchen tools ready, itโs time to start making this spicy dip. Get ready for the best dip you have ever made!
First, prepare the cauliflower. In a dutch oven, steam 1 extra-large head of chopped cauliflower with ยผ cup of water.
Turn off the heat after 8-10 minutes and drain the cauliflower.
Next, stir in the softened cream cheese, ranch, buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder.
Then, stir in ยฝ cup shredded cheddar cheese and pour the dip into an 8×8 baking dish and top with 1 cup more cheddar cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400F.
Recipe Tips
Below are some common homemade buffalo cauliflower dip questions. Donโt see the answer youโre looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Is this recipe keto-friendly?
Yes, this dip is low in carbs and you can eat it on the keto diet. The main ingredients are cauliflower and cheese, so it is a perfect thing to serve at a party. If you are on a low-carb diet, it’s always good to have recipes like this one on hand so you can enjoy the party without worrying about carbs.
What is buffalo sauce?
Buffalo sauce is usually a combination of hot sauce and some kind of fat or oil. For the healthiest choices, read the ingredient label and pick the buffalo sauce that is made with whole ingredients.
What can I use instead of cream cheese?
If you don’t have cream cheese, you can use Neufchรขtel cheese or even ricotta cheese. Both options are creamy and will give the dip the same taste and consistency.
How do you make it spicier?
To make this dip spicier, add more buffalo sauce. Top it with jalapeno or poblano peppers. If you are really daring, add more hot sauce to it too!
How do you make it smoother?
This dip has delicious cauliflower florets within it. If you don’t like the florets, you can puree them and mix them into the rest of the ingredients. Puree cauliflower will make this dip have the same consistency as hummus.
You can either puree the cauliflower with a food processor, blender, or immersion blender.
What are some healthy things to eat with this dip?
What you use to dip into it depends on your dietary needs. If you are on a low-carb diet, I suggest dipping cheese crisps or raw peppers.
If you aren’t on a low-carb diet, then serve it with some whole-wheat pita slices or your favorite chips.
Storing leftovers
It’s really easy to store leftover buffalo cauliflower dip. Store leftover dip in an airtight container, like a resealable pyrex dish, in the refrigerator. It will last about 3 days. The longer it stays in the refrigerator, the thicker it will become.
Reheat it on the stove and it will melt beautifully again.
It is possible to freeze this dip for later, but when you thaw it again the texture will change so much that I don’t recommend freezing it. It is better to make this fresh and eat it as soon as it comes out of the oven.
If you liked this recipe, youโll want to try these!
Here are some more of my favorite dips and appetizers to make. Enjoy!
- Hot Taco Dip
- Light Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
- Healthier Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Chicken Spinach Artichoke Dip
Photos by Moriah Sawtelle and recipe by Erin Antoniak.
Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Serve a bowl of this spicy buffalo cauliflower dip at your next party and watch it disappear! It has the classic buffalo flavor everyone loves.
Ingredients
- 1 extra large (or 2 small) head of cauliflower, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 block light cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, steam 1 extra large head of chopped cauliflower with ยผ cup water.
- After 8-10 minutes, turn off heat and drain.
- Stir in softened cream cheese, ranch, buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder.
- Then stir in ยฝ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Pour into 8×8 baking dish and top with 1 cup more cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 400F.
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Lyndsay says
Such an easy recipe to make and so good! We’ve made it for multiple parties now. Vegetarians and meat eaters both enjoy it ๐ I cut the cauliflower up very small (bigger than cauliflower rice but smaller than average bite size) for easy chip dipping. And I just saute in a wok with water vs true steaming method. Works great!
Erin says
Hi Lyndsay, so happy everyone loves it!! ๐
Jessie B says
This recipe is DELICIOUS! My whole family loved it, even the meat eaters. I topped with green onions. Highly recommend this recipe!
Erin says
Hi Jessie, so glad it was a big hit! ๐
Jennifer callery-stokes says
one of my favorite buffalo dips- in my second trimester of pregnancy I craved this so much! Easy and simple and I know my sister and her family love it too!
Erin says
Hi Jennifer, so glad you enjoyed it!! ๐ Congrats!!