• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Picnic Lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Picnic Tips
  • Spring
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Picnic Tips
  • Spring
  • About
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Picnic Tips
  • Spring
  • About
  • Contact
×
Home » Picnic Food

Cauliflower Buffalo Dip

Published: Jun 28, 2024 by Kate O'Malley · This post may contain affiliate links. See end of article for more information · Leave a Comment


Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Cauliflower Buffalo Dip is a vegetarian take on the game-day favorite, Buffalo Dip. It might be a healthier version, but it is equally indulgent.

Like my Broccoli Cheese Dip and Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip, I don’t believe picnic dips have to always be cold.

Warm dips make great picnic appetizers for fall picnics and warming additions to a winter picnic menu. They can also take center stage as the main dish.

A bowl of cheesy buffalo cauliflower dip garnished with chopped green onions.
Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Recipe Variations and Substitutions
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Expert Tips
  • Related Recipes 
  • Cauliflower Buffalo Dip

Why This Recipe Works

Made with fresh riced cauliflower, this recipe works well as a starter with fresh bread, crackers, tortilla chips, or veggie sticks. You can also serve it as the centerpiece on a charcuterie dip board or a larger crudité platter.

It is hearty enough to be the main dish, especially when served with crusty bread, smoked meats, cheeses or assorted light picnic finger foods.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for Cauliflower Buffalo Dip.

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

This dip is very customisable. The cauliflower and buffalo sauce are the key ingredients, however, you can add or take any of the others. For example, you can switch out the following ingredients:

  • Ranch dressing with ranch seasoning (1 to 2 tbsp)
  • Shredded mozzarella with shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream with natural greek yoghurt

Step by Step Instructions

A black frying pan containing chopped green onions on a light-colored surface.

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the white and light green part of the onion chopped into slices and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the onion is soft. Keep the dark green ends aside for garnish.

A black skillet with sautéed cauliflower rice and chopped green onions, stirred with a wooden spoon.

Step 2: Chop the cauliflower into florets and process it until it has the consistency of rice. You can use a food processor or a grater on medium thickness.

Add the cauliflower rice to the pan with the sautéd green onion. Stir over medium heat until the cauliflower is tender. Any liquid it releases will reduce and turn lightly golden – this will take around 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the amount of cauliflower you have.

A large black skillet contains sautéed cauliflower rice with a block of cream cheese and a line of ground black pepper in the center.

Step 3: Add the cream cheese, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir over medium to low heat until well combined.

A skillet filled with buffalo sauce, cream, grated cheese, minced cauliflower, and chopped green onions, with a wooden spoon resting inside.

Step 4: Add the sour cream, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, the dark green part of the green onion, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well to combine.

A large skillet filled with a creamy mix of Buffalo Cauliflower Dip is stirred with a wooden spoon on a light surface.

Step 5: Adjust salt and buffalo sauce to taste. Continue to stir until the mozzarella has melted.

A hand dips a celery stick into a cauliflower buffalo dip topped with chopped green onions, with other vegetable sticks visible in the background.

Step 6: Remove from the heat and serve warm. If taking it to a picnic or party, give it a quick heat before leaving and transport it in a thermal container.

Expert Tips

  • Cauliflower: Cook the cauliflower until tender and the liquid has reduced before adding the rest of the ingredients. If you rush this step, the resulting dip will be watery.
  • Buffalo Sauce: For authentic flavor, use a high-quality buffalo sauce like Frank’s RedHot. Adjust the amount to control the heat level to your preference.
  • ​Freezing and Reheating: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Reheat in the oven or on the stovetop to maintain the best texture​.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
  • Consistency: If you prefer a smoother dip, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it reaches your desired consistency. This helps create a more uniform texture throughout the dip. If you prefer a more rustic dip, rough chop the cauliflower ​florets.
  • To Reheat: To reheat the dip over the stove, use a pot or a skillet over low – medium heat, stirring regularly so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. To reheat in the oven – Place in an oven-safe tray and heat at 400F | 204C for 8-10 minutes. Or until the cheese starts to bubble.

Tip: Store this dip in a thermal food container to keep it warm when transporting it to a picnic. Or use an insulated lasagna carrier and transport it in the original baking dish. For more ideas, see my tips for keeping food warm for a picnic.

Helpful Accessories for Transporting Warm Dips

Pyrex Bakeware with Insulated Carrier

S’nack by S’well Insulated Food Bowls

Related Recipes 

  • A person holding a bowl of soup with mushrooms and parmesan.
    Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Mushrooms-No Cream
  • A hand dipping a cracker into a bowl of cheesy broccoli dip, with additional crackers in a dish in the background.
    Warm Broccoli Cheese Dip
  • Bowl of creamy cauliflower salad.
    Cauliflower Potato Salad
  • Four cauliflower cakes on a cutting board.
    Low Carb Cauliflower Hash Browns

Did you try this Cauliflower Buffalo Dip? 

Please leave me a ⭐ rating below and let me know in the comments how you enjoyed it.

A bowl of buffalo cauliflower dip garnished with sliced green onions, placed on a wooden board, with celery and carrot sticks in a cup nearby and additional green onions in a small dish.

Cauliflower Buffalo Dip

Kate O’Malley
This Cauliflower Buffalo Dip recipe is a gorgeously indulgent vegetarian version of the classic buffalo dip. It is low-carb, super satisfying, and slightly spicy.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Dip
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Cups
Calories 756 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ⅓-½ cup buffalo Sauce - like Frank’s Hot Buffalo Sauce. Alter according to taste.
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded
  • 3 spring onions - chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion's white and light green part chopped into slices and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the onion is soft. Keep the dark green ends aside for garnish.
  • Chop the cauliflower into florets and process it until it has the consistency of rice. You can use a food processor or a grater on medium thickness.
  • Add the cauliflower rice to the pan with the sautéd green onion. Stir over medium heat until the cauliflower is tender. Any liquid it releases will reduce and turn lightly golden – this will take around 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the amount of cauliflower you have.
  • Add the cream cheese, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir over medium to low heat until well combined.
  • Add the sour cream, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, the dark green part of the green onion, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well to combine.
  • Adjust salt and buffalo sauce to taste. Continue to stir until the mozzarella has melted.
  • Remove from the heat and serve warm. If taking it to a picnic or party, give it a quick heat before leaving and transport it in a thermal container.

Notes

Recipe Variations
  • Ranch dressing with ranch seasoning (1 to 2 tbsp)
  • Shredded mozzarella with shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream with natural greek yogurt

Recipe Tips

  • Cauliflower: Cook the cauliflower until tender and the liquid has reduced before adding the remaining ingredients. If you rush this step, the resulting dip will be watery.
  • Buffalo Sauce: Use a high-quality buffalo sauce like Frank’s RedHot for authentic flavor. Adjust the amount to control the heat level to your preference.
  • ​Freezing and Reheating: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Reheat in the oven or on the stovetop to maintain the best texture​.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
  • Consistency: If you prefer a smoother dip, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it reaches your desired consistency. This helps create a more uniform texture throughout the dip. If you prefer a more rustic dip, rough chop the cauliflower ​florets.

To Reheat

  • To reheat the dip on the stove, use a pot or a skillet over low—medium heat, stirring regularly so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
  • To reheat in the oven, Place in an oven-safe tray and heat at 400F  for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese bubbles.

To Transport Warm to a Picnic or Party

  • Heat the dip – in the oven or over the stove as close to departure as possible. Transport the dip in a thermal container or with an insulated cover.
  • I recommend heating in an oven-safe dish with a storage lid, such as Pyrex dishes, and transporting in an insulated lasagna lugger. See my tips for keeping picnic food warm here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 756kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 15gFat: 71gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 2.173mgPotassium: 676mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1.405IUVitamin C: 71mgCalcium: 365mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @picniclifestyle or leave a comment below.


More Easy & Delicious Picnic Food Ideas

  • A picnic setup with croissants, watermelon, grapes, olives, cheese, salami, and two glasses of white wine on a table. A wicker basket is in the background.
    Delicious No Cook Picnic Food Ideas
  • A picnic by the water in Italy with white wine, grilled vegetables, a salad, strawberries, and a plate with bread and a meat dish on a stone surface.
    Italian Picnic Recipes and Ideas
  • A collage showing four types of cookies: chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons, a stack of lemon cookies, cookies with a bite taken out, and a hand holding a frosted chocolate cookie.
    Scrumptious Picnic Cookie Ideas
  • A brown coffee cup on a matching saucer next to a cooling rack with frosted Tiramisu Cookies dusted with cocoa powder.
    Tiramisu Cookies

About Kate O'Malley

Picnic enthusiast, passionate cook, and the creative force behind Picnic Lifestyle. With a globe-trotting background and a keen eye for local ingredients, she's mastered the art of crafting delectable picnics and portable feasts (especially for long travel days). Kate's passion for al fresco dining comes alive in this guide, curating perfect picnics for every occasion.

Reader Interactions

5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

A woman in a blue vest standing in front of trees with blue lights.

Meet Kate, the unrivaled picnic fanatic who loves nothing more than to whip up a portable feast.

More about me →

Download Your Free Picnic Checklist

  • A picnic setup on a grassy area with a woven basket, two wine glasses, a bottle of wine, a corkscrew, a cutting board with cutlery, and a gray cloth.
    The Ultimate Picnic Checklist
Shop My Favourite Picnic Products at My Amazon Storefront

Spring Picnic Ideas

  • A spring picnic with flowers in a basket leaning against a bicycle.
    Delicious Spring Picnic Ideas
  • Three friends enjoying a brunch picnic with drinks on the beach.
    Scrumptious Picnic Brunch Recipes
  • Stuffed Easter rabbit in a flower arrangement at an Easter picnic brunch setting.
    Gorgeous Easter Picnic Ideas
  • A cooked asparagus galette in a cast iron pan with bacon and peas.
    Spring Asparagus Galette with Peas and Bacon
  • Stacked chicken salad sandwiches with crusts removed on a wooden board, garnished with fresh herbs.
    Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
  • A carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese frosting topped with a walnut.
    Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
See more Spring Picnics →

Popular Posts

  • 21 Best Picnic Games to Keep Everyone Entertained
  • A collage of various gourmet appetizers and picnic finger food.
    Easy Picnic Finger Food & Appetizer Ideas
  • Assorted hot food laid out on a picnic table.
    How to Keep Food Warm for a Picnic
  • Flat lay of people helping themselves to Mexican picnic food.
    Mexican Picnic Food & Ideas
  • Brie and walnut baguette on a breadboard.
    How to Keep Sandwiches From Getting Soggy
  • Boho table setting for a picnic with macrame decoration and green foliage
    5 Foldable Boho Picnic Tables for Every Occasion

Footer

↑ back to top

Terms

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • About

Disclaimer – Picnic Lifestyle participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Many posts on this site also contain links to other affiliate sites offering products or services we recommend. This means if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Copyright © 2020-2025 Picnic Lifestyle

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.