Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls (Gluten-Free & Vegetarian)
These Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls are loaded with buffalo cauliflower, smoky roasted chickpeas, crisp lettuce, and of course: ranch! A simple, nourishing meal for any day of the week!

If you know me, you know I love all things buffalo. When I was in grade school, my dad owned an Applebee’s restaurant (yup, he did), and I loved the boneless buffalo wings and the crispy buffalo chicken sandwich there.
I’m still a buffalo wing fan, and I love making my own Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings at home. In fact, my buffalo cauliflower recipe is one of the most popular recipes here on the blog. We probably make them once every couple of weeks, and recently I’ve been adding the leftovers to nourish bowls. Alas, these Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls were born!
Ingredients for Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls:
To make this recipe, here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 batch of Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
- Romaine lettuce
- Brown rice (optional)
- Canned chickpeas
- Green onion
- Cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Your favourite Ranch dressing
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower:
To make the star of this recipe, the cauliflower, just follow my recipe in this post. You will need:
- Medium head of cauliflower
- Cooking oil
- Buffalo sauce (I like Frank’s Red Hot)
- Almond flour (can sub. for all-purpose flour)
- Garlic powder
- Salt
Steps to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls:
Step 1: Make the Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower
Follow the instructions in this recipe to make the cauliflower. If you make them in the oven (versus the air fryer option), you can roast the chickpeas at the same time!
Step 2: Smoky roasted chickpeas
To make the smoky roasted chickpeas (originally from my plant-based snacks blog post), drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then spread them on a paper towel and pat to dry. Drizzle them with olive oil and season with paprika, chilli powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400F for 30 minutes, tossing after 15 minutes. Or, air fry them at 390F for 10-15 minutes until crisp and crunchy, tossing every 5 minutes.
Step 3: Prep remaining ingredients
While the cauliflower cooks, you can prep the remaining ingredients for the bowls. Cook the brown rice, chop the lettuce, green onion and parsley, and grate the cheese.
Step 4: Assemble the bowls
Once the buffalo cauliflower and smoky roasted chickpeas are ready, it’s time to assemble the buffalo cauliflower bowls. Layer the lettuce and brown rice in a bowl, followed by the cauliflower, chickpeas, green onion, and cheese. Lastly, garnish with chopped parsley and add your ranch dressing.
Then, enjoy!
Substitution Suggestions:
You can use these swaps for…
- Romaine lettuce: use chopped baby spinach.
- Brown rice: use quinoa or white rice.
- Green onion: use chives.
- Cheddar cheese: if vegan, swap for a vegan cheddar cheeze option or omit the cheese all together.
- Fresh parsley: use another fresh herb like cilantro or omit.
- Ranch dressing: if you prefer to make your own ranch dressing, this Healthy Homemade Ranch is great. If vegan, swap for your favourite vegan ranch!
More Plant-Based Meal Ideas for You:
- Black Bean & Sweet Potato Taco Bowls
- Ultimate Vegetarian Chili
- Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
- Easy Tofu Fajitas
- Tomato Basil Pasta
- Vegetarian Grain Bowls with Grilled Halloumi
- Vegetarian Greek Chickpea Burgers
Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls (Gluten-Free, Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 1 batch Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower, see notes
For the Smoky Roasted Chickpeas:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Other Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 4-5 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 19 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
For Serving:
- fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ranch dressing, store bought or homemade
Instructions
- Follow the instructions in this recipe to make the buffalo cauliflower. If you make them in the oven (versus the air fryer option), you can roast the chickpeas at the same time.
- Spread drained and rinsed chickpeas on a paper towel and pat to dry. Add to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and toss with spices. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 400F for 30 minutes, tossing after 15 minutes. Or, air fry them at 390F for 10-15 minutes until crisp and crunchy, tossing every 5 minutes.
- Once the cauliflower and roasted chickpeas are ready, assemble the bowls. Layer the lettuce and brown rice in a bowl, followed by the cauliflower, chickpeas, green onion, and cheese. Lastly, garnish with chopped parsley and add your ranch dressing. Repeat for each bowl, then enjoy!
Notes
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