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Looking for an over-the-top tasty grilled vegetarian sandwich? This Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich will blow your mind. Summer grilling win!
This post was created in partnership with Sears. All opinions are our own.
Father’s Day is almost here and I’ll be honest: I’m a terrible gift giver. Some people have that gift giving gene, but unfortunately it skipped me. This year, Sears came to us to see if Alex, cooking expert & dad extraordinaire, would curate a collection of his favorite cookware in a Father’s Day gift guide. Seeing as he’s a bit of a pyro, it’s not surprising that all of his Father’s Day gift picks had to do with fire! His number one pick? A Kenmore Wood Pellet Smoker Grill. It’s a grill and a smoker at the same time: what could be more manly than that? Keep reading for this buffalo cauliflower sandwich recipe, and more about this wood pellet grills.
Related: 10 Amazing Vegetarian Sandwiches | Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich
Have you heard of a wood pellet grill? I hadn’t, but of course Alex is all over the fire and grilling trends! What I do know is that: 1. I love the smoky taste of wood-fired foods 2. I have no idea how to work our current charcoal grill. Per Alex, this grill is fueled by wood pellets and when you use the smoker they infuse a smoky, savory delicious goodness. Not only that, it’s easy to use and even I could learn how to fire it up. (I promise, this is a Father’s Day gift! But I’m excited about it too). To showcase his incredible new wood pellet grill and celebrate Father’s Day, Alex created a delicious, manly recipe that puts vegetables at the center: this Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich with Creamy Ranch.
How to make this cauliflower sandwich
So, this Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich. Oh.my.goodness, the flavor combinations are unreal! Tangy buffalo sauce is slathered over blistered cauliflower, then paired with a creamy Greek yogurt ranch sauce with the sharpness of blue cheese. Since our website is mainly vegetarian, Alex wanted to find a way to make a vegetarian grill recipe, and he did it–the veggie at the heart of the buffalo cauliflower sandwich is savory, hearty and super satisfying. As a garnish instead of lettuce, Alex used celery leaves, reminiscent of the celery sticks typically served with buffalo wings (don’t skip this step!).
Related: Cauliflower Tacos with Yum Yum Sauce
We’ve been eating buffalo cauliflower for ages as an appetizer, but never in a buffalo cauliflower sandwich–which is genius! The wood pellet grill brings just the touch to put this sandwich over the top. This one is our top pick for a plant-based or meatless Father’s Day meal on the grill…but really, we’ll be eating this buffalo cauliflower sandwich up all summer long! A fun side dish to serve with this sandwich: our Loaded Sweet Potato Rounds.
What did Alex put in his Father’s Day gift guide for Sears?
- Kenmore Portable Double Burner Hot Plate
- Essential Home Cast-Iron Reversible Grill and Griddle Pan
- Kenmore Wood Pellet Smoker Grill
This buffalo cauliflower sandwich recipe is…
Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free buns.
Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Looking for an over-the-top tasty grilled vegetarian sandwich? This Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich will blow your mind.
Ingredients
For the buffalo cauliflower
- ¼ cup Frank’s red hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 medium head cauliflower (6 cups florets)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
For the blue cheese ranch
- 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
- Black pepper
For the sandwich
- 4 buns
- Celery leaves, from one bunch celery
- 1 tomato
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high. *If you don’t have a grill, preheat the oven to 450F.
- Chop the cauliflower into large florets; make sure they are fairly large, which makes them easier to grill. Measure out 6 cups florets. In a large bowl, add the cauliflower and mix it with the olive oil and kosher salt. Grill for about 12-18 minutes until charred and tender. Remove from the grill and immediately toss with the sauce (below). If you’re roasting the cauliflower, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then place the cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes until it is tender and browned, stirring once halfway through.
- Make the blue cheese dressing: stir together the Greek yogurt, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and blue cheese crumbles.
- Make the buffalo sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the hot sauce, butter and maple syrup in small saucepan and heat until the butter is melted, about 1 minute. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water. When the butter is melted, pour in the cornstarch mixture and whisk constantly until the sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat.
- Immediately after the cauliflower is ready, slice the tomato and sprinkle it with a few pinches of salt. Remove the celery leaves. Place the cauliflower on the bottom half of the buns, then top with tomato, blue cheese ranch, celery leaves, and the other half of the bun. (Note: Do not leave the buffalo cauliflower to sit for long amounts of time before, as it will release liquid.)
- Category: Main Courses
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: American
Looking for more grilled recipes?
Outside of this buffalo cauliflower sandwich, here are a few more grilled dinner ideas:
- Best Grilled Veggie Burger
- BBQ Grilled Cauliflower (or Grilled Cauliflower)
- Tomato & Grilled Eggplant Stacked Sandwich
- Grilled Eggplant with Herbed Quinoa
- Grilled Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini
- Grilled Teriyaki Mango Skewers
- Loaded Grilled Nachos
- Grilled Vegetable Pasta with Romesco
- Summer Panzanella
- Grilled Eggplant Salad with Yogurt
- Greek Grilled Veggie Skewers
- Mint Pesto Grilled Cheese on the Grill
If roasting in the oven, do you add the buffalo sauce first? Or do you still roast for 18 mins and then add the sauce?
Still ad the sauce at the end!
Wow… yes to ALL of this!! Yum
CK
That grill is a BEAUTY and omg these sandwiches! My cat daddy would go crazy for ’em. <3
Haven’t tried buffalo cauliflower in a sandwich.
Looks yummy and healthy! We will definitely try this at home.
Thanks for this blog. :)
Wow – I know Lucas would love a grill like this! I’ll add this to his list for when we finish our backyard upgrades this summer! I’m also really bad at Father’s Day gift ideas! This sandwich looks to die for!
I love buffalo cauliflower as well as yogurt based ranch so this recipe has my name all over it!
That photo!
And I love the bucket hanging from the grill – awesome!
But that photo – you know I never print recipes anymore, trying to be eco friendly, but I had to print this one.Making it soon! Thanks!