Buffalo Cauliflower Pasta Salad
This Buffalo Cauliflower Pasta Salad is packed with roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, and crunchy veggies for a creamy, slightly spicy, and yummy dish! Vegan & Gluten-Free.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
For the Roasted Cauliflower:
- 1/2 head cauliflower, finely chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce*
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Pasta Salad:
- 8 ounces (225 g) pasta of choice, gluten-free if necessary
- 1 15.5 oz (440 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (~1 1/4 cups cooked beans)
- 3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 packed cup chopped dill, parsley, or cilantro (optional)
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup (80 g) tahini (I recommend this one; see notes for subs)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) buffalo wing sauce*
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Roast the Cauliflower: add the chopped cauliflower to a large bowl, then add in the buffalo sauce and garlic powder. Use a spatula to toss everything around until the cauliflower is evenly coated. Transfer to the lined baking tray and spread evenly across it. Bake in the top rack of the oven for 25-27 minutes, until some of the edges are golden brown.
- Cook the Pasta: once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and carefully rinse with cold water, so it can come down to room temperature. Set aside.
- Make the Dressing: In the meantime, prep the remaining veggies and make the dressing. Whisk the tahini, buffalo sauce, water, and garlic powder together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Some tahini brands are thicker than others, so if your dressing is too thin, add water in 1-tablespoon increments and whisk well, until the dressing reached your desired consistency
- Assemble: add the pasta and roasted cauliflower to a large bowl along with the chickpeas, celery, carrot, green onion, and fresh herbs (if using). Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well, until everything is evenly coated with dressing.
- Serve & Store: transfer to a serving dish and serve as desired; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to four days before they begin to dry out.
Notes
- Buffalo Wing Sauce: most major brands of Buffalo Wing Sauce are vegan (including Frank’s), but double check the ingredient list to make sure they are dairy-free. If you can’t find wing sauce near you, you can use regular buffalo hot sauce as well!
- Tahini: if you’re not a fan of tahini you can replace it with equal parts vegan sour cream, thick coconut yogurt, cream cheese, or my nut-free Vegan Ranch. All of the store-bought products will be thicker than tahini, so you will need to add extra water to the dressing to thin it out to your liking.
Keywords: buffalo pasta salad, vegan buffalo sauce recipes, spicy pasta salad, cauliflower pasta salad
Find it online: https://frommybowl.com/buffalo-cauliflower-pasta-salad/