Vegan Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower Bowls (Gluten Free)

Vegan buffalo roasted cauliflower bowls are the meatless weeknight meal you need in your meal plan! Made with hearty and fresh ingredients like arugula, quinoa, buffalo roasted cauliflower, avocado, radishes, sunflower seeds, and an irresistible creamy vegan ranch dressing. Vibrant, easy to make, and so delicious! Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free.

The best vegan buffalo cauliflower bowls

I think that veggie and grain bowls (also sometimes called Buddha bowls!) have to be the designated champion of easy vegetarian weekday lunches and dinners.

They’re just perfect for meal prep and bring such visual and flavor interest to the table every time. Like a flavor party in a bowl where everyone who is anyone is invited!

These buffalo cauliflower bowls are our new favorite player in the game and I’m beyond excited to share them with you.

Why you’ll love these bowls

They are:

• Super flavorful
• Easy to make
• Fresh and filling
• Perfect for meal prep
• Awesome for leftovers
• So very delicious!

Ingredients and substitutions

One of the best things about throwing together bowls like this for lunch or dinner is that they are very customizable based on what you have on hand.

The ingredients I share in the recipe are what we like, but you can absolutely make the bowls your own by using what sounds good to you! I’ve also included some ideas for substitutions and additions below.

Here’s what you need

• Buffalo roasted cauliflower – Feel free to use another type of roasted cauliflower instead if you prefer. This Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower would be delicious! Even plain salt and pepper roasted cauliflower would work for a more simple flavor profile.
• Quinoa – I chose to use quinoa because it just felt right, but you could swap it for another grain like rice or farro (not gf).
• Arugula – I love the peppery bite of fresh arugula, but any type of tender salad green is a good choice.
• Avocado – Creamy and satisfying, avocado is a natural addition to these flavorful bowls.
• Radish – The fresh crunch and bite of radish plays well with the other ingredients.
• Red onion – Can easily be left out if you’re not a fan of onions, or swapped for pickled red onions or thinly sliced green onions.
• Sunflower seeds – The salty crunch of roasted and salted sunflower seeds is one of my favorite parts of this bowl! Roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped cashews, or sliced almonds would also be tasty.
• Ranch dressing – This mayo-less recipe is our new favorite homemade dressing but you could also use this dairy free ranch made with vegan mayo (equally delicious!) or a store bought option.
• Fresh herbs – Fresh dill and fresh parsley are optional but provide the best boost of green flavor!

Other optional ingredients

If you want to add a little more variety to the the veggies or an extra boost of protein there’s a few other ingredients that would also be delicious in these bowls!

Here’s some ideas

• Chickpeas or another type of bean
• Lentils
• Marinated tofu
• Cucumber
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Roasted sweet potatoes
• Sweet corn
• Cherry tomatoes
• Hard boiled eggs

How to make

These bowls come together really quickly once you get a little bit of prep work out of the way. The time that it takes for the cauliflower to roast in the oven is the perfect amount of time to cook the quinoa and cut the other veggies!

I have a whole blog post dedicated just to the Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower, but to keep things simple I’ll include all the details for how to make it on this page as well.

Here’s the step-by-step

• Preheat oven and prep cauliflower. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut cauliflower and gather and measure ingredients.
• Roast cauliflower. Add cauliflower to a large bowl and toss to coat with avocado oil, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread out flat side down in a single layer. Reserve the bowl for the next step. Roast for 15-17 minutes – until just barely tender and starting to brown.
• Prep remaining bowl ingredients. While the cauliflower is roasting cook your quinoa, cut radishes, avocado, red onion, fresh herbs, and gather remaining ingredients.
• Toss with buffalo sauce. Remove cauliflower from the oven and increase the heat to 475°. Transfer cauliflower florets back to the large bowl and pour buffalo sauce over the top. Toss gently to coat, and transfer back to the baking sheet, leaving any excess sauce behind.
• Roast again. Transfer back to the oven and continue to roast for an additional 6-8 minutes, until nicely caramelized on the edges. For extra crispy bits you can broil for 1-2 minutes before pulling from the oven – just keep an eye on it so the cauliflower and/or parchment don’t burn.
• Assemble bowls. Divide salad greens between 4 bowls. Top with cooked quinoa and buffalo roasted cauliflower. Finish bowls with avocado, radishes, red onion, and sunflower seeds. Drizzle with vegan ranch dressing and top with fresh herbs if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Storage and re-heating

Just about everything for these bowls can be prepped a head of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This makes them the perfect candidate for a meal prep recipe!

For the best texture and flavors I would store each component in separate containers.

You could re-heat the cauliflower before building your bowls but it’s not necessary. To re-heat pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, warm in the oven at 350° F, or gently reheat in a skillet, tossing occasionally, until heated through.

I would recommend cutting the avocado just before serving so it doesn’t turn brown and soft.

Love this vegan bowls? Try these other recipes!

• Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
• Mexican Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
• Anti Inflammatory Vegetable Soup with Turmeric
• Vegan Black Bean Soup
• Honey Mustard Chickpea Kale and Avocado Salad
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review the recipe below. It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any changes you made! 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK! We’re so grateful you’re here.

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