| Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 25 mins – 30 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 350 | 14g | 3g | 50g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 8g | 10g | 14g | 0.8g |
Why I Love American Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Flatbread Pizzas
One of my current favorites, and a dish I always find myself coming back to, is the Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Flatbread Pizzas. Both inviting and brimming with bold flavors, it merges the comfort of American food and the audacity of my Indian lineage in a quite delightful manner.
The Allure of Fusion Food
Recipe creation, for me, has always been about pushing boundaries, finding new ways to blend and contrast flavors. Fusion food is the perfect playground for this culinary exploration, and with the Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Flatbread Pizzas, I feel like I’ve hit a home run.
The pizza is all-American, yes, but the implementation of cauliflower is a nod to my Gujarati roots. In the heartland of Gujarat, cauliflower is a well-loved vegetable, often used in classic dishes like Gobi 65. This way, even while working with different cuisines, I can keep my heritage close.
Reinventing Veganism
Another aspect I simply love about this recipe is its approach to veganism. All too often, vegan food is seen as ‘limiting’ – something I aim to challenge with every dish. With generous lashings of buffalo sauce and vegan mozzarella, this pizza proves that vegan food can be deeply satisfying, bursting with flavors that don’t compromise on taste.
Using almond milk in the batter – an idea I credit to innovative chefs like Kate Flowers – not only lends moistness to the cauliflower but also imparts a subtle nutty flavor. The whole wheat flour further enhances this flavor profile, providing a hearty bite to the flatbreads.
The Perfect Blend of Tastes and Textures
Lastly, it’s the balance of elements that makes me fall in love with this Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Flatbread Pizzas time and time again. It’s the crunch of the fresh romaine lettuce, against the soft and creamy vegan ranch dressing; the spicy kick of the buffalo sauce tempered by the cool hint of cilantro – each bite is a symphony of tastes and textures that dance on your palate.
So there you have it! A humble pizza, quite transformed with dashes of Gujarat and pinches of California – a delightful testament to my past and present. Give it a try – perhaps, like me, you’ll love it too!
What You’ll Need
- 2 small heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour
- 1 cup of almond milk
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of buffalo sauce
- 6 flatbread pitas
- 1.5 cups of vegan ranch dressing
- 1.5 cups of shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
- 1.5 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
- 1.5 cups of chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cilantro, optional for garnish
Method
Step One
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your cauliflower florets in a large bowl.
Step Two
In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, almond milk, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir this mixture until it’s smooth. Then, pour it over the cauliflower florets, making sure they get well coated.
Step Three
Lay the coated cauliflower florets on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure they’re not touching each other. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until they’re becoming crispy and golden.
Step Four
Pour the buffalo sauce over the baked cauliflower florets, making sure they get entirely coated. Return them to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until they’re bubbling and crispy.
Step Five
While cauliflower is in the oven, organize your flatbread pitas on another baking sheet. Spread a generous amount of vegan ranch dressing on each pita, then sprinkle them with shredded vegan mozzarella cheese.
Step Six
After second round in oven, remove the buffalo cauliflower from the oven. Evenly distribute the buffalo cauliflower pieces over the flatbread pitas.
Step Seven
Put the flatbreads into oven, bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melting and the edges of the flatbread are golden.
Step Eight
After baking, top each flatbread with equal amounts of chopped romaine lettuce and tomatoes. Drizzle some more vegan ranch dressing over top if desired. Garnish with cilantro (if using) and serve.
