Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

It’s not often that we post here on Saturdays, but this Saturday was just too special to pass up. Not only is it the beginning of Penn State’s football season (WE ARE!!), but it’s also #NationalTailgatingDay! We graduated from Penn State 5 years ago, but to us, it feels like just yesterday we were hopping between parking lots outside Beaver Stadium, frolicking from tailgate to tailgate, tasting all the buffalo chicken dip that each had to offer. Sure, there were always plenty of great food and drink options at every tailgate, but the buffalo chicken dip was always the most prized and highly anticipated tailgate snack.

Seeing as though buffalo chicken dip clearly was (and still is) our favorite tailgate snack, we figured it was only right that we pay our respects and recreate the classic, with a healthy twist. As we all know, cauliflower is having somewhat of a “moment” in the health and wellness space. As one of the most versatile vegetables—one that can serve as a substitute for various traditional carbs or stand alone as the main event—we figured it would be the perfect swap to lighten things up a bit.

Serve this dip at your next tailgate or at your Labor Day party this weekend. Either way, we can guarantee it will be a… touchdown! 😉

Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup light sour cream
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
salt and pepper, to taste
additional blue cheese and scallions, optional for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place cauliflower florets on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 25 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Combine sour cream, cream cheese, hot sauce and blue cheese in bowl and mix until smooth. Add roasted cauliflower and toss to combine.
Place cauliflower mixture in a baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Top with additional blue cheese crumbles and scallions, as desired.

Serves 6

144 calories per serving • Fat: 8.5g • Carbohydrates: 10.3g • Protein: 7.8g