Vegan Buffalo Ranch Burgers & Fries

Andrea Banerjee

I often crave comfort food or fast food-style meals on weeknights when I’m tired. While I used to indulge these cravings on an all-too-regular basis (:|) my health, slowing metabolism and wallet just can’t hack it anymore.

Thank goodness for cleaner, simpler, plant-based alternatives! This recipe is easy to make and every bit as delicious as it looks. I take a shortcut and buy a low calorie buffalo sauce from the grocery store, but I’ve linked a vegan recipe that you can whip up at home too!

Note: If you’d like to skip the flour and breadcrumbs, you can forego the “crispy” and literally just bake the cauliflower patties in the oven. I do this often – buffalo sauce on cooked cauliflower is the jam!

Ingredients:

• half head of cauliflower
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp garlic powder

Sweet Potato Fries

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 large sweet potato

Ranch Dressing

• 1/3 cup unsweetened, unflavoured coconut yogurt (or you can do vegannaise)
• 2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp finely diced green onion

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350C.
2. Mix flour, water and garlic powder in a small bowl with a fork or a whisk. Consistency should be a thick, sticky paste.
3. Slice cauliflower head top to bottom into thick (1.5 inch) slices or discs. Pieces should be large like burger patties!
4. Dip cauliflower into the flour/water/garlic mixture. Ensure that both sides and edges are coated.
5. Sprinkle breadcrumbs onto a sheet of wax paper. Roll each coated cauliflower piece in the crumbs until coated.
6. Place cauliflower pieces onto a lined (or foiled!) baking sheet.
7. Slice sweet potato into long skinny fries (I like to leave the skins on!). Place onto a baking sheet. Coat in olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
   
8. Bake cauliflower and sweet potato fries at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. Flip fries every 10 minutes.
9. For cauliflower: bake until until crispy on the outside and soft when sliced open with a knife. Be sure to flip halfway through!
10. Combine ranch dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir until combined. Refrigerate before serving.
    
    

    
11. Coat your crispy cauliflower patties in your favourite buffalo sauce. If you’re up for a scratch recipe, try this one from the Edgy Veg!
12. Serve on your choice of bun with preferred toppings (shredded lettuce, cabbage, tomato or avocado are all nice pairings with the spicy sauce). Drizzle with ranch dressing.

Serve and enjoy!!