Buffalo cauliflower salad

This is a sponsored post by Challenge Butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

The creation of this buffalo cauliflower salad was by accident, but it is certainly a delicious accident.

I’ve been trying to follow a low(er) carb diet for the most part. As a result, I eat a LOT of cauliflower, and I’m always trying to come up with new ways to use it.

I love baking with cauliflower because of its versatility. It pretty much takes on whatever flavor you give it. If it can be transformed into breadsticks or pizza, then it can become anything!

Recently, while I was trying to create a salad that incorporated cauliflower, I ended up creating a side dish best described as potato salad. But buffalo flavored. And cauliflower instead of potatoes.

The cream cheese / sour cream combination makes it creamy, but the sauce isn’t overwhelming, so it becomes too much like a dip. I used Challenge cream cheese. It's my favorite because they use hormone-free milk in their products. Challenge was also the first brand to make dairy products without growth hormones.

The bacon is definitely not necessary, but after I made this for the first time, I thought, “You know what would be good in this—bacon!” So I added bacon to it, and as you can imagine, it was THAT much better.

Anyway, I wanted to share this recipe with you all as we approach the holiday weekend because I think it would make a great dish to prepare for your family cookout.

Buffalo cauliflower salad
Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, divided into two 1/4 cups
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup Challenge cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 
• 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• 1/4 cup blue cheese
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine cauliflower florets, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, and olive oil in bowl and mix until cauliflower is coated
3. Spread cauliflower in single layer on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes
4. In large bowl, mix together cream cheese, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, sour cream, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper
5. Add cauliflower to bowl and mix until cauliflower is coated in sauce
6. Add bacon, blue cheese, green onions, and parsley, and stir until just combined