Spicy Cauliflower Cheese Bites with Tahini Ranch.

All the crispy, cheesy, spicy snacks…no fryer required. These roasted cauliflower bites pick up smoky heat and melty cheddar-parm edges, then get dunked in a creamy tahini ranch (no mayo!).

They’re easy, craveable, and perfect for game day spreads, movie nights, or piling over big salads all week.

What you’ll love

• Cheesy + crispy: Roasted florets with lacy, crisped cheese edges.
• Creamy dip, lighter feel: Tahini ranch brings the cool, herby balance.
• Make-ahead friendly: Roast now, re-crisp later; the sauce keeps well.

Ingredient notes

• Cauliflower: Break into even, 1–2-bite florets; dry well for browning.
• Hot sauce + spices: Use your favorite hot sauce; smoked paprika + chili powder for warmth. Note the heat level and offer a mild route (see Variations).
• Cheeses: Cheddar (melty) + parmesan (crispy, salty). Grate fresh for best melt.
• Tahini ranch: Tahini, lemon, garlic, herbs. Use smooth, pourable tahini.

Recipe Inspiration

It’s crazy that the Super Bowl is this Sunday. Most years I post a number of Super Bowl focused recipes, but this year it really just snuck up on me. I guess my focus has been much more on snowboarding, and the upcoming Olympics…and our big trip to Korea…than football.

The good news is, I am finally sharing some game day recipes.

Enter these spicy cauliflower bites with tahini ranch…better than chicken wings, and with a much healthier ranch…honest.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but back when I first started cooking, my family was obsessed with buffalo chicken, like homemade oven-baked buffalo chicken. I used to make it all the time. They still love it to this day, but you know, I needed to try something non-buffalo this year, and happily, I found these cauliflower bites to be just as good.

They’re spicy, cheesy, and paired with a non mayo based ranch.

Step by Step

Start out by roasting the cauliflower.

• I like to add a little spice to the cauliflower by adding on some hot sauce. Next comes the cheese! The cheese is what make these bites similar to fried mac and cheese bites, but minus the frying and the macaroni. So not really the same at all, but the flavors and textures are there.
• I used a mix of parmesan and cheddar to get some really nice flavor. As the cauliflower roasts, the cheese melts and gets a little crispy towards the end, SO delicious.
• Think roasted cauliflower, but instead of it being boring, it’s fun with hints of spice, smoked paprika, and generous amounts of cheese. If you thought you didn’t like cauliflower, you will after making these bites.

Then make the ranch

• While the cauliflower is roasting in the oven, make the ranch. I’ve mentioned this before, but I really don’t like mayo or mayo based sauces. So most of the time I steer clear of ranch dressing.
• Over the last year or so, I have really loved swapping mayo for tahini, which is simply ground sesame seeds. It has the same creaminess, but better flavor. So that’s what I did with this ranch. The tahini replaces the mayo making this a dairy-free, gluten free ranch.

Put it all together

• Put it all together and you have the best healthy Super Bowl snack, easy appetizer, or side dish to serve at your next gathering.

• I love making these bites on Sunday and having them on hand to throw into big salads for easy lunches and dinners, or just to have around as an easy afternoon snack. They really are addicting.

Technique tips & doneness cues

• Sheet-pan space: Don’t overcrowd; room helps steam escape and edges crisp.
• Roast cues: Florets should be golden with caramelized tips and tender when pierced.
• Cheese timing: If the cheese is browning fast, tent loosely with foil for the last minutes so it melts without scorching.
• Sauce texture: Whisk tahini with lemon/seasonings, then loosen to a spoonable consistency with cold water; it should coat a spoon and taste bright and herby.

When I made these bites last week, I wasn’t sure how my family would react to them, I mean they are technically a vegetable. But when I sent a batch up to my parent’s house for the real taste test, everyone said they loved them.

The great thing about these bites is that, contrary to the feeling you get after eating fried mac n’ cheese balls, or fried chicken wings, these bites are pretty much guiltless. I mean, sure there’s cheese, but you all know how I feel about cheese…everything in moderation.

My one recommendation? If you’re making these for the Super Bowl this weekend, double the recipe. Trust me, these bites go fast.

The perfect little bites.