Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Bites

Why You’ll Love Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower

When it comes to Thanksgiving leftovers, it’s the leftover turkey that seems to get top billing. But what can you make with the last bit of leftover cranberry sauce that nobody wants? Try these sweet and savory, tangy and tender, and oh, so delicious little cauliflower bites. They may be called “wings”, but even though you might not fool the meat-eaters, you’ll certainly get them to eat a few more veggies if you serve these. Here’s why you’ll enjoy them too…

• Great for game day. If you are watching football the weekend after Thanksgiving, you can use up leftovers and make tasty tailgate snacks to pair with your usual Buffalo Chicken or pizza recipes.
• Tasty fall twist. Based on my recipe for Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings that everyone loves, I just had to sneak a little of that cranberry flavor in there. I love how the cranberry flavor complements the balsamic vinegar.
• Adaptable for everyone. As I said, they are already veegtarian. But when it comes to the flour, you cna use regular all-purpose or gluten free options, and both dairy and nondairy milk work just fine.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a brief overview of what you’ll need to make these cauliflower bites. You’ll find the full amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card further down in the post.

• Balsamic vinegar
• Cranberry sauce – use your favorite canned or homemade cranberry sauce. My Orange Cranberry Sauce adds a delicious zingy flavor to these wings.
• Dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• Cauliflower – cut into florets. The smaller they are, the faster they will cook and softer they will get.
• Flour – brown rice flour is what I use both to get the best texture for the coating and to make them gluten free. But you can use regular all-purpose flour.
• Milk – I usually use unsweetened almond milk, but any dairy or non-dairy milk will work.

How to Make Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower

Start by preheating your oven to 450°F and spraying a baking sheet with oil or cooking spray. Then take a look at this quick photo tutorial which gives you the highlights. The recipe card down below has the step-by-step instructions.

• Make the glaze. Whisk the balsamic vinegar, cranberry sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper together in a bowl and set aside.
• Coat in batter. Whisk together the flour and milk in a bowl and toss the cauliflower in the batter until it is well coated.

• Bake the cauliflower. Arrange the cauliflower on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Glaze the cauliflower. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and toss gently to coat. Return to oven for another 10-15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Fridge – Transfer any leftover cauliflower bites to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Note that the coating will get slightly soggy after being refrigerated, but they are still good to eat. For this reason, though, I do no recommend freezing leftovers.
• Reheat – The cranberry balsamic glazed cauliflower can be reheated for a couple of minutes in the microwave. However, if you want to minimize the fogginess, you can pop them back in the oven or reheat time in an air fryer at 350°F until heated through. Keep an eye on them, as the sugars in the cranberry glaze can start to burn.