BAKED CAULIFLOWER WINGS RECIPE

Game day isn’t complete without a large platter of these Baked Vegan Cauliflower Wings. In fact, maybe a double batch would be best!

Do you ever feel like you are the one and only person at a party that doesn’t eat meat? Everyone’s puttin’ down the buffalo wings, and you’re left with a sad veggie tray.

I don’t know about you, but I always wish I had something finger-lickin’ good to munch on during the big game or just a casual game night.

That is the exact reason why I’ve started showing up with these Vegan Cauliflower Wings.

For one, I never feel left out.

Two. Every single time, I get someone to try the vegan wings, and they end up liking them more than the real chicken version! Total winning!

I mean, c’mon, even Buffalo Wild Wings started carrying Cauliflower Wings, so you know they’re onto something!

Reasons I love this cauliflower wings recipe so much:

• everyone is always so surprised at how freakin’ good they are! Most people are turned off by the boringness of cauliflower. These are anything but boring!
• you can seriously eat a ton of these. If you’re watching what you eat, you can eat way more of these than you could eat chicken wings.
• this is for everyone! meat-eaters, vegetarians & vegans, omnivores. Everyone will love this dish!

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT FOR VEGAN WINGS

I just love how simple the ingredients are for the vegan wings. So simple you could just whip them up right before the game begins!

All the measurements and even more cooking notes are down in the recipe card toward the bottom of the page.

Cauliflower – this is obviously the hero of the show. I’ll be totally honest here – cauli is not my absolute favorite veggie. But I do love its versatility. Once you bread and coat the florets, you will be shocked at how much like wings these are!

Flour – for a thick batter, giving you a good crunch. You can sub in a gluten free flour if you need here.

Almond Milk – you can also use soy milk, dairy milk, or even water here if you’d like.

Panko Breadcrumbs – Oh, these are super important. Don’t skip this one and opt for regular breadcrumbs instead. You’ll be so sad that your vegan wings aren’t as crunchy as you want.

Buffalo Sauce – Which hot sauce is best for buffalo wings?? This all comes down to preference. I’ve heard great things about Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce. I really love Frank’s Hot Sauce Buffalo Sauce, and that’s what I used with these baked cauliflower wings.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAULIFLOWER WINGS RECIPE

Ok now that you know what you need, let’s get on with putting it all together. It couldn’t be simpler!

STEP 1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with baking paper

STEP 2. Cut cauliflower head into bite-sized florets

Step 3: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and milk. The mixture should be thick and smooth

Step 4: Dip each cauliflower floret in the batter. Shake off any excess batter and then pace into a bowl of panko breadcrumbs. Coat with the breadcrumbs and then place onto prepared baking sheet.

Step 5: Bake for 20 minutes, clipping the florets half way through cooking time.

Step 6: While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the buffalo sauce by combining the buffalo sauce and the avocado oil in a large mixing bowl.

Step 7: Once the cauliflower is cooked, remove from the oven and add to the prepared buffalo sauce. Mix together until all the florets are well coated.

Step 8: Return the coated cauliflower to the baking sheet and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until desired crispiness is achieved.

Step 9: Serve with celery sticks and your favorite dipping sauce.

Following these steps will give you a vegan buffalo wings recipe that hits all the marks:

• Crunchy
• Totally addicting
• SO.MUCH.FLAVOR
• have magical vanishing powers

Insider Pro Tips

Cut Cauliflower into florets like a pro: It’s so much easier than you think! First cut right down the center from core to the top of the head. Then you’ll be able to clearly see the stems branching off from the center, where you can cut or break off small florets.

Make sure your florets are the right size: Too small, and you won’t have much of a bite. No one likes a wimpy wing. Too big and you have way too much cauli to breading ratio.

For extra-crunchy vegan wings: For more crunch, you can save the sauce and use it just for dipping rather than coating the baked wings in it. I personally would rather have a really saucy baked cauliflower wing and dip it in a delicious vegan ranch or blue “cheese,” but you do you, boo.

You can also choose to turn the broiler on for the last couple minutes of baking at the end to char some bits of the baked cauliflower wings.

Prep ahead of time: If you’re like me and like to make lots of different dishes, saving time anywhere you can helps a ton. You don’t necessarily want to bake the wings ahead of time, but you can cut up the florets, mix the breading, and combine the buffalo sauce. Put each in a separate container or bag a day or two in advance, and put it all together when you’re ready for the event!

Vegan Buffalo Wings FAQs

Can I make these in the air fryer? I have yet to try these in the air fryer, but as soon as I do, I will report back. I would imagine you can make them in the air fryer using the same baking instructions. They’ll be even crispier. Just be sure to spray the inside of the basket first.

Edited to add: YES! I made these in the air fryer, and I love how they turned out – almost just a titch better than the oven-baked version. I would do 14 or so minutes in the air fryer, flipping halfway through. After coating in the sauce, put back in the air fryer for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.

How do I reheat the vegan wings? Chances are slim you’ll have any leftover, but on the off chance, you can definitely reheat them. I will say, they are definitely better fresh outta the oven, but just bake them for 10 minutes in the oven or air fryer and you’ll be good.

I’d really veer away from the convenience of popping them in the microwave. They won’t have the crispness you had when they were made fresh.

How long will vegan wings last? For me? About 5 minutes once I set them on the platter.

Oh, you mean if there’s leftovers? Store in an air-tight container once they are completely cooled. They’ll last about 3-4 days in the refrigerator before getting completely soggy..

How do I serve and present buffalo cauliflower wings? Classically, you would serve them with carrots and celery sticks and a ranch or blue cheese sauce.

The dipping sauce will counteract the spiciness from your wings, and the veggies will be a nice addition to the platter.

Vegan wings also make a nice side dish to other “snacky” like dishes. Pizza. Nachos. Sliders. All those fun game-day foods.

Looking for more addicting vegan snack recipes?

Vegan Chocolate Truffles
Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
Fudgy Vegan Brownies
Easy Vegan Baked Cheesecake
Vegan No-Bake Cookies
Vegan Peanut Butter Eggs

Now that you know how easy it is to make this Vegan Buffalo Wings Recipe , please give it a star rating and a share below and comment letting me know how it turned out for you!