The thought of cauliflower when what you’re after is a spicy buffalo wing is maybe NOT that exciting, but trust me, these vegan cauliflower wings are beloved plant-based eaters and carnivores alike!
The breading is crispy, crunchy, and perfectly spicy and that combination is just begging to be generously dunked into my homemade dairy-free ranch dressing recipe!
You won’t believe that these wings are baked instead of fried or that they’re completely meat and egg free, because they taste every bit as delicious as the classic version and they’re even easier to make.
Can I use my air frier?
Probably! I don’t have an air frier so I haven’t tried it but I’ve seen it done on YouTube. Just make sure you cook the wings long enough to get them crispy and golden on the outside and tender on the inside. Hard, undercooked cauliflower is not what we’re going for here.
Wait…does it taste like chicken?
No. It’s not a chicken replacement and it’s not supposed to be. These wings are something else entirely. But in many ways, these do taste like classic buffalo wings because all of the same flavors and textures are there..and it doesn’t taste like vegetables if that’s what you’re wondering!
Trust me, before going vegan, I was a big Buffalo Wings fan. And although I was also a cauliflower fan, you could not convince me that a cauliflower Buffalo wing would taste anything like the real thing. But tasting is believing and, well, I’m a believer. I know you will love these wings as much as I do. They’re SO FLAVORFUL and this ranch is just too good!
How spicy are they?
These wings are pretty spicy. My bias will tell you that they’re perfectly spicy – not unbearably spicy but they definitely have a kick! I understand wanting something a little more mellow though so my advice is to opt for a store bought wing sauce that is labeled mild or use BBQ or Teriyaki sauce instead. Both are great alternatives. You could even do some with Buffalo, some with BBQ, and some with Teriyaki.. make a sampler! Why not? Food should be fun 😊
Can I prep ahead of time?
Absolutely! To save time, I make the batter and sauces in advance. If the batter gets too thick in the fridge, I just add a little almond milk too thin it back out. However, I like to make the breadcrumb mixture right before using because I want it to stay crunchy. Plus only takes about a minute to mix together.
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 1 cup chickpea flour or plain flour, see notes
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp dried celery seed
For the Breading
- 1 ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
You Will Also Need
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 3 tbsp vegan butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp white rice vinegar
- vegan ranch for dipping recipe below
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Wash and dry the cauliflower and cut into large florets. I think of it like I'm making them "3 bite" sized. Leave the florets in a colander to dry completely while you make the batter.
Prep the Batter
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, garlic powder, and dried celery seed. Mix well and add the amond milk (The batter should look like a bit like pancake batter) Set aside.
Prep the Breading
- In another bowl, add the panko, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Then line two large cookie sheets with parchment or a non-stick baking liner and dip the florets into the batter. Use a fork to lift the cauliflower out of the batter and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Then place the floret into the bowl of panko and cover evenly with the breadcrumbs. Again, remove with a fork and let the excess fall back into the bowl. Place on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining cauliflower. Tip: this is optional, but I find that lightly misting the cauliflower wings with a thin layer of olive or avocado oil promotes even browning.
Bake
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, turning half way through for even crispiness. In the meantime prep the wing sauce.
Wing Sauce
- Combine Frank's Red Hot with vegan butter, garlic powder, and vinegar. Mix well and set aside. See notes below for more sauce options.
- Remove the wings from the oven and working quickly, coat each floret in the wing sauce and place it back on the cookie sheet. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until crispy. Serve immediately with ranch for dipping and cool, crunchy celery sticks. My homemade vegan ranch recipe is linked in the notes so that you could easily print both recipes out all on one page. I hope you enjoy these wings! Happy cooking 😊
Notes
You can watch how I made these wings in this YouTube video!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider giving it a 5 star rating and leaving a comment below! That really helps more people find my recipes and it would be greatly appreciated!
Happy cooking!
x Nicole
Hey! I’m Nicole and I make practical vegan recipes for REAL life. I cook with simple, easy to find ingredients and I’m passionate about creating delicious plant-based meals that everyone will love!
I hope you enjoy my recipes and videos :) Happy Cooking!
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Oh. My. Goodness! These are the BEST buffalo cauliflower wings EVER. I have tried and (failed) making these before, but they never met my expectations until I tried your recipe, Nikki. These provide the crunch and meatiness that I’ve been craving, and the flavor is 100% spot on! So genius of you to make the batter with chickpea flour for extra protein because they were very filling and satisfying! Can’t recommend this recipe enough. Definitely on my weekly rotation! 👍😋💯❤
Author
I could cry!! Thank you so much for this comment and feedback on my recipe! It really means the world to me. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed my recipe!! Thank you for letting me know 😊
Nikki,
I made these last night. Great recipe! I am new to WFPB eating although, I have always been an adventurous eater this was easy to make and I so enjoyed it. Thanks so much for sharing your work, it means a lot to me and has helped me out so much. After changing my diet in July my A1c is now in the normal range and Lipid panel is also heading quickly in the right direction. I only wish I had started this sooner. Keep up the good work, your great.
So delicious! I didn’t have chickpea flour and almond milk on hand so I used regular flour and soy milk, and had to totally improvise the wing sauce because we don’t have Frank’s red hot in our country, so I mixed some vinegary brine from a jar of green chili peppers with some water, corn starch and red chili paste, boiled it until it thickened, and then added the butter, garlic and a bit of maple syrup and it turned just the right amount of spicy, which is VERY mild, because I’m not a fan of spicy food. Also used sourdough breadcrumbs because we don’t have panko here, but it still turned out very good with all the modifications 🙂
Nikki! These are AWESOME. I’ve made many cauli wings but these are the most flavorful, crunchy and the ranch is perfect. Thanks for working so hard on this one, it shows!
These are great! I have tried so many different cauliflower wings (baked, deep fried, etc) and these were so easy and delicious! I used the AP flour option and these came out great. I will definitely be making these again.
Author
😊😊😊 Thrilled you liked this recipe Christina! Thank you for letting me know! I’m happy you liked it