Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Spicy buffalo caulifower wings with the best ever homemade vegan ranch dip! Crispy and crunchy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the insde. These wings will have you happy dancing with just one bite!
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
FLOUR
I like using chickpea flour for this because it's so flight and fluffy. It gives a really nice texture to the finished product, so it's the flour I love to use for this recipe. Plus it adds a little bit of plant based protein.
If using plain flour instead of chickpea flour, the measurements would be the same. You'll want just slightly less almond milk to make the batter thick enough to coat the cauliflower. Start with less and add a little more as needed to reach the desired consistency.
With either flour option, if the batter gets too thick you can add another splash of almond milk. If it's too thin, add a spoonful of flour until it looks like pancake batter.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe
Click here: https://nikkivegan.com/best-ever-vegan-ranch-recipe/
SAUCE
Try adding a tbsp of maple syrup to the wing sauce for a sweet and spicy combo! This isn't too sweet but it helps to balance the spice and adds another layer of flavor.
Store bought wing sauces and bbq sauces are delicious as well. Frank's Red Hot makes a premed wing sauce that is vegan and can be found in the Hot Sauce section at the grocery store. The New Primal Medium Buffalo Sauce is also delicious. It's spicier than medium in my opinion and has a vinegary kick. My preference is homemade wing sauce, but I use both of these options and it's all great 😊