Wings are a
game day staple, but if you’re vegetarian (or simply looking to eat less meat), then these cauliflower wings are the answer. While we love the classic buffalo wings, when we’re craving something a bit lighter—or need to please plant-based guests—these wings are the app we turn to again and again….and, again. This recipe transforms this staple veggie into crispy, golden bites that were made to be drenched in your favorite sauce. We went with buffalo here, but you can really get creative with these cauli wings. Keep reading on for all of our top tips on how to make these cauliflower wings as crispy as possible for your Super Bowl spread:
How to make crispy cauliflower wings:
Roasting the battered wings in the oven will crisp the edges, but like many good wings, once the cauli is tossed in the sauce, you lose some of the crunch. To regain crispiness, turn on your broiler. Return the tossed wings to the baking sheets and broil until the sauce is sticky and caramelized.
Can I fry these instead of baking them?
Absolutely! If you’d like to fry for extra crispiness, then heat about 1”-2” of neutral oil in a large heavy bottomed pot to about 350°. Then add the breaded cauliflower wings in small batches, tossing the wings a few times in the oil as they cook. When the breading is nice and golden, the wings are done. Use a slotted spoon or kitchen spider to remove the cauliflower to a paper towel-lined plate and proceed with the remaining wings. Once all the cauliflower is fried, toss with the buffalo sauce.
Cauliflower wing variations:
— Make them vegan. These cauliflower wings are a breeze to make vegan. There are no eggs in this batter, so start by swapping out the regular milk with almond milk. Use vegan butter in the buffalo sauce in place of butter. For dipping, rather than skip the ranch dressing, make our coconut vegan ranch in this kale salad.
— Sauces. We love classic buffalo sauce, but if you can’t take the heat, no worries—you can toss these buffalo wings in any of our wing sauces. Use the sauce in your favorite chicken wing recipe here, or check out some of our favorites for inspo: spicy apricot, garlic-Parmesan, chili-garlic, or lemon-pepper.
— Make it in the air fryer. Saving oven space? Check out our air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe for the same crispy wings in half the time.
Serving cauliflower wings:
Serve these wings with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, or set out an array of wing sauces to really switch things up. If you’re looking for side ideas, we love pairing these wings with air fryer chickpeas, fried pickles, and homemade French fries.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
Wings are a
game day staple, but if you’re vegetarian (or simply looking to eat less meat), then these cauliflower wings are the answer. While we love the classic buffalo wings, when we’re craving something a bit lighter—or need to please plant-based guests—these wings are the app we turn to again and again….and, again. This recipe transforms this staple veggie into crispy, golden bites that were made to be drenched in your favorite sauce. We went with buffalo here, but you can really get creative with these cauli wings. Keep reading on for all of our top tips on how to make these cauliflower wings as crispy as possible for your Super Bowl spread:
How to make crispy cauliflower wings:
Roasting the battered wings in the oven will crisp the edges, but like many good wings, once the cauli is tossed in the sauce, you lose some of the crunch. To regain crispiness, turn on your broiler. Return the tossed wings to the baking sheets and broil until the sauce is sticky and caramelized.
Can I fry these instead of baking them?
Absolutely! If you’d like to fry for extra crispiness, then heat about 1”-2” of neutral oil in a large heavy bottomed pot to about 350°. Then add the breaded cauliflower wings in small batches, tossing the wings a few times in the oil as they cook. When the breading is nice and golden, the wings are done. Use a slotted spoon or kitchen spider to remove the cauliflower to a paper towel-lined plate and proceed with the remaining wings. Once all the cauliflower is fried, toss with the buffalo sauce.
Cauliflower wing variations:
— Make them vegan. These cauliflower wings are a breeze to make vegan. There are no eggs in this batter, so start by swapping out the regular milk with almond milk. Use vegan butter in the buffalo sauce in place of butter. For dipping, rather than skip the ranch dressing, make our coconut vegan ranch in this kale salad.
— Sauces. We love classic buffalo sauce, but if you can’t take the heat, no worries—you can toss these buffalo wings in any of our wing sauces. Use the sauce in your favorite chicken wing recipe here, or check out some of our favorites for inspo: spicy apricot, garlic-Parmesan, chili-garlic, or lemon-pepper.
— Make it in the air fryer. Saving oven space? Check out our air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe for the same crispy wings in half the time.
Serving cauliflower wings:
Serve these wings with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, or set out an array of wing sauces to really switch things up. If you’re looking for side ideas, we love pairing these wings with air fryer chickpeas, fried pickles, and homemade French fries.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
- Yields:
-
4
serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 35 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 329
Ingredients
- 1
head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
- 1 c.
all-purpose flour
- 1 c.
milk
- 1/2 tsp.
garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
-
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 c.
hot sauce (such as Franks)
- 4 tbsp.
melted butter
-
Ranch dressing, for serving
-
Celery sticks, for serving (optional)
Directions
-
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 450° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, milk, and garlic powder until combined. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Step 2Dredge cauliflower in batter until evenly coated. Shake off excess batter and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cauliflower is crispy and golden around edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Step 3Meanwhile make buffalo sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together hot sauce and melted butter. Toss baked cauliflower “wings” in sauce before serving.
- Step 4Serve with ranch dressing and celery sticks, if desired.
- Step 1
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
