Published: · Modified: by Shane Martin · This post may contain affiliate links.
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This healthy buffalo cauliflower recipe is a spin on traditional buffalo chicken wings. Baked and not fried, it’s crisp, tender, and spicy! Loaded with flavor and perfect as an appetizer, meal, or side dish. Air fryer and oven instructions are included.
If you look up “cauliflower” in the dictionary the definition might read,The one vegetable left on the platter once the party has ended and everyone has gone home.Well, not anymore.
These vegan cauliflower buffalo wings are amazing and guaranteed to deliver a swift and spicy kick to your lower food regions. And, because they’re baked and not fried they’re also healthy.
If you have been missing chicken wings these buffalo cauliflower bites are a must-try. They’re the perfect game day snack, holiday gathering nibble, or appetizer even non-vegans will love.
BTW, be sure and have some celery on hand just in case you’re a little weak in the taste buds and can’t take the heat. Think you can handle it?
Let’s find out. Shall we?
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe
Healthy:cauliflower is fat-free and extremely low in calories, and unlike chicken, no cholesterol. They’re also baked, not fried.
Simple:this recipe comes together very easily. You simply cut, coat, bake, baste, and bake. You don’t need to melt butter or any other kind of crap. The hardest part is just waiting on it to finish baking. The smell will drive you crazy!
Oil-free:this buffalo cauliflower is not only a delicious whole food, plant-based appetizer, but it’s also completely oil-free. Similar recipes contain olive oil or vegan butter in the sauce. I think you’ll find it’s absolutely unnecessary and doesn’t affect the flavor one bit!
Delicious:crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and super spicy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These baked buffalo cauliflower wings are sosimpleto make and require inexpensivewhole-food ingredients.
- Cauliflower:1 large head of cauliflower cut into bite-size florets or two 12-ounce bags of precut cauliflower florets.
- Flour:I prefer organic unbleached all-purpose flour orwhole wheat flour.
- Spices:garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, cumin, black pepper
- Non-Dairy Milk:I used unsweetened almond milk.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce:Frank’s Red Hot sauce is my favorite, but be sure and read the label because some sauces contain butter.
How To Make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
These buffalo cauliflower wings are so easy to make and come together fairly quickly. You won’t believe how simple it is to make this awesome appetizer.
The hardest part will be sharing these tasty little buffalo cauliflower bites once they’re done.
- Preheat oven to 425˚F and line abaking sheetwithparchment paper.
- Add the flour and spice to a large bowl andwhisktogether. Pour in the unsweetened almond milk and water thenwhiskuntil it creates a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Place the cauliflower pieces into the batter in batches and stir them around until they’re completely coated. Remove the florets one at a time, shake off any excess batter, and lay them on thebaking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Remove the cauliflower wings from the oven, place them in a large mixing bowl, and cover them with the hot sauce. Stir or toss until the wings are completely covered. Place the cauliflower wings back onto thebaking sheetand bake for another20-25 minutes until they are crispy. I like my buffalo wings to have a little char on them so I tend to cook them a little longer.
- Once they are done remove them from the oven, place them on a serving dish, and serve them like regular buffalo chicken wings.
That’s it!
Can I Make Buffalo Cauliflower In The Air Fryer?
Yes, you can and it’s super simple. Here’s how you do it:
- Line your air fryer tray or basket with parchment paper
- Lay your cauliflower out evenly
- Roast at 390˚F for 15 minutes while turning the cauliflower every 3-5 minutes.
NOTE: The cooking time is a general estimate since no two appliances are the same.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve on a tray at any gathering alongside my creamy coolVegan Ranch Dressingwith some celery and carrots.
- If you prefer a dressing with a little more “kick” thisVegan Blue Cheese Dressingrecipe fromNora Cooksis my favorite.
- Toast up your favorite whole grain baguette, add some crisp romaine lettuce, pile on some of the vegan buffalo cauliflower wings, and cover it all with vegan ranch for one incredible sandwich.
- Toss the buCauliflowerflower bites into some greens for a delicious and hearty salad.
Can I Store Leftovers In The Fridge?
Yes! Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. But, they are best when enjoyed fresh out of the oven. You can reheat leftovers using your microwave, oven, or air fryer.
As far as freezing the buffalo cauliflower, cruciferous vegetables tend not to do as well in the freezer. So, I would abstain.
Tips
- Wanna make these Cauliflower Wingsgluten-free? It’s simple!Anthony’s Chickpea Flour,Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour, orrice flourare great alternatives.
- If you want a little extra crunch simply omit the flour and coat the cauliflower in some panko bread crumbs.
- Not a person who likes spice? Use myhomemade BBQ Sauce! AH…mazing!!!
- Be sure and use unsweetened non-dairy milk.
- These cannot be frozen because once they thaw they’re just mushy.
- Most buffalo sauces contain a large amount of sodium. If you want to cut back on the salt, thisbuffalo saucefrom my friends at Monkey & Meis absolutely divine.
If you like this cauliflower recipe you should check out my Cauliflower Mushroom Walnut Taco Meat. It’s pretty amazing!
And, if you want more “party” food ideas be sure and check out my 14 Vegan Party Food Recipes. They’re delicious, easy, and as always, oil-free!
Follow me onFacebook,Pinterest,orInstagram, & be sure tosubscribe to my newsletter. If you make this recipe please come back to comment and rate it. I’d really appreciate it. Enjoy!
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
4.9 from 19 reviews
The best Buffalo Cauliflower Wings recipe. Baked crunchy and tender cauliflower, tossed in buffalo sauce and served with a cooling ranch dip.
- Author: Shane Martin
- Prep Time: 15 mins.
- Cook Time: 40 mins.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizers and Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup organic unbleached flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond mik
- ½ cup water
Buffalo Cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower cut into bite-size florets
- Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop the cauliflower into bite-size florets or use two 12-ounce bags of pre-cut cauliflower florets.
- Add the flour and spice to a large bowl and whisk together. Pour in the unsweetened almond milk and water and whisk until it creates a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Place the florets into the batter in batches and lightly toss until they’re covered with the batter. Remove the florets one at a time, shake off any excess batter, and lay them on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven, place them in a clean large bowl, and cover them with the hot sauce. Stir or toss the cauliflower wings until they are evenly covered in sauce. Place the cauliflower wings back onto the baking sheet and bake for another 20-25 minutes until they are crispy. I like my buffalo wings to have a little char on them so I tend to cook them a little longer.
- Once they are done remove them from the oven, place them on a serving dish, and enjoy them like regular buffalo chicken wings alongside celery sticks and carrot sticks.
Notes
Serve on a tray at any gathering alongside of my creamy cool Vegan Ranch Dressing with some celery and carrots.
If you prefer a dressing with a little more “kick” this Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing recipe from Nora Cooks is my favorite.
Toast up your favorite whole grain baguette, add some crisp romain lettuce, pile on some of the vegan buffalo cauliflower wings, and cover it all with vegan ranch for one incredible sandwich.
Toss the buffalo cauliflower bites into some greens for a delicioua and hearty salad.
Wanna make these Cauliflower Wings gluten-free? It’s simple! Anthony’s Chickpea Flour, Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour, or rice flour are great alternatives.
Be sure and use unsweetened non-dairy milk.
You can store any leftovers in an airtight conatiner or freezer bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. But, they are best when enjoyed fresh out of the oven.
These cannot be frozen because once they thaw they’re just mushy.
Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 161
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 653.9 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.1 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 7.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
