Smokey Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

It’s football season, which means that it’s wing season. But don’t worry, these Smokey Buffalo Cauliflower Wings will have you covered. They give you all that zesty wing flavor and feel, without the yuckiness (in my opinion) of having to chew flesh off of a bone (sorry for the visual).

Many recipes that involve a breading/frying/baking situation have you using every bowl you own, doing a two or three step process, and coating whatever you are making first in flour, then in milk, then in breadcrumbs, or some similar combination. This recipe, however, cuts all of that down to one simple step. All that happens is you make the batter, coat the cauliflower in it, and then bake! SO simple. The batter is made of all-purpose flour (I haven’t tried it with any other variety yet), plant-based milk, and spices like garlic, onion, and smoked paprika (or chipotle if you want some extra heat) which give the wings lots of pre-sauce flavor.

Another thing about this recipe which adds to the amazingness of the final product is that the wings are twice-baked. They first go into the oven for 20 minutes and then you take them out, smother them in the delicious buffalo sauce and then stick them back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes. The sauce get’s all sticky and extra delicious while baking, making these bad boys literally finger-lickin’ good. Dunk them in some homemade vegan ranch dressing (I followed a recipe from @minimalist baker) and it is a true treat.

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Smokey Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

For the wings:

• 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, broken into 1-2 inch florets.

For the batter:

• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons chipotle powder or smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk of choice

For the sauce:

• ⅓ cup hot sauce of choice (I used Frank’s)
• 2 tablespoons avocado or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the batter ingredients. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
3. Break the cauliflower into small florets, about 1-2 inches wide. Add cauliflower florets to the mixing bowl with batter. Mix well until cauliflower is evenly coated with batter.
4. Transfer cauliflower pieces one at a time to the baking sheet, trying not to drip any excess batter onto the sheet.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
6. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk all three sauce ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
7. Once cauliflower has baked for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to evenly distribute the sauce over the wings. If you don’t have a brush, you can use a small spoon to drizzle the sauce as evenly as possible.
8. Place cauliflower back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and wings look slightly crisp.
9. Remove from the oven and finish with another drizzle of hot sauce, if more spice is desired.
10. Let cool slightly before enjoying with homemade vegan ranch dressing.