These buffalo cauliflower wings are an irresistible aspect dish or recreation day snack! They’ve scrumptious crispy edges and a tremendous spicy, tangy taste.
Buffalo cauliflower wings—a plant-based spin on buffalo hen wings—are a traditional recreation day snack. However after testing and perfecting this recipe, I’m right here to let you know that buffalo cauliflower is wayyyy too good to solely make on recreation day. I’ve been whipping it up for fall gatherings and film nights, for TV binge classes and even the occasional lunch or dinner.
It’s crispy on the sides and tender within the center, spicy, tangy, and slightly bit candy. Attempt one floret erm, wing, and I promise, you’ll be again for extra earlier than you recognize it.
My Buffalo Cauliflower Wing Sauce
Earlier than I break down the steps to this buffalo cauliflower recipe, let’s speak buffalo sauce. Named after Buffalo, New York, its metropolis of origin, this wealthy, tangy, spicy condiment earned its fame as a sauce for normal hen wings. It’s historically made with a cayenne pepper sizzling sauce like Frank’s RedHot, melted butter, and vinegar.
You should buy ready buffalo sauce at many grocery shops. However for this buffalo cauliflower recipe, I desire to make my very own.
Like most recipes, I begin with Frank’s RedHot and melted butter, however I forego any further vinegar as a result of I discover the new sauce to be tangy sufficient by itself. As a substitute, I stir in honey, which makes the sauce thick and shiny, and I add garlic powder and paprika for savory complexity. It’s tremendous simple to stir collectively and so scrumptious!
Don’t do butter or honey? Take a look at my buffalo sauce recipe for a vegan possibility.
Easy methods to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
When you put together your sauce, you may get happening the buffalo wings!
1. Prep the cauliflower.
Break it into giant, wing-size florets. Cautious to not make the items too small. For those who do, the cauliflower will overcook earlier than the coating will get crispy.
2. Make the batter and coat the cauliflower.
A easy batter provides this cauliflower a enjoyable fried impact with none frying. Simply whisk collectively water, flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt to make it. The flour makes the combination thick sufficient to coat the cauliflower florets, and the cornstarch helps them bake up good and crispy. Clearly, the spices add nice taste!
Toss the cauliflower florets within the batter and organize them in a single layer on two giant, parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Tip: Make the recipe gluten-free. Although I haven’t tried this myself, a number of readers have efficiently used a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix rather than the all-purpose flour.
3. Bake the cauliflower at a excessive temperature.
Bake the cauliflower at 450°F for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for 10 minutes extra.
4. Add sauce and bake once more.
Take away from the oven and brush on among the buffalo sauce. Bake till the cauliflower wings are darkish and crisp across the edges, 12 to fifteen minutes. Don’t skimp on this bake time! You wish to give the florets loads of time to caramelize and crisp up across the edges.
5. Brush with extra buffalo sauce and serve!
The wings are a incredible appetizer or snack on their very own, however we additionally love them with ranch dressing or vegan ranch dressing for dipping. I don’t have a recipe for blue cheese dressing, nevertheless it’s a traditional pairing with buffalo wings. For those who desire it to ranch as a dip, by all means, go for it! Get pleasure from with carrot and/or celery sticks on the aspect.
Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.
Ideas for Making the BEST Buffalo Cauliflower
- Don’t skip the parchment paper. For this recipe, it’s important. With out it, the cauliflower wings will keep on with the sheet pan once you attempt to flip them. Even with the parchment, ensure to make use of a spatula and flip them rigorously. After simply 10 minutes of baking, the batter surrounding them continues to be delicate, and it might simply tear in the course of the flipping course of.
- Brush with extra sauce earlier than serving. Let’s be trustworthy: nearly as good as buffalo cauliflower wings are, they’re principally a automobile for buffalo sauce. To essentially pack in that crave-worthy buffalo taste, you’ll brush the wings with the sauce twice, as soon as mid-bake and as soon as proper earlier than serving. FYI, this isn’t a napkins-optional snack state of affairs.
- Eat them immediately. Properly, perhaps not immediately, as a result of these buffalo cauliflower bites are tremendous sizzling once they come out of the oven. However they’re finest inside a couple of minutes of baking, once they’re nonetheless heat and their edges are deliciously crisp. If you find yourself with leftovers, retailer them in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. They gained’t be crispy, however they’ll nonetheless style nice!
Extra Favourite Snacks and Appetizers
For those who love these baked buffalo cauliflower wings, strive one in every of these tasty snacks or appetizers subsequent:
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Serves 4
These baked buffalo cauliflower wings are such a enjoyable appetizer or snack! They’ve irresistible crispy edges and a scrumptious spicy, tangy taste. Move the napkins!
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cauliflower, about 2 kilos, damaged into giant florets
- Buffalo Sauce, for brushing
- Ranch dressing or vegan ranch, for dipping, optionally available
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Preheat the oven to 450°F and line two giant baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Add the water and whisk till clean. Add the cauliflower florets and stir to coat.
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Carry the cauliflower florets out of the batter, permitting any extra batter to drip again into the bowl. Organize in a single layer on the ready baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to rigorously flip the florets. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, swapping the pans on the oven racks.
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Take away the cauliflower from the oven and brush with among the buffalo sauce. Bake for an additional 12 to fifteen minutes, or till the cauliflower is darkish and crisp across the edges.
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Take away from the oven and brush with extra buffalo sauce. If desired, serve with ranch for dipping.