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    Home » Mains » Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

    Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

    Published: Mar 22, 2020 · Modified: Jan 21, 2021 by Kaylie Grace · 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read the affiliate disclosure here. 

    These vegan buffalo cauliflower wings are crispy, spicy, and secretly healthy! The soft and tender cauliflower “wings” are baked to perfection then tossed in hot buffalo sauce. Dip them in vegan ranch dressing and serve with celery stalks. It’s a delicious appetizer that could fool vegetarians and meat eaters, alike!

    vegan buffalo cauliflower wings with dairy-free ranch dressing dip in a bowl

    In case you couldn’t already tell, this recipe isn’t your traditional baked cauliflower. It’s brought to you in the best disguise: a crispy breaded coating + spicy buffalo dressing. There’s no need for chicken wings when you can enjoy these instead! It’s a healthy alternative to the real deal.

    These buffalo cauliflower wings are:

    • Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free
    • Crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside
    • Packed with spice and heat!
    • Secretly healthy / Baked instead of fried
    • Easy to make with minimal ingredients
    • A sneaky way to get your family to eat more veggies!
    • A tasty snack, appetizer, or side dish
    • Great for parties, game day, and pot lucks
    vegan buffalo cauliflower wings with dairy-free ranch dressing dip in a bowl

    What ingredients are in cauliflower buffalo wings?

    • Cauliflower. We can’t make cauliflower wings without cauliflower, right? Not only is it a healthy alternative to chicken, but it’s also packed with nutrition. There are several benefits of eating cauliflower including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.
    • Flour. We’ll use either traditional or gluten-free all-purpose flour for the batter. The choice is yours!
    • Almond milk. Almond milk and flour create the crispy cauliflower wing coating. If you have a nut allergy, feel free to use soy milk instead.
    • Buffalo sauce. Time to put your favorite buffalo sauce to use! I recommend Frank’s Red Hot sauce. It’s undeniably delicious and pairs perfectly with the baked cauliflower.
    • Vegan butter. Just a couple tablespoons of vegan butter is added to the buffalo sauce to get that authentic, buttery, “wing” flavor.
    • Spices and seasoning. Specifically, we’ll use garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
    flour, hot sauce, vegan butter, garlic, salt, and smoked paprika inside white bowls

    How to make vegan buffalo cauliflower wings

    For the full recipe, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

    Begin by preheating the oven to 450 degrees F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Also, chop the cauliflower head into small florets.

    Next, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together. Then, add almond milk and whisk together once more.

    mixing flour, spices, and almond milk together in a glass bowl

    Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, ensuring it is evenly coated. Tap off any excess batter and place cauliflower onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all cauliflower is used. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

    Meanwhile, microwave the vegan butter for 15-25 seconds to melt. Mix melted vegan butter with buffalo sauce.

    Transfer baked cauliflower into a bowl. Toss baked cauliflower in the buffalo sauce; be sure to evenly coat each wing. Transfer cauliflower back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Serve the baked cauliflower buffalo wings alongside ranch dressing, celery stalks, and carrots.

    preparing cauliflower wings by dipping them into batter, placing them on a baking sheet, and pouring hot sauce over them
    a hand holding a vegan cauliflower buffalo wing

    Kaylie’s tips

    • If you are following a gluten-free diet, be sure to use gluten-free flour rather than traditional all-purpose flour. The recipe works well either way!
    • These vegetarian wings are delicious all on their own, but you can also serve them with ranch dressing dip, celery stalks, and sliced carrots. Additionally, you can add these vegan buffalo cauliflower wings to pizza, tacos, sandwiches, and salads!
    • Got leftovers? Store leftovers in the refrigerator. To reheat, bake them at 425 degrees F for 5-8 minutes.
    a hand dipping a vegan buffalo cauliflower wing into a bowl of ranch dressing

    More vegan comfort food recipes:

    • Vegan Mac and Cheese
    • Vegan Chili Cheese Fries
    • Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas
    • Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Sweet Potato Black Bean Taquitos
    • Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
    • Orange Tofu
    • Vegan Peanut Noodles

    If you try these Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

    Print
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    vegan buffalo cauliflower wings with dairy-free ranch dressing dip in a bowl

    Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

    ★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
    • Author: purelykaylie
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
    • Category: Appetizer
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    The BEST vegan buffalo cauliflower wings! They are crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside. The soft and tender cauliflower “wings” are baked to perfection then coated in spicy buffalo sauce. It’s a secretly healthy appetizer, snack, and party food that everyone will love!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 large head cauliflower
    • 1 cup flour (all-purpose or GF all-purpose)
    • 1 cup almond milk
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • ½ tsp smoked paprika
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¾ cup buffalo sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)
    • 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted*

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. Cut cauliflower head into small florets, removing the stem and leaves.
    3. Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together. Add almond milk and whisk together once more.
    4. Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, ensuring it is evenly coated. Tap off any excess batter and transfer cauliflower to the baking sheet. Repeat until all cauliflower is used.
    5. Bake cauliflower wings for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
    6. Combine melted butter and buffalo sauce in a large bowl. Toss baked cauliflower wings in the buffalo sauce. Be sure each wing is fully submerged and evenly coated.
    7. Transfer wings back to the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
    8. Remove cauliflower wings from the oven and serve with ranch dressing dip, celery, and carrots.

    Notes

    *To melt vegan butter, microwave it for 15-20 seconds.


    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving (¼ recipe)
    • Calories: 229
    • Sugar: 3g
    • Fat: 7g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.5g
    • Carbohydrates: 34g
    • Fiber: 7g
    • Protein: 6g

    Keywords: vegan buffalo cauliflower wings, buffalo cauliflower recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @purelykaylie on Instagram and hashtag it #purelykaylie

    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use, trust, and love!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Jen

      January 02, 2022 at 10:59 am

      My favorite vegan wings! I flip the wings at about 15 minutes then cook the extra 5 while I get sauce ready. The breading seems to stay on better that way. I’ve also used several types of flour without issue. I’ve been pairing with a homemade ranch recipe I found on another site. Delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        January 03, 2022 at 3:34 pm

        Thank you, Jen! I am so glad you love these cauliflower wings 🙂

        Reply
    2. Hillary

      May 12, 2021 at 11:24 am

      If I’m not on a solely vegan diet, can I use regular 2% milk or will this affect the batter?

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        May 12, 2021 at 6:59 pm

        Hi, Hillary! I have not tried this recipe with dairy milk. However, I would recommend using low-fat/skim milk for the best results. Plant-based milk is lower in fat than dairy milk, so using a low-fat variety will be better suited!

        Reply
    3. McKenzie

      March 31, 2021 at 7:43 am

      Could I substitute the flour with almond flour?

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        April 01, 2021 at 7:59 pm

        Hey, McKenzie! I have not tried this recipe with almond flour. Almond flour has a higher moisture level than all-purpose flour, so I’m not sure how it would turn out.

        Reply
    4. Trisha Day

      March 22, 2021 at 5:11 pm

      Hi. I made these tonight for dinner, and they were really good! I did some in buffalo, but my husband also made a homemade honey based sauce (like honey, hot sauce, Sriracha, and seasonings). I have to say the honey version was even better due to the honey carmelizing on the outside. Mmmmm. Thank you for the recipe! It’s a win!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        March 22, 2021 at 6:49 pm

        Thank you, Trisha! I’m thrilled to hear you both enjoyed these cauliflower wings 🙂 Great idea adding honey for a honey-based sauce. Sounds delicious!

        Reply
    5. Ian

      February 07, 2021 at 3:31 pm

      Great recipe! I used Hungarian hot paprika instead of smoked and my mouth is on fire.

      Yummy!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        February 07, 2021 at 8:06 pm

        Thanks, Ian! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Melissa-Ann LaPlante

      October 15, 2020 at 2:11 pm

      Looks delicious! Have you tried making these in an air fryer? Do you think they’d turn out well with whole wheat flour instead?

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        October 15, 2020 at 9:22 pm

        Hi, Melissa! Thank you! I have not tried it in an air fryer myself, but other readers have reported success with that method 🙂 I don’t recommend whole wheat flour for this recipe.

        Reply
    7. Charlotte

      October 11, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      These were really easy to make and super tasty! I should have let them bake for 20 mins for each step for a little extra crisp…but regardless they were really delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        October 12, 2020 at 12:04 pm

        Thank you, Charlotte! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed them 🙂

        Reply

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