These crispy Cauliflower Wings are tossed in buffalo sauce and served with an easy vegan ranch dipping sauce. They’re the ultimate game day snack you won’t be able to resist!
Treat yourself to more addictive cauliflower wings, like these BBQ Cauliflower Wings, Bang Bang Cauliflower, Sticky Sesame Cauliflower, and Orange Cauliflower.
Whether you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or an exciting dinner, Cauliflower Wings are the right choice! Cauliflower florets are breaded and baked until crispy, then tossed in spicy buffalo sauce and served with vegan ranch dressing on the side. They go fast, so plan on making extras if you want a plate all to yourself!
Why I love these buffalo cauliflower wings
- Tender, meaty, and crunchy: Vegan cauliflower wings aren’t pretending to be chicken but their meaty texture and addictive flavor make them irresistible!
- Baked, not fried: Baking is a hands-off method that yields crispy-on-the-outside, meaty-on-the-inside wings every time. No messy or heavy deep fryer oil needed. If you want to make deep fried cauliflower wings, try this recipe: Buffalo Fried Cauliflower.
- A snack you’ll look forward to: Buffalo cauliflower wings are completely delicious. Snack on them with the easy vegan ranch dip during the big game, add them to Buddha bowls for a punch of spice, or enjoy them as a fun topping on mac and cheese.
How to make cauliflower wings
Whisk the water, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Place the cauliflower florets in the bowl and toss to coat.
One by one, tap the excess batter off of the florets and lay them on a baking sheet.
Spray the tops with cooking spray so they get super crispy.
Pro tip: Leave about 1 inch of space in between each cauliflower wing on the baking tray. This prevents them from getting stuck together and encourages the breading to crisp up.
To make the vegan buffalo sauce, melt the vegan butter in a saucepan, then stir in the hot sauce and maple syrup/agave. Set it aside until the cauliflower is done baking.
Bake the cauliflower for 20 minutes, then flip the pieces. Continue baking until the breading is golden.
Toss the vegan cauliflower bites in the buffalo sauce, then return them to the baking sheet.
You can either bake the buffalo sauce-coated wings once more to make them crispy or serve them right away with vegan ranch dressing on the side.
Cauliflower Wings Variations
- Extra crunchy wings – After tossing them in the batter, roll the florets in 1 ½ cups of panko breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs add a light and airy crunch to the otherwise tender and flavor-packed bites. Also, consider leaving the buffalo sauce on the side for dipping. The less sauce that’s on the breaded cauliflower, the crispier they’ll become.
- Instead of buffalo sauce – Toss the florets in another wing sauce you like, such as teriyaki, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, bang bang sauce, or sesame sauce.
- Gluten free – Make the breading with gluten free all purpose flour or almond flour instead.
- Frozen cauliflower – You can use frozen cauliflower florets but make sure they’re thawed completely before tossing them in the batter. Also, pat them dry with paper towels after thawing to help the batter stick.
- Serve with a spread of dipping sauces – You can serve the baked cauliflower bites with the simple vegan ranch dipping sauce included in the recipe card or this cashew based Vegan Ranch, as well as my Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing, Barbecue Sauce, and Chipotle Sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Classic buffalo chicken wing sauce is not vegan-friendly because it’s made with butter. It is, however, easy to make vegan! All you need to do is substitute vegan butter for the regular butter.
Your mouth won’t be set on fire but the buffalo cauliflower wings do have a moderate amount of heat. Stirring melted vegan butter into the buffalo sauce does tone down the heat slightly, but if it’s still too spicy for you, leave the sauce on the side or swap it for any of the sauces I listed in the Variations.
Yes! After they’re battered, lay the florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 350ºF for 15 to 25 minutes. Toss them in the hot sauce before serving.
Air frying does yield crispy cauliflower wings but it takes longer because you need to cook them in batches to avoid overcrowding. If the wings are touching each other, they’ll turn out soggy.
Creamy dipping sauce and cut vegetables are a must. For the best experience, serve the wings with the simple vegan ranch in the recipe card, my Cashew Ranch Dressing, or Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing, as well as celery and carrot sticks on the side. These all do a great job of toning down the spicy kick of the buffalo sauce.
Want to make it a meal? Serve the wings with vegan pizza, Caesar salad, or burgers as a fun side dish for family dinners, or pair them with vegan jalapeno poppers and vegan chili on game day.
The bites are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, but you could store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat leftovers in the oven or, better yet, an air fryer until crispy, about 10 minutes.
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 5 cups)
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or agave
Easy Vegan Ranch
- 1 cup vegan mayo
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- tiny pinch of paprika
- tiny pinch of black pepper
- salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk, or even water, to thin as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray generously with oil.
- Wash and cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, add water, flour, garlic and onion powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the cauliflower to the batter in the bowl, and toss to combine and really coat the cauliflower. Remove the pieces of cauliflower, one by one, and tap off the excess batter a few times on the side of the bowl.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other, or they will all get stuck together as they bake. Spray the tops with oil, this will help them get super crispy.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Flip them over and bake for 15 more minutes, until golden and crispy.
- While the cauliflower are baking, prepare the hot sauce/butter mixture. Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Once melted, add the hot sauce, maple syrup or agave and stir. Set aside.
- Once the cauliflower have cooked and are crispy, toss the florets with the sauce in a large bowl, then return to the pan. You can serve them immediately, or to make them crispier, put them back in the oven for 15-20 minutes. If you want them super crispy, leave the buffalo sauce on the side for dipping as you go.
- Serve with easy vegan ranch (recipe included), my cashew based vegan ranch or vegan blue cheese.
For the Easy Vegan Ranch
- Add all the ranch ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Taste and add salt, if desired, or more herbs. That's it! Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- I find all purpose flour yields the best flavor and texture here, but it also works with almond flour, white whole wheat flour or a gluten free all purpose flour.
- Gluten free: Use a gluten free flour or almond flour, and skip the breadcrumbs.
- Oil free: Skip the vegan butter and don’t spray with oil.
- Breadcrumbs: To make them extra-crispy, roll the cauliflower in panko breadcrumbs (you will need about 1 1/2 cups) once they are coated in the flour/milk mixture. Then bake per the instructions.
- Frozen cauliflower: Fresh is better, but frozen will work. Make sure to thaw and then pat dry before using.
The best!
Thank you for your great feedback!
I realize I don’t have panko to roll the Buffalo Wings in for that “crispy/crunch” that I really want. Can I leave them in the sauce overnight?
If you don’t have any breadcrumbs at home, you can toast some bread and pulse it into crumbs. Instead of leaving them in the sauce, I recommend preparing the cauliflower and breading, then storing them separately in the fridge overnight.
Perhaps crushed corn flakes?
I have not used corn flakes with this recipe, however, I bet it would work! Let me know how it goes for you if you try it!
This recipe is so good!!! I use it every time and I’ve even had some non-vegan friends love these!! I do have a question though, I had some left over batter and was wondering how long the batter is good for?
Those were by far the best I have tried! So crunchy on the outside, and tender on the inside. I used a Creamy Sriracha sauce to dip. Yummm!
Thank you for sharing your positive feedback! I’m so glad you loved the cauliflower!
Hi thank you for the beautiful recipe, I’m just wondering, is Franks Red Hot Sauce very high in sodium? I’ve seen it included in a lot of WFPB or vegan recipes and I see your recipe uses a cup of it, but have been confused about how it’s a heathful addition considering the inkling I have that it’s exponentially salty?
I’m not always sure about following none UK recipes as sometimes I don’t manage to convert the quantities correctly or we don’t have the same ingredients.This was really easy and both me and my meat eating hubby loved them. Will definitely be looking at what else we can try. Thank you!
Hi Sarah! I’m so glad you guys loved the cauliflower! Welcome to my site, and I hope you enjoy your journey through my recipes! Let me know if you have questions. Thank you for sharing your great review and comments! Happy cooking!
I love love love this recipe, easy and crispy! ?
I had a question, would I be able to prep this and leave it out for a few hours before placing it on the over ??
I would refrigerate the cauliflower rather than leaving it out, just for food safety reasons. Glad you enjoy it!
I never feel inclined to leave a recipe review….BUT this is just too good and very easy! Such a tasty, satisfying, and healthy recipe. I decided to just dip my baked bites in the buffalo after baking to keep the crispiness. I also did not use bread crumbs and the bites still turned out crispy. SO GOOD! Thank you!
I am thrilled that you loved the recipe! Thank you so much for taking your time to share your wonderful review and comments!
Best Cauliflower Wings ever !!
This is AMAZING!!
The ranch dressing I added a little parsley, a pinch of basil, and a pinch of sugar.
I’m so glad you loved the cauliflower! Thank you very much for sharing your review!
This is my second review of these. I wanted to comment again to say that I now make these regularly and freeze them as you would nuggets – bake and freeze on a cookie sheet, then transfer to a baggie or container.
When ready to eat, I pull out enough for a serving and reheat from frozen in my air fryer or oven. I add the sauce after they’re warmed back up.
They stay crispy, and the interior actually tastes better to me like this. Thanks again for sharing this recipe!
And I forgot to mention that they’re also tasty with BBQ sauce or orange sauce – any sauce you might typically serve with chicken nuggets. Yum!
Thanks for sharing your review and great ideas! I’m glad you are loving the buffalo cauliflower!
Yummy! I am trying to eat more plant based. I would make these again and serve on a bed of rice. Good and simple! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the buffalo cauliflower! Thank you for sharing your comments!
This buffalo cauliflower recipe was stellar. I was a little worried about the loose batter, but combined with a roll in the Panko, a breeze of olive oil spray and a hot oven, these were DELICIOUS. Then we tossed the finished florets in hot sauce and served with a fresh salad and dipped them in ranch dressing. Mmmmm. Mmmm. Mmmm. We will be making this again. Soon. Thanks Nora!
Your buffalo cauliflower sounds delicious, Stacey! Thank you for taking time to share your mouthwatering review! I’m glad you love the cauliflower, and happy cooking!
This recipe looks amazing! I’m not huge on spiciness – is there anything I can maybe sub for the franks hot sauce for the batter?
These are pretty dang spicy because of the buffalo sauce. You might enjoy my bbq cauliflower wings instead! Or just leave these ones plain and dip in a tiny bit of buffalo sauce as you eat them.
Had to dock a star because it involves a potentially non-vegan ingredient. Double check your panko/breading to make sure it’s vegan and doesn’t contain any dried milk or other dairy.
These are incredible. I’ve now shared this recipe with 3 different families and they all love this recipe! My partner and I make this recipe at least once a month – it is amazing.
Thank you for all these vegan recipes.
Hi Samuel. I appreciate you taking your time to share you comments! Also, thank you for using my recipes, and for sharing them with others! I’m glad you are loving the buffalo cauliflower!
This recipe is amazing!! It 100% taste like chicken it blows my mind!! I made them in the air fryer set at 400 for about 20-25 minutes and they turned out great!! Instead of making my own sauce, I used a jar of buffalo wings sauce from my favorite restaurant!
I’m thrilled the cauliflower turned out delicious for you, Jessie! Thank you for sharing your comments!
OMG, soooooooo good! Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Marnie!
Theses were absolutely delicious! Yumm yumm
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Jan!
Really good, will be making a lot more times
Thank you, Katherine! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Absolutely delicious! I think the cauliflower was a little overcooked but I put that down to me cutting them pieces too small. 100% recommend
Hi Kate. I’m glad you liked the recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Amazing! I’ve tried a few buffalo cauliflower recipes and all were soggy. This is a fantastic, perfectly crunchy version that I’ll make again and again! We dipped ours in the sauce, since we wanted to keep the crunchy aspect.
Hi Nikki. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cauliflower! Thank you for sharing!
I thought it was good. I’m not someone who eats cauliflower. However I will make this again.
Hi Cheryl. Thank you!
I am trying to eat “more vegan” and I love buffalo sauce on anything, so thought these would be worth a try. I was skeptical, but they are very tasty! I will definitely make these again. I followed the recipe exactly, including the reheating tips, and won’t change a thing – except I would say that the panko crumbs are NOT optional. They are essential!
Hi Kelley. I’m glad you loved the cauliflower! Thank you!
I’m thinking I will try this, but mix some Frank’s in place of some of the water, directly into the batter. Have you ever tried this?
I haven’t tried it, but it would probably add to the spiciness. Go for it!
I made these last night because my DH asked if I could try making some after recently having some at a restaurant (we are new to this lifestyle). I completely forgot about the maple syrup and butter but they were still awesome and I plan to make them as an appetizer for a small upcoming Christmas gathering where everyone but my hubby and I are omnivores because I know they will be a hit! I also made your vegan ranch and that was the bomb! TY!!
You’re welcome!