These spicy vegan buffalo cauliflower wings are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Can be deep fried or air fryer to perfection for a great vegan appetizer or dinner idea!
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If you went vegan and you miss buffalo chicken, then these vegan buffalo cauliflower wings come shockingly close to the real thing.
When cauliflower is cooked, it gets soft and tender, but when you add the breading, it’s crispy and delicious.
Double batter it for even more of a crunch that is to die for.
This is a great appetizer if you are having friends over, but it’s also a great dinner option. Pair with some fries or a salad, maybe some rice or with some ramen. The possibilities are endless.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?
This dish is best served fresh out of the skillet. It only takes 30 minutes so it’s not a long process.
However, we also know that time is of the essence.
You could warm this up the next day, but after that it gets a bit soggy and we really don’t recommend it unless you have an air fryer to heat it back up to get crispy again.
If you are trying to prep ahead, we would recommend that you make the sauce and place in an air tight container.
You can also prep the cauliflower by cutting it into small bites.
Then, when you are ready to eat, you just have the cooking portion left.
CAN I MAKE THIS TOP 8 ALLERGEN FREE?
This recipe has coconut cream and vegan butter.
Vegan butter usually contains soy, so we recommend getting a soy free vegan butter. Our favorite is Earth Balance soy free. It comes in a red tub.
As far as the coconut cream, we would recommend that you use a plain vegan yogurt that is safe for your allergens.
Could I make this recipe with other main ingredients?
Absolutely. Some things you can alternatively try are:
- tofu
- mushrooms
- seitan
For the mushrooms, we’d recommend using like an oyster mushroom as those hold up well to battering.
WHAT DO I EAT WITH VEGAN BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER WINGS?
This can be an appetizer or the main component of your dinner.
We recommend serving with fries or onion rings or even as a side to your favorite homemade vegan pizza.
If you are looking for a healthier alternative for a side, try rice or quinoa. You could also serve with just a side of steamed vegetables or salad, noodles, or lo mein.
Pin these vegan buffalo cauliflower wings for later:
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Spicy Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- ¾ cup cornstarch (can sub for arrowroot powder)
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add 1 teaspoon for even spicier)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup coconut cream (the thick part of canned coconut milk that rises to the top of chilled cans)
- 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce (add 2 tablespoon for even spicier)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
Sweet Buffalo Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup buffalo sauce, for tossing after cooked
- ¼ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Alternative Dipping Sauce
Instructions
- Rinse cauliflower and dry very well. Cut into florets.
- In a bowl, mix the cornstarch, cornmeal, smoked paprika, garlic powder, caynne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
- In another bowl mix the coconut cream, 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce and liquid smoke until combined.
- Add the cauliflower to the wet mixture and stir to coat everything evenly. Next, add your dry mix across the cauliflower in the bowl and stir again to get everything coated.
- To Fry: Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the cauliflower in batches for 4-5 minutes or until golden and crisp on all sides. Remove and drain on a wire rack with paper towels underneath.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the sweet buffalo dipping sauce and toss after cooled for a few minutes or just use as a dip on the side.
- Alternative cooking: After coating, air fryer in batches for 7-10 minutes or until crispy on all sides.
- To Make Extra Crispy: Coat in the wet batter and dry batter as directed. Then repeat a second time. Don't double just repeat, wet, dry, wet, dry. Then cook as directed.
My husband and I loved this recipe! We used smaller florets because we were recreating a buffalo cauliflower po’boy that we had at a restaurant, rather than the wing size. I used the air fryer and was surprised at how crispy it still got. I did blanch the cauliflower first, like the other wing recipes on the site. Breading was good on its own, but definitely next level with the buffalo sauce. We will def be making again!
So glad you both enjoyed it Shelly!
😋😋😋
HAHA, thanks!
Made the Buffalo Cauliflower to watch with 🦶🏼 🏈 and it was amazing 🤩. Thanks for all you do to help us weekend cooks, appreciate you immensely!
You’re so welcome!
This recipe is so good! The wet batter really sticks to the cauliflower and helps the dry stick as well. Once fried it stayed on and made a great crunch, delicious flavor!
So glad that you enjoyed it
These wings came out so amazing. I actually doubled the spices By adding the same measurements to the breading too along with more cornmeal to the breading. We dipped ours in bbq sauce as we ate them instead of coating them to keep them crispy. My husband loved them!!! They were perfectly crispy and delicious. We will make them over and over.
Happy to hear that it was a hit!