I have been in search for a good buffalo wing for awhile now. Being gluten free can make it a little more tricky. I have learned to love cauliflower for its versatility and awesome blank canvas. I’ve had decent buffalo wings at restaurants but I could never get them right at home, until now. I have finally mastered my batter to make the perfect vegan buffalo cauliflower wings. You can make these both in the oven or in the air fryer. An added bonus is finally finding a good ranch recipe to dip them in. Normally I hate ranch. But this version is a winner.
Tips For Making Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Cauliflower
Cut the florets to be around the same size to cook evenly.
Flip the head of cauliflower over. With a sharp knife cut around the core in a square. Cut diagonally through the core and pull off leaves. Then using your knife cut the florets off and cutting the large florets in half.
Batter
The version I make is gluten free so I use Bobs Gluten Free 1:1 All Purpose flour.
In 1 bowl add your plant based milk and garlic salt to it. Whisk until smooth. You want it to be thin enough that it will coat the cauliflower.
In another bowl add in the panko breadcrumbs. If gluten free try using Aleias or Ians.
Using 1 hand for each, coat the cauliflower in the wet batter. Then transfer it to the panko and with your other hand coat it in the breadcrumbs.
Cooking
Oven – Preheat oven to 425. Use a large sheet pan and cover the bottom with aluminum foil. If you have a wire rack place that on top of the aluminum foil.
Spray the wire rack and place the florets on top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. When they are done remove them, dip them in the buffalo sauce and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Air Fryer- You can also use the air fryer if you want. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 in the air fryer, take out coat and put back in for another 5 minutes.
Sauce
I like using franks traditional hot buffalo sauce. Buffalo sauce is a cayenne based vinegar hot sauce that pairs with butter. In this case to make it vegan use a plant based butter. I like Earth Balance or Miyokos. Melt the butter and add in the buffalo sauce. Mix it together and hold it at low heat so it will coat the florets evenly. When it is time one by one add the florets to the sauce, coat it and remove it adding back to the pan.
Dressing
I love this vegan ranch dressing because it uses tofu which gives it some added protein. Try using the soft or silken tofu if you can because it creams better. If you cannot find it you can still use regular tofu, it will just have to blend longer.
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
If you have a soy allergy you can substitute it for soaked cashews. Use about 1 cup soaked cashews and double that plant based milk to 1 cup.
Freeze
You can freeze these ahead of time for later if you want. Coat them and then freeze them on a sheet pan. Do not cook these before hand. Once the are frozen you can add them to a zip lock bag. When you want them you can cook them the same way you would fresh in the oven or air fryer.
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
Wings
- 1 Head Cauliflower Cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 ½ Cups Plant Based Milk
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour For Gluten Free use Bobs 1 to1
- 1 1/2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 Tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 1/2 Cup Buffalo Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Butter Melted
Vegan Ranch
- 14 Oz Package Soft or Silken Tofu
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 Tsp Dill
- ½ Tsp Salt and Pepper
- ½ Tsp Dry Mustard
- 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Vinegar Preferred Apple Cider
- ¼ Cup Plant Based Milk or Water
Instructions
Buffalo Wings
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl add the milk, flour, and garlic salt, whisking until smooth.
- Add cauliflower to the flour mixture and mix till fully coated.
- Place the cauliflower on a lined baking sheet with cooking spray and bake for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the buffalo sauce and the melted butter in a small bowl.
- Carefully remove the hot cauliflower from the oven and dip the florets into the buffalo sauce until coated.
- Return the cauliflower to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve with dipping sauce.
Vegan Ranch
- Add all the ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth
- Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.