Soft and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, these Baked Cauliflower Wings are so close to the real deal it’s hard to believe!

caulfilower buffalo wings (15 of 17)

This recipe is a great substitution for buffalo wings and can be made gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian. Dip in ranch or blue cheese for even more added flavor.

They are baked to make them a little healthier and easier on the waist-line. I haven’t tried frying these yet, but when I do I will update this post.

Now the key to make these wings crispy on the outside is by dipping them in a flour/water batter. I’ve also added some spices to the batter to give the wings extra flavor!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Healthier Alternative: The cauliflower wings are baked instead of fried, making them a healthier option with a lower calorie count.
  • Saucy Goodness: The buffalo sauce adds a spicy and tangy kick to the cauliflower wings. The drizzling of the sauce midway through the baking process and the final toss in the sauce ensures that each piece is evenly coated with the delicious buffalo flavor.
  • Vegan-Friendly Option: The batter can be easily adapted to a vegan version by using water, almond milk, or soy milk, making it perfect to those who follow a plant-based diet.
  • Simple Preparation: The recipe involves straightforward steps, from whisking the batter to coating the cauliflower and baking.
caulfilower buffalo wings (13 of 17)

Ingredients Needed

caulfilower buffalo wings (6 of 17)
  • Cauliflower: Provides the main vegetable base for the “wings,” offering a hearty and versatile substitute for traditional wings.
  • Water: Used in the batter and buffalo sauce, contributes to the consistency of the batter and helps create the buffalo sauce.
  • Milk (or alternative like almond or soy milk): Forms part of the batter; for a vegan version, choose a plant-based milk.
  • All-Purpose Flour (or gluten-free rice flour): Essential for the batter, creating a coating that crisps up during baking.
  • Spice up the batter with Garlic Powder, Cumin, Paprika, Salt, and Ground Pepper.
  • Frank’s Red Hot Sauce: The key ingredient for the buffalo sauce, providing the classic tangy and spicy flavor.
  • Butter (or vegan substitute like Earth Balance Buttery Spread): Used in the buffalo sauce for richness and flavor; choose a vegan option for a plant-based recipe.

How to make Baked Cauliflower Wings

This batter can be easily made vegan by using water or almond or soy milk instead. Whisk the flour, spices, milk, and water until little to no lumps appear. 

caulfilower buffalo wings (1 of 17)

First, dip the cauliflower into the batter, in batches.

caulfilower buffalo wings (3 of 17)

Be sure to drain as much batter as possible off the cauliflower before placing on the pan. I poured my entire batch in at once and all the extra batter stuck together while baking.

caulfilower buffalo wings (4 of 17)

After the cauliflower is fully coated, place it on a greased sheet pan.

caulfilower buffalo wings (8 of 17)

After the cauliflower has cooked for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven.

caulfilower buffalo wings (9 of 17)

Then, drizzle buffalo sauce on your baked cauliflower wings and return them to the oven.

caulfilower buffalo wings (10 of 17)

Last, bake the cauliflower wings for another 20 minutes or until they are crispy. 

caulfilower buffalo wings (11 of 17)

Expert Tips

  • Shake off excess batter from the cauliflower for a balanced coating.
  • Taste the buffalo sauce and adjust the spice level to your liking before tossing with the cauliflower.
  • If going vegan, choose plant-based milk and butter substitutes for the batter and sauce.
  • Line your baking pan with parchment paper or grease well to prevent sticking and simplify cleanup.

Storage Tips

Refrigeration: Store any leftover baked cauliflower wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can typically last for 2-3 days.

Reheating: To reheat, use an oven or toaster oven to help maintain the crispiness. Avoid using the microwave, as it may make the wings soggy.

Freezing: While cauliflower wings are best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze them for longer storage. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet until frozen, then transfer to a freezer bag.

Reheat from frozen in the oven, allowing a bit more time than the original baking.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve these baked cauliflower wings as a gameday appetizer!

They are perfectly paired with cool ranch and blue cheese dressing.

Recipe FAQs

What are vegan cauliflower wings?

Vegan cauliflower wings are a plant-based alternative to traditional chicken wings. Instead of using chicken, cauliflower florets are coated in a vegan batter, baked or fried until crispy, and then tossed in a flavorful sauce, often inspired by classic buffalo wing sauce. The result is a dish that mimics the texture and flavor of traditional wings but is entirely plant-based.

Can I use frozen cauliflower for this recipe?

I do not recommend using frozen cauliflower for this recipe. Fresh cauliflower will ensure that the wings don’t get soggy and will give you more control over the size.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

It’s best to make the batter just before coating the cauliflower to maintain its consistency. If prepared ahead, give it a quick stir before using.

Looking for more healthy appetizers?

4.28 from 132 votes

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower wings

By: Layla
Soft and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, these Baked Cauliflower Wings are so close to the real deal it's hard to believe!
Prep10 minutes
Cook30 minutes
Total40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 head of cauliflower, approx. 4 cups of florets
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk, for vegan: use water or almond or soy milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, can sub gluten-free rice flour
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 cup Frank’s red hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp butter, for vegan: use earth balance buttery spread

Instructions 

  • Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or grease very well with oil. Preheat your oven to 400-425 F depending on your oven.

  • Wash and cut cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces/florets.

  • Mix the milk/water/flour and spices in a medium mixing bowl (set aside the hot sauce and butter for later). Mix until the batter is thick and is able to coat the cauliflower without dripping.
  • Dip the cauliflower in the batter. You can do this one by one or in batches. shake off excess batter before placing cauliflower on the baking sheet. Lay the cauliflower single layer on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown, flipping the florets over halfway through to get all sides golden brown and crispy.

  • While the cauliflower is baking, get your buffalo wing sauce ready. In a small saucepan low heat, melt butter and mix in hot sauce. Remove from the heat just as it starts to melt. Stir together and set aside.

  • Once the cauliflower is done its first bake in the batter, remove them from the oven and put all the baked florets into a mixing bowl with the wing sauce and toss to coat evenly. Return cauliflower to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until reached desired crispness. Serve with ranch, blue cheese, or your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
  • Reheat leftovers in an oven or toaster oven to help maintain crispiness. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (1/4th the recipe), Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 739mg, Potassium: 522mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 137IU, Vitamin C: 69mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked cauliflower wings
like this recipe? Rate & Comment below!
BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER WINGS
caulfilower buffalo wings (12 of 17)


You May Also Like

Rate + Review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 512 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video, document, spreadsheet, interactive, text, archive, code, other. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here

229 Comments

  1. Just made this! Cut the hot sauce back and added a wee bit of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Steamed cauliflower a bit before hand. That way I just used 350 temp in oven for 20 min. Perfect!

  2. These were delicious! But I didn’t follow through with the last step of cooking.. after I tossed these in Buffalo sauce, they were ready to eat. The very little that I had leftover, I made into a “buffalo cauliflower wrap” with vegan ranch, daiya and veggies! Yum!

  3. Looks great! I will make them tomorrow.

    I’d like to know why you use garlic powder instead of garlic. Is there a technical reason? Will pressed garlic burn?

    1. Hi Ira-garlic powder and onion powder have a specific flavor that replicates the flavor in the hot sauce. (This is a common ingredient in Cajun cooking.) You can certainly use fresh but it will not be the same.

  4. I followed this recipe to a T and it was perfect! The cauliflower was crunchy, there was a great level of spice to it. I think mine got a little overdone at 425, so I’ll probably cut the time down next time. 👍🏼

    1. 2 times of 20-25 minutes at 400 or higher does seem extreme for cooking cauliflower. If anyone has trial and error’d and found a safe amount of time and temperature, I’d love to hear it. I’ll try doing 20 minutes at 400, then ~15 for the second round, and see how that goes.

      1. I do 12 minutes and then I turn the cauliflower and do 12 more minutes. Then I toss them in the sauce and bake for five more minutes at 450

  5. Just tried this recipe and my family and I loved them!!! We did half buffalo and the other half honey barbecue and both came out delicious! I’m not a huge fan of cauliflower but I will definitely make this again!! Thanks for the recipe 😊

    1. How did you make Honey-barbecue?
      Will make these tonight and rate them.
      Any healthier sauce suggestions instead of blue cheese.

  6. /Users/tdibari/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/resources/proxies/derivatives/41/00/41ad/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_41ad.jpg
    I made tacos with this recipe, its a keeper.

  7. I think the amts for the vegan butter and hot sauce are reversed. The first time I Kade them, they were inedible. ..WAY to spicy! I am trying again with much less hot sauce.

  8. The batter is not good. It comes right off the first time you flip them, then they are just regular naked baked cauliflower. Other recipes include corn starch to help the batter stick

  9. Nice recipe i just wish i would have drizzled the hot sauce on because now the cauliflower is not crunchy but soggy but not bad soggy and ommmmg its soo hot! But overall good recipe!

  10. The parchment paper I have only withstands temperatures up to 420 degrees (per the Caution on the box). I will try it at 420 and see how it works.

    I usually deep fry them but am trying to heat healthier, these sounds fantastic!

  11. I made this recipe and the batter came out brilliant, crispy but not to thin. used finely chopped garlic instead of the powder and everything went fine.

    However when it came to the sauce I made the error of using a different sauce instead of Franks, not knowing that franks is a rather mild sauce by hot sauce standards I added a cup of sauce that was about 25 times hotter than franks (10,000 scoville vs franks 400).

    Amazingly they were not only edible (with one hell of an after-burn) but also quite nice and well put together.
    Like an arsonist in a nice suit.

    1. My favorite comment ever read on the internet.

  12. I did the correct amount of time at somewhere between 425 and 450 degrees, however my cauliflower turned out soggy instead of crispy. Maybe the recipe calls for too much flour in the batter? Or just too much batter in general? I would try this again, the batter tasted great, however I would play with it next time to try to get it more crispy.

  13. So amazing. Pictures helped a ton! I made these gluten free and needed about 3x the water but I just added a little at a time until the batter matched your picture.

  14. This recipe was honestly awful. The batter was too thin. And after the first bake, they were pale and there was batter that pooled on the baking sheet even though I let it run off after dipping. Even though I sprayed the pan with nonstick spray, the cauliflower still stuck. The sauce separated in the oven in the second bake and they never got browned or crispy. The cauliflower was still sort of crunchy even after 45 minutes in the oven. Very disappointed with the outcome of this recipe.

    1. I believe by using oil instead of nonstick spray you might have achieved the crispiness you were looking for. Just a thought…

  15. I made these with chick pea flour, result! No Franks Hot Sauce here in Oz so used Ozganics Chilli Sauce, result! Very yummy.

    1. Harry, I buy Frank’s Red Hot Sauce regularly in Australia. It’s available at both Coles and Woolworths, and it’s delicious 🙂 That said, I haven’t tried this recipe yet, and your adaptation sounds great!

  16. Amazing!!! made these for my sisters birthday and they came out flavorful, crunchy and delicious! Used 3/4 cup franks buffalo sauce and 1/4 cup franks hot sauce. I cooked them for 30 min before sauce then another 20 with sauce.

  17. Love this recipe!! Sooo good! I can’t wait make them again!! Frank’s hot sauce is pretty hot though so I think I’ll adjust to 3/4 a cup!!

  18. Not usually one to comment, especially not on a recipe web site, since I loved this recipe; I feel like it would be an injustice not to share how awesome it is!

    Couple of tweaks I made:
    – I saw on the comments people said the batter was runny, so I added a little less than 1/2 of a cup
    – I saw another recipe on my phone, that added blue cheese crumbles – since I had it, I added it when mixing the sauce with the cauliflower.
    – I added an extra 5 minutes and only flipped once (half-way through), since people were saying it wasn’t crunchy on the outside.

    This recipe is spot-on! I’m usually a buffalo wing fanatic, and a meat fanatic. With this, I had a plate-full and a beer on the other hand, I didn’t miss anything!

  19. I made these for Superbowl Sunday. I’m the only vegan (or anything close) in my family so I didn’t expect to have to share once the words “vegan wings” escaped my lips, but surprisingly a lot of my family members tried them and really enjoyed them (even my vegan ranch!)… Good thing someone brought salad, or I would have gone hungry! I read the comments about the wings coming out soggy, but I’m not about that so I made a few changes:

    Firstly, I have a severe nut allergy and a sensitivity to soy so nut or soy milks are not an option for me. I subbed for rice milk from Trader Joe’s.

    Second, I wanted some crunchiness in the wings so I added 1 teaspoon of corn starch to the dry mix before adding the water & milk. I intentionally made the batter really thick by using 1 cup of flour.
    I just dumped all my califlower into it and mixed it in. It worked out perfectly – all my califlower got an even coat.
    The biggest tip to getting crunchy anything in the oven is making sure nothing touches, so all the califlower was spaced out evenly on my parchment paper.

    My oven cooks hot so I baked at 425° F for 10 minutes on the first side, flipped them and did 15 minutes on the second side. Took them out and put them into the bowl of 3/4 cup of hot sauce mixed with Smart Balance margarine (I used a mixture of a few different kinds of hot sauces I had at home b/c we didn’t have Franks).

    Instead of baking them for the last 20 minutes or so, I decided to broil them on low for about 15 minutes – I did 7-8 minutes on each side. I mostly just went by sight and judgment of color on this last part.

    They are not crispy like something fried, but they do have that crunch on the outside and they are totally delicious. I was asked to make them again for one of my cousin’s birthdays coming up! #ScoreOneForTheCrazyVeganGirl

  20. Has anyone tried making these in an air fryer? Curious how they would turn out. Could be nice and crunchy.

  21. Soggy but flavorful. Most of the baked on batter fell off once I tossed the hot sauce onto them. I’m glad I tried them but I won’t be making this recipe again.