This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Spicy vegan buffalo cauliflower wings are the perfect appetizer bites for gameday and special holidays.
The first time I made buffalo cauliflower wings for my husband, he said, "Wow, I could totally eat these instead of chicken." Proof that as long as vegan food is delicious and flavorful, we don't need meat!
My favorite part is that these cauliflower bites are super easy to make. I don't have the patience to dredge each individual piece of cauliflower, so I wanted to see how it would work if I just tossed the cauliflower right in the bowl with the batter. The verdict: It's 5x as fast and works just as well.
I love when delicious food is also simple!
Ingredients
The full, detailed recipe with instructions and ingredient measurements is in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower: This recipe calls for 1 head of cauliflower, but you can easily double the recipe. We're going to cut the cauliflower into florets/bite-sized pieces.
- Buffalo sauce: It's super easy to make your own homemade vegan buffalo sauce. For storebought: Frank's RedHot has a buffalo wings sauce that happens to be vegan, too!
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour.
- Vegan milk: Any unsweetened, original flavor. I like oat milk.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and salt to add flavor to the batter. No bland cauliflower bites here.
Serve with homemade vegan ranch dip.
Adaptations and Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Use 1-to-1 GF flour in place of the all-purpose flour. You can also skip the batter altogether and roast the cauliflower with the seasonings.
- Oil-free: Buffalo sauce usually has oil or butter in it. See my vegan buffalo sauce recipe post for an oil-free version using cashews in the substitutions section.
- BBQ flavor: Try this recipe for BBQ cauliflower wings!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
This recipe is best fresh, but if you happen to have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, bake at 450°F for about 10 minutes, or until heated through and crispy again.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a comment and a ⭐ star review below!
More vegan appetizers to try:
- Vegan Spinach Dip
- Buffalo No-Chicken Dip
- Impossible Meatballs
- Vegan Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dip
- Vegan Queso
Recipe
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegan milk unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup hot sauce
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking pan with parchment (I use two 9x13 baking pans or one 15x21 pan.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, vegan milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, and black pepper until smooth.
- Toss the cauliflower in the batter until well coated.
- Place the cauliflower on the baking pan in a single layer.
- Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, prep the buffalo sauce. In a small saucepan, add the butter, hot sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Heat on medium-low until it just comes to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- Brush each cauliflower bite with the sauce. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Serve with vegan ranch and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes about 25-35 cauliflower wings (this depends on the size of the florets and the cauliflower head.) I typically grab a medium-sized cauliflower.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
Melissa says
Could this be done in an air fryer?