Last Updated on February 10, 2021 by Bianka
Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings: healthy, spicy & extra crispy! Want to make cauliflower taste insanely good? Make these! Whether you’re a meat lover or not, you’ll love these extra crispy cauliflower wings! Naturally Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free.
Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Hey loves. Happy Monday! Today I’m sharing with you these extra Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings!
These are perfect as an appetizer, snack or side & they’re ready in 45 minutes.
Why you’ll love these:
- They’re extra crispy!
- So so spicy.
- Healthy.
- You won’t even be able to tell you’re eating cauliflower lol.
- They’re easy to make!
- Ready in less than an hour.
- Naturally Vegan, Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free!
- You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy these (I’m not & these are *fire*).
Ingredients
You’ll find the full recipe + ingredients in the recipe card down below but this is what you’ll need:
- Cauliflower. Make sure you cut it into florets and soak the florets in cold water and vinegar or baking soda (1-2 tbsp is enough) to get rid of dirt and chemicals. I like to soak mine for about 5-6 minutes.
- Milk. I tested this recipe with soy and whole milk and both work great! If you plan on using plant-based milk, make sure it’s unsweetened of course 🙂 .
- Flour or glutinous rice flour. Tested with both, both work. All-purpose flour is fine if you’re not gluten-free (I’m not) but I personally prefer using glutinous rice flour when frying or oven-frying foods because it makes everything way more crispy and light. Love it. Glutinous rice flour is also known as sweet rice flour. Mochiko is pretty popular and you can easily get it on Amazon but you can also find other brands at your local Asian supermarket! It’s 100% gluten-free. PSA: it’s not rice flour, that’s a different thing!
- Smoked paprika. Regular paprika works too but smoked paprika will give you a richer flavor!
- Garlic powder.
- Salt and pepper to taste!
- Cornflakes. What’s the secret behind all that crispiness? Using cornflakes instead of Panko crumbs 🙂 . Gluten-free & extra crispy. Gotta love it, no?
- Buffalo sauce. Hot sauce will work too, just make sure the texture is similar to that of buffalo sauce.
- Butter or coconut oil. If you’re not vegan, I recommend using butter as it’ll give you a richer flavor but coconut oil will work too if you can’t have butter.
How to make Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower
You’ll find the full recipe with step-by-step instructions in the recipe card down below but this is what to expect:
- Cut the cauliflower into florets.
- Combine together the milk, flour (or glutinous rice flour), smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Dip the florets into the milk mixture, shake off the excess, coat them in crushed cornflakes and place them onto a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until just crispy.
- Add the butter to a small saucepan over low heat, allow the butter to melt completely, then pour in the sauce and mix until combined.
- Dip the florets into the buffalo sauce once they’re done their first bake in the milk + flour batter, shake off the excess sauce or the cornflakes will absorb too much of it and get soft instead of crispy!
- Bake until extra crispy. You can also broil for a few minutes but keep an eye on the wings because they can burn very easily! Serve immediately with your favorite dip, I like ranch.
What to serve with Cauliflower Wings?
MEAT
- Ultimate Juicy Turkey Cheeseburger
- Baked Honey Dijon Chicken
- Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls With Dipping Sauce
- Meatballs In Beer Sauce
- Hot Honey Oven Fried Chicken With Buttermilk
- Copycat Taco Bell Quesadilla
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN
- Mexican Street Corn Salad (Vegetarian)
- Sticky Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowl (Vegan)
- The Best Red Bean Burgers (Vegetarian + GF)
- Georgian Cheese Bread (Vegetarian)
- Sweet Potato Fries with Aioli (Vegetarian)
- Savory Pumpkin Twists With Puff Pastry (Vegetarian)
HAPPY BAKING LOVES!! I hope you’ll love this easy Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower wing recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
Still Hungry?
Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower
Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings: healthy, spicy & extra crispy! Want to make cauliflower taste insanely good? Make these! Whether you're a meat lover or not, you'll love these extra crispy cauliflower wings! Naturally Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free.
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower cut into florets
- 2/4 cups whole milk or soy milk
- 2/4 cups all-purpose flour or glutinous rice flour (glutinous rice flour is also known as sweet rice flour or Mochiko flour - do *not* use rice flour, they're not the same thing!)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 and 1/2 cups cornflakes crushed
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce or hot sauce
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter or buttery spread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you might need two depending on how many florets you have). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the milk, flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully combined. Dip each floret into the mixture, tap off the excess, then coat with the crushed cornflakes until evenly coated and place onto your prepared baking sheet. Work quickly to keep the cornflakes from absorbing the liquid and turning soft.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, flipping the florets halfway through.
- While the cauliflower is baking, add the butter to a small saucepan over low heat, allow the butter to melt completely, then pour in the sauce and mix until combined.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven after its first bake and dip each floret in the buffalo sauce. Tap off the excess to keep the coating from absorbing too much liquid or the wings won't be crispy. Place each floret back onto the baking sheet. Work quickly.
- Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until crispy on top. You can also broil the wings for a few minutes towards (about 4-5) the end of the second bake but keep an eye on them to keep them from burning. Serve immediately with your favorite dip!
Notes
📷 DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?! Tag @itsdamnspicy on Instagram and hashtag it #itsdamnspicy
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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