These vegan BBQ cauliflower wings are sweet, smoky, saucy, crispy, and perfect as a game day and party appetizer or side dish! Lightly battered and baked (or air fried) until crispy. Just a handful of ingredients, oil-free, egg-free, and gluten-free optional!
The neutral flavor of cauliflower has made it a popular choice for vegans, low-carb eaters, and healthy eaters alike. With little effort, it’s easy to transform this ingredient into a healthy pizza base, low carb rice or mashed ‘potatoes,’ cauliflower steaks, and this BBQ cauliflower wings recipe!
There are tons of recipes out there for buffalo cauliflower, and we get it, it’s delicious. But now it’s time for BBQ to take center stage. This barbeque cauliflower is a sweet, sticky, rich, and crowd-pleasing addition to your next game night, potluck, or party!
They’re lighter, healthier, and lower carb than other party dishes (not to mention 100% meat-free!). In addition, I packed cauliflower with Vitamin C and vitamin K. It is also a great detox food and loaded with antioxidants.
Best of all, these vegan cauliflower wings are simple and inexpensive to prepare too. All you need are 7 pantry staples (probably already in your kitchen!), cauliflower, and 35 minutes to get this delicious vegan appetizer ready to impress!
And if you’re looking for more ways to enjoy cauliflower, why not try cauliflower tacos, crispy cauliflower bites, a sweet potato cauliflower casserole, or crispy spiced okra and cauliflower!
This easy BBQ cauliflower wings recipe is made even easier with an ingredient list entirely of inexpensive kitchen and pantry staples.
Along with vegan ranch, there are several other dipping sauces you could choose from, too:
What do you like to serve the BBQ cauliflower wings with?
Adjust the size of the ‘wings’ to your liking. Larger florets will be more like traditional wings. Chop it down into smaller pieces for BBQ cauliflower bites.
It saves time to chuck them all in the bowl and toss well. Lightly shake off any excess batter.
For extra crispiness, use a broiler for a minute or two at the end.
We love to serve ours with a vegan ranch dipping sauce.
You can chop the cauliflower and prepare the batter a couple of days in advance, storing them separately in the fridge until you’re ready to continue with the recipe.
We recommend consuming the barbeque cauliflower wings immediately for the best texture. However, any leftovers will store in an airtight container for 3 days.
To reheat the cauliflower wings, place them back in the oven or an air fryer at 400F/205C until heated through.
We haven’t tried with this recipe (yet). However, if you want to try, we recommend preparing the battered florets as written above and then spreading them in a single layer in your air fryer basket, leaving space in between.
Cook them at 400F/205C for around 10-12 minutes, until tender in the middle and crisp outside. Then brush or dip each one in the BBQ sauce and return to the air fryer for a further minute or two.
We haven’t tried, though we’ve seen it been done with success. However, when using frozen cauliflower, they may not end up as crispy. We recommend allowing it to thaw first and patting away any excess liquid with a kitchen towel before battering and cooking the vegan cauliflower wings.
Along with serving these BBQ cauliflower wings as an appetizer with your choice of dip and other crudités (carrot sticks, celery sticks, etc.), you can also add them to other meals, such as:
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Karen says
These sound yummy, but how might I lower the carbs and sodium?
Thank you
Andrea White says
I wonder if you can try changing the cauliflower to flour ratio. We at Plant-Based on a Budget, haven't tried it but let us know if you do!
Janaye says
Love this recipe so good!
Teodora says
Such a great idea! Can't wait to try it!
Megan says
Absolutely amazing! These wings have my name written all over them! Thanks so much Andrea.
Michelle says
totally love these!!
Andrea White says
right?! so easy and delicious!
Gina H. says
Love this recipe! My mouth is watering just thinking about making them again. Appealing to the eyes, as well as the belly. Mmmmmm...
Andrea White says
LOL such a relatable comment!
Linda says
I've been forcing myself to eat more veggies and this is a great idea to swab my regular meat intake
Andrea White says
Definitely! It's an easy one to enjoy too!
Tina says
Oh my, I can't pass up a good cauliflower wing recipe! Can't wait to try it!
Andrea White says
Right?! They're my favorite!
Addie says
I love getting extra veggies in this way! Such a great appetizer or side dish.
Andrea White says
Right?! Such a sneaky way to enjoy your veggies!
nancy says
the flavour of the sauce and texture was spot on!
Jacqui | thesimplesprinkle.com says
This recipe is straight forward and easy to make! They turned out so delicious
Andrea White says
So glad you enjoyed them! Love cauli wings!
Emily says
How fun are these?!? And they kind of look like chicken wings, which is so cool. Can’t wait to make these again!
Andrea White says
Such a great substitute and just as tasty!
Amanda says
Delicious! I'm much more a BBQ than a Buffalo sauce person.
Andrea White says
Agreed! But both are so good!
Katie says
Love the BBQ flavor of these wings, absolutely delicious!
Andrea White says
Right?! So so good!
Andrea White says
Love the flavor and texture! So good!
Cindy says
These "wings" are amazing! They are my new go-to appetizer.
Andrea White says
Aren't they?! I've been loving them!
Jean says
it was the best appetizer, the flavors of the spices compliments the caulifllower.
Andrea White says
Agreed! Such a great combo of flavors!
Peter says
I admit I was a bit skeptical as I am looking for healthier, but these Cauliflower Wings didn't disappoint! Exceeded expectations and I will be making them again!
Andrea White says
Wohoo! Love it when a recipe surprises you for the better!