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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!
Smoky, Sweet, and Moreish BBQ Cauliflower Wings
The neutral flavor of cauliflower has made it a popular choice for vegans, low-carb eaters, and healthy eaters alike. With little effort, itโs easy to transform this ingredient into a healthy pizza base, low carb rice or mashed โpotatoes,โ cauliflower steaks, and this BBQ cauliflower wings recipe!
There are tons of recipes out there for buffalo cauliflower, and we get it, itโs delicious. But now itโs 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!
Theyโre 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 youโre 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!
The Ingredients
This easy BBQ cauliflower wings recipe is made even easier with an ingredient list entirely of inexpensive kitchen and pantry staples.
- Cauliflower: Use cauliflower that is heavy for its size with no brown spots/blemishes.
- All-purpose flour: Alternatively, use whole wheat flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour/ chickpea flour (GF).
- Plant-based milk: Use any unsweetened vegan milk option. Water would also work.
- Seasonings: These BBQ cauliflower wings use a combination of onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Brown sugar: Use coconut sugar for an unrefined option. This will enhance and encourage more caramelization while cooking.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce (yes, even flavored versions if youโd like). Use a KETO version if preferred.
- Liquid smoke: (optional) Liquid smoke is perfect for adding a grilled depth of flavor.
- Vegan ranch: (Optional, to serve) Because where would cauliflower wings be without their perfect sidekick?!
Optional add-ins & Dipping Sauces
- Spice: You can mix a small amount of hot sauce into the BBQ sauce OR sprinkle the baked BBQ cauliflower wings with red pepper flakes before serving.
- Black pepper: Season the batter, to taste, for subtle spice.
- Herbs: Garnish the freshly cooked vegan cauliflower wings with chopped parsley, green onions/scallions, or dill for freshness.
- Breadcrumbs: We find the batter is enough, but if you want even more crunch, roll the cauliflower wings into breadcrumbs (regular, panko, GF) after battering them.
Along with vegan ranch, there are several other dipping sauces you could choose from, too:
- Vegan garlic mayo or vegan garlic yogurt dip
- Spicy vegan mayo
- Avocado dip
- Nacho cheese
What do you like to serve the BBQ cauliflower wings with?
How to Make BBQ Cauliflower Wings?
- 1) First, preheat the oven to 450F/230C and line a baking tray with parchment paper or spray with some cooking spray.
- 2) Then, separate the cauliflower down into even-sized pieces/ cauliflower florets. We cut ours into strips around ยฝ-inch wide and 2-3 inches long.
Adjust the size of the โwingsโ to your liking. Larger florets will be more like traditional wings. Chop it down into smaller pieces for BBQ cauliflower bites.
- 3) In a bowl, whisk the flour, non-dairy milk, seasonings, sugar, and liquid smoke until well combined.
- 4) Then, dip the cauliflower wings into the flour mixture, ensuring theyโre thoroughly coated.
It saves time to chuck them all in the bowl and toss well. Lightly shake off any excess batter.
- 5) Transfer the wings to the prepared baking sheet and then bake for 15-20 minutes, until the wings are crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. The exact time this takes will depend on the size of the pieces youโre baking.
- 6) Meanwhile, heat the BBQ sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. After the 15 minutes, toss the cauliflower wings into the sauce (or dip them) and then return them to the oven for a further 5 minutes and enjoy!
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.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
You can chop the cauliflower and prepare the batter a couple of days in advance, storing them separately in the fridge until youโre 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.
FAQs
We havenโt 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 havenโt tried, though weโve 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.
Top Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use even-sized pieces: Otherwise, the BBQ cauliflower wings will cook at different rates.
- Donโt crowd the pan: The airflow around the BBQ cauliflower bites/ wings is essential for achieving crispy results. If there are too many, too close, then they will steam.
- Cooking time varies: Based on the exact size of your cauli wings and your oven. So keep an eye on them the first time you make the recipe.
- Tweak the flavors: BBQ sauce is already naturally sweet, so feel free to reduce or eliminate the amount of added sugar. Want more smokiness? Add some extra liquid smoke? Etc.
- For less sauce: Use a brush to brush over the barbeque cauliflower rather than dipping them into the sauce.
- For crispier results: Spray the vegan cauliflower wings with a bit of oil/cooking spray before cooking them.
How to Serve Vegan Cauliflower Wings?
Along with serving these BBQ cauliflower wings as an appetizer with your choice of dip and other cruditรฉs (carrot sticks, celery sticks, etc.), you can also add them to other meals, such as:
- BBQ Cauliflower Wraps
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Easy Cheesy Vegan Mac
- Mediterranean Hummus Pizza without Cheese
- Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
- Southwest Black Bean Burger
- Roasted Spaghetti Squash
- Cauliflower Tacos
- Rainbow Coleslaw Salad with Avocado Mayo
- Pita Panzanella Salad
More Vegan Appetizers
- Crispy Breaded Tofu Sticks
- Buffalo Tofu Wedges
- Cheezy Zucchini Chips
- Guacamole Skins
- Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
- Stuffed Roasted Sweet Peppers
- Crispy Garlic Baked Wedges
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
BBQ Cauliflower Wings
Video
Ingredients
- ยฝ head of cauliflower
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of plain plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon of paprika
- ยฝ teaspoon of brown sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon of liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 cup of bbq sauce
- Vegan ranch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
- Cut the cauliflower into thin strips about ยฝ inch wide, and 2 -3 inches long.
- Whisk the flour, plant-based milk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar, and liquid smoke together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Dip the cauliflower pieces into the flour mixture, making sure to coat the entire piece.
- Place the cauliflower pieces onto a non-stick baking sheet, or baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes.
- While cauliflower is cooking, heat the bbq sauce in a saucepan.
- Remove the cauliflower pieces from the oven and dip them in BBQ sauce. Place pieces back on the baking sheet and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Enjoy with some more bbq sauce or vegan ranch.
Notes
- Use even-sized pieces: Otherwise, the BBQ cauliflower wings will cook at different rates.
- Donโt crowd the pan: The airflow around the BBQ cauliflower bites/ wings is essential for achieving crispy results. If there are too many, too close, then they will steam.
- Cooking time varies: Based on the exact size of your cauli wings and your oven. So keep an eye on them the first time you make the recipe.
Nutrition
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.
Make these for the very first timeโฆ tasted to thick, very filling and not very crispy! Dont know what I did wrong but would be open to any suggestions! Usually love all your recipes but no so sure about this one! Please advise. Thank you!
They may have needed more time in the oven or air fryer! Also, the more spaced out they are, the better for the ultimate crisp!
Iโm wondering if I could sub gf flour? Looks delish!
It should work but the texture may be a bit different. Please let us know how it turns out if you try it out! ๐
These sound yummy, but how might I lower the carbs and sodium?
Thank you
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!
I made my own BBQ sauce, which definitely lowered the sodium.
Love this recipe so good!
Such a great idea! Can’t wait to try it!
Absolutely amazing! These wings have my name written all over them! Thanks so much Andrea.
totally love these!!
right?! so easy and delicious!
Love this recipe! My mouth is watering just thinking about making them again. Appealing to the eyes, as well as the belly. Mmmmmm…
LOL such a relatable comment!
I’ve been forcing myself to eat more veggies and this is a great idea to swab my regular meat intake
Definitely! It’s an easy one to enjoy too!
Oh my, I can’t pass up a good cauliflower wing recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
Right?! They’re my favorite!
I love getting extra veggies in this way! Such a great appetizer or side dish.
Right?! Such a sneaky way to enjoy your veggies!
the flavour of the sauce and texture was spot on!
This recipe is straight forward and easy to make! They turned out so delicious
So glad you enjoyed them! Love cauli wings!
How fun are these?!? And they kind of look like chicken wings, which is so cool. Canโt wait to make these again!
Such a great substitute and just as tasty!
Delicious! I’m much more a BBQ than a Buffalo sauce person.
Agreed! But both are so good!
Love the BBQ flavor of these wings, absolutely delicious!
Right?! So so good!
Love the flavor and texture! So good!
These “wings” are amazing! They are my new go-to appetizer.
Aren’t they?! I’ve been loving them!
it was the best appetizer, the flavors of the spices compliments the caulifllower.
Agreed! Such a great combo of flavors!
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!
Wohoo! Love it when a recipe surprises you for the better!