Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Name: Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower; ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour ((can sub whole wheat or gluten-free flour)); ½ cup of water; 1 teaspoon of garlic powder; ½ teaspoon of onion powder ((optional)); Pinch salt; 1 teaspoon of vegan butter; ½ cup of buffalo sauce ((or more for extra spice))

Jump to Recipe Email Me This Recipe

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

These 6-ingredient vegan cauliflower buffalo wings are loaded with rich, tangy, spicy buffalo flavor and perfect for game days, BBQs, parties, & potlucks for meat eaters and vegans alike!

completed Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings [Baked + Air Fried] scattered on a white surface

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The Ingredients
Recipe Variations
How To Make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
FAQs
Recipe Notes and Tips
What To Serve With Buffalo Cauliflower?
Storage Instructions
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Buffalo cauliflower wings are a crowd-pleasing appetizer and game-day favorite even meat-eaters will love. Crispy outside, tender inside, and bursting with addictively spicy, tangy flavor, they offer all the satisfaction of traditional buffalo wings without the meat. Even better, they’re baked instead of deep-fried, making them healthier, with lower calories, carbs, and fat. They’re also vegan and can be made gluten-free, Paleo, keto, etc.

With just 6 inexpensive pantry ingredients and minimal prep time, you’ll have this comforting, crowd-pleasing snack, appetizer, or side ready in no time – perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce, using in wraps or salads, and more.

You might also enjoy BBQ cauliflower wings, breaded cauliflower, spicy roasted cauliflower, or easy buffalo tofu.

The Ingredients

Refer to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and substitutes.

Recipe Variations

If you want to add more flavor to the buffalo sauce or vegan cauliflower wings, try:

For extra protein: Replace the AP flour with chickpea flour.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce: (Like ‘Annie’s) Add a splash for a subtle but delicious tang.
Maple syrup: To add subtle sweetness to the buffalo glaze.
Smoked paprika: To add smokiness to the sauce or batter.
Cayenne pepper: For more heat.
Scallions/chives/parsley: To garnish the buffalo roasted cauliflower wings.

How To Make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

process shot of adding cauliflower to bowl of flour mixture

process shot of mixing flour ingredients in a bowl

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450F/230C, line a baking tray with parchment paper, and separate the cauliflower into even-sized wings or bite-sized cauliflower ‘bites.’

Step 2: In a wide bowl, combine the flour, water, and seasonings and mix well to create a batter, then toss the cauliflower pieces into it, ensuring they’re evenly coated.

Depending on the size of your head of cauliflower, you may need extra batter.

process shot of adding cauliflower to baking sheet

process shot showing post coated cauliflower pieces in bowl

Step 3: Spread the battered cauliflower over the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegan buffalo sauce by mixing the hot sauce and melted vegan butter.

Step 4: Toss the par-baked vegan wings into the hot sauce mixture (or brush them with it), bake for another 8 minutes, then toss them in the sauce again and return to the oven for 25-30 minutes. Finally, remove the baked buffalo cauliflower wings from the oven and leave them to cool for 5 minutes before serving – optionally brushed with any remaining buffalo sauce. Enjoy!

When ready, they’ll be tender in the middle and crispy on the outside. If there isn’t enough buffalo sauce, make a little more.

FAQs

How to make keto buffalo cauliflower?

Use almond meal instead of regular flour and a keto-friendly vegan butter or coconut oil.

Why are my cauliflower wings not crispy?

If you overcrowd them on the tray, the cauli wings will steam rather than crisp up. Undercooking them could also be the cause.

Recipe Notes and Tips

For extra crispy cauliflower wings: Broil for 1-3 minutes at the end.
Adjust the spice level: For milder wings, add more vegan butter. For a hotter sauce, reduce the vegan butter or add cayenne.
Use parchment paper: Otherwise, the cauliflower WILL stick.
Batter and sauce amounts vary: Adjust the quantities based on the cauliflower size.
Don’t crowd them: The hot air needs to circulate the vegan buffalo cauliflower wings to make them crispy.

What To Serve With Buffalo Cauliflower?

Enjoy the roasted buffalo cauliflower as a tasty game day snack, appetizer, or even part of a main, alongside:

Crudites – like celery, bell pepper, and carrot sticks
Dipping sauce – like vegan cashew ranch dressing, vegan blue cheese dressing, or vegan French onion dip
French potato salad
Vegan coleslaw
Oven-baked sesame fries or crispy garlic baked potato wedges (or these easy oven-baked sweet potato fries/carrot fries)
Onion rings

You can also serve the crispy buffalo cauliflower over cheesy vegan mac and cheese, to make a BBQ or buffalo cauliflower veggie wrap, in vegan tacos (like these vegetable fajita tacos), as a pizza topping, as part of a salad or buddha bowl, etc.

Storage Instructions

Make ahead: Prepare the florets, buffalo sauce, and batter separately up to 2 days in advance. Store in the fridge and bring to room temperature before using.

Fridge: These vegan buffalo wings are crispiest directly after cooking. However, any leftovers will store in an airtight container in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezer: For best results, freeze the battered cauliflower par-baked, just before you’d add sauce. Flash-freeze until solid and store for 3-4 months in a Ziplock/Stasher bag. Bake from frozen, adding time – though they may not be as crispy.

Reheat: Bake the vegan hot wings at 350F/175C for 10-15 minutes (or air fryer for 3-5 minutes). Flip halfway.