Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Looking for a great game day (or hang day) snack free from gluten and animal products that won’t take too much work? Then you’ve got to try these delicious vegan buffalo cauliflower wings! Gluten-free, crunchy, and full of flavor, these are sure to become a household hit.

What’s more is that we’ve also got a delightful vegan ranch dip recipe that’ll blow the store-bought options out of the water. 

If you love cauliflower as much as me, you’ll also love roasted cauliflower steaks, vegan cauliflower tacos (great for parties as well), and this easy squash and cauliflower soup.

Why This Is The Best Cauliflower Wings Recipe

If you could only pick one vegan cauliflower wing recipe to try, make it this one! I will never make another wing recipe again because these are already perfection. Here’s why they’re the best:

• Easy to Make – Minimal ingredients and simple steps make this recipe a breeze, perfect for both novice and experienced cooks!
• Golden and Crispy – Achieve a satisfying crunch with a perfect balance of breading and baking, ensuring a delightful texture in every bite.
• Perfect for parties – These cauliflower wings are a great finger food for parties. Serve them with toothpicks and dipping sauce!
• Crowd-pleasing – They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan! Anyone can chow down on these tasty treats without worry. The only thing you’ll need to worry about is if you made enough!

Ingredient Notes

For the Wings

• Cauliflower—Use fresh cauliflower and chop into uniform-sized florets for consistent baking. If you must use frozen, make sure to thaw first and pat dry with a clean lint-free kitchen towel to prevent them from becoming soggy.
• White rice flour—Or regular all-purpose flour works too. This helps to thicken the batter and crisp up into golden deliciousness!
• Vegan wing sauce—I used Frank’s Red Hot which is easy to find at more grocery stores.

For the Dipping Sauce

• Vegan mayo—Choose any plant-base mayonnaise to create a creamy base for the ranch dip.
• Vegan sour cream—Opt for a dairy-free sour cream alternative for richness and tanginess.
• Vegan Worcestershire sauce—Ensure your Worcestershire sauce is vegan-friendly. If you can’t find any, feel free to omit it.
• White vinegar—Adds a touch of acidity to balance out the richness.
• Fresh herbs—Dill, parsley, and chives add tons of flavor to this vegan ranch dip. You can use dried herbs, but you’ll need to adjust the amount 3:1 fresh to dry.

How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Wings

Vegan wings are easy to make and incredibly delicious with just a few simple ingredients! All you need is some cauliflower, seasonings, and your favorite vegan buffalo sauce.

Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Step 2: Wash the cauliflower and chop it into florets. You can make them bigger or small depending on your preference of wing size.

Step 3: Combine the water, flour and dry ingredients into a large bowl to make a batter.

Step 4: Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter to thoroughly coat and then place on the prepared baking tray.

Step 5: Bake in the oven on the center rack until they are slightly golden brown on top. Meanwhile, prepare the vegan ranch dressing by whisking all ingredients together well in a large bowl.

Step 6: When the wings are ready, toss them in your choice of wing sauce to evenly coat. Return wings to the oven for another 5 minutes to crisp up.

Serve your vegan chicken wings with the vegan ranch dip and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• To help the batter stick better to the cauliflower wings, pat dry your cauliflower first after washing. If they’re dripping with water it will dilute the batter and take longer for the wings to crisp up in the oven.
• Space your vegan wings out evenly on the baking tray so that they evenly coat. You can also cook these in an air fryer for even less time! Spread them out evenly and cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway.

Servings Suggestions and Variations

If you’re looking to make a little more of a meal out of your vegan buffalo cauliflower wings and ranch dip or want some ideas to make it your own, don’t fret! We’ve got some wonderful suggestions for you right here:

• Snack With a Wrap– This Rainbow Lavash Wrap will make an excellent (and beautiful) addition to your plate! You could even throw some of the buffalo cauliflower wings into it for some truly miraculous flavor moments.
• Party With Pasta – Cold pasta can be a real treat and our Fresh Picnic Pasta Salad is a great way to make more of a meal with your buffalo cauliflower wings.
• Game Day Spread – Make a full spread of vegan party appetizers to please a crowd. Along with these buffalo cauliflower wings, serve some football puff pastries, Hasselback potatoes, herbed polenta fries, and vegan pretzel bites.
• BBQ-Flavored – Much like these Barbecue Seitan Wings, you can add a delicious BBQ sauce to these cauliflower wings instead of buffalo sauce.
• More Dipping Sauces – You can never have too many options when it comes to dipping these vegan cauliflower wings! Try this creamy dill dressing or this vegan buffalo queso cheese dip to double down on the buffalo flavors!

Storage

Since cauliflower has high water content, these wings are best eaten right out of the oven but if you find yourself with leftovers, stick them in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for a few days.

To reheat, the oven is best for maintaining crispiness. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F until heated through. An air-fryer also works well for reheating. For something faster, microwaving is fine, too. The cauliflower wings just won’t be as crispy as when first baked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Author: Alex Thomopoulos

5 from 12 votes

These vegan cauliflower buffalo wings make a perfect game-day snack, and once you try them, you'll be hooked for life. They are gluten-free and of course, vegan!The ranch dip is especially delicious. I know it takes a little extra time to whip it together yourself (rather than using a store-bought option) but it will be worth it, I promise!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

Vegan Wings

• 2 medium cauliflower heads, (about 2 lbs each) chopped into florets
• 1 cup white rice flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 12-ounce bottle buffalo wing sauce, I used Frank’s Red Hot which is available at most supermarkets

Vegan Ranch Dip

• 1 cup vegan mayo
• ½ cup vegan sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 450°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the water, white rice flour, salt, paprika, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Whisk together to combine.
• Thoroughly coat the cauliflower florets with the batter and place on the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced out.
• Bake on the center rack for 18-20 minutes, until they are slightly brown on the top.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegan ranch dip. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.
• Remove cauliflower wings from the oven and coat them in buffalo sauce. For best results, pour the sauce into a bowl and carefully dip each cauliflower into the sauce using a slotted spoon or fork (cauliflower will be hot).
• Return buffalo cauliflower back into oven to crisp up for another 5 minutes.

Video

Notes

Tip – If you don’t have white rice flour, it is fine to use regular flour if gluten-free is not a necessity for you.

Storage – Store leftover vegan wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, buffalo, cauliflower, gluten free, spicy, vegan wings

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings recipe by Alex Thomopolous for World of Vegan. Photos by Amanda McGillicuddy. Copyright of World of Vegan™, all rights reserved.