Baked Buffalo Cauliflower ‘Wings’
A fun weeknight meal or a yummy appetizer to add plant-based flare to your parties and gatherings.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Scale
Ingredients
Homemade Hot Sauce
- 2 cups water
- 10 ounces red chilies, fresh (e.g., cayenne, serrano, tabasco)
- 3 tsp garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup distilled vinegar
Buffalo Cauliflower ‘Wings’
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 cup flour, rice
- 1/2 cup Homemade Nut Milk or store-bought plant-based milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 1 cup Homemade Hot Sauce (or your favorite red hot sauce*)
Oil-Free Ranch Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup cashews, raw, soaked, drained
- 1/2 cup Homemade Nut Milk or store-bought plant-based milk (more for consistency)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp mustard, Dijon or stone-ground
- 1/4 tsp garlic granules
- 1/4 tsp onion granules
- 1 tbsp dill, minced
- 1 tbsp chives, minced
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
Homemade Hot Sauce
- Add water, chilies, garlic and onion to a saucepan and boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium then simmer 15-20 minutes or until chilies are very tender. Allow mixture to cool.
- Add mixture and vinegar to a blender and puree.
- Place in a pint jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 9 months.
Buffalo Cauliflower ‘Wings’
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash cauliflower and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix flour, dairy-free milk, water, garlic powder, cumin, paprika and black pepper in a bowl until batter is thick.
- Dip cauliflower in the batter, shaking off excess then placing on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake 10-15 minutes. Flip cauliflower then continue to bake an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Place hot sauce to a medium bowl. Add cooked cauliflower and toss to coat (alternatively, pour hot sauce over baked cauliflower still on baking sheet).
- Return cauliflower to baking sheet and cook another 20-25 minutes.
- Serve with celery sticks and oil-free ranch dipping sauce.
Oil-Free Ranch Dipping Sauce
- Add cashews, dairy-free milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic and onion granules to a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth, adding more dairy-free milk if necessary for consistency.
- Stir in dill, chives, Worcestershire and black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed.
Notes: Most hot sauce recipes call for a fermentation step to achieve depth of flavor, which is time consuming and can be complex for home cooks. The recipe we have provided does not require fermentation, so it will taste a bit different from the characteristic taste of a bottled hot sauce from the store. Both homemade and store-bought will work with this recipe so use what you feel comfortable with (and what pleases your taste buds!)
