These Oil-Free Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings are spicy, tangy, and perfect as a vegan game day appetizer! These cauliflower wings are easy to make, baked until crispy, and with bold buffalo-inspired flavor in every bite. This plant-based recipe is a more wholesome twist on a classic party snack that everyone will love! Serve it with vegan ranch for dipping and enjoy!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love These Oil Free Cauliflower Wings
- Vegan & Plant-Based: This recipe is 100% plant-based and can be enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians, or omnivores!
- Spicy & Tangy: Bold buffalo-inspired flavor without any oil. Win win!
- Perfect for Sharing: Ideal for parties, game days, or holiday gatherings.
Key Ingredients
- Cauliflower: The star of our vegan wings. Pairs beautifully with the buffalo flavors!
- Flour & nondairy milk: mixed together with seasonings to create the base batter for coating our wings.
- Breadcrumbs: to add a bit of crunch.
- White vinegar: for some tangy kick in our buffalo-inspired sauce.
- Tomato paste: gives a savory depth to the buffalo sauce.
- Spices: for bold, smoky, and spicy flavor.
- Cornstarch: thickens the sauce and helps it stick to the cauliflower.
- Vegan Ranch: optional, but highly recommended! The perfect creamy dip for our cauliflower wings.
How to Make Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Preheat the oven and whisk together the batter for your cauliflower wings.
Toss cauliflower florets in the batter. Sprinkle on breadcrumbs and toss again.
Bake the cauliflower for 22-25 minutes, flipping partway through.
Bring buffalo sauce ingredients together on the stovetop and simmer. Add cornstarch slurry to thicken.
Coat the cauliflower in most of the sauce and bake again. Toss in any extra sauce if desired and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Aim for similar-sized florets. The closer they all are in size, the more evenly they will cook!
- Don’t skip the flip. Flipping halfway helps all sides get golden and crispy.
- Watch the oven closely! Ovens vary and the last thing you want is to overcook your vegan wings! Baking time may also vary a bit based on the size of your florets.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with vegan ranch for a delicious creamy dip! The ranch balances the spicy buffalo flavors perfectly.
- Pair with celery or carrot sticks for a classic buffalo flavor combo.
- These cauliflower wings are best served right after baking, so serve immediately if possible!
- These wings are perfect for sharing! Be sure to bring these to your next game day or party!
Substitutions & Variations
- Traditional wings are typically a messy experience, so this recipe mimics that by tossing the cauliflower in some buffalo sauce after baking. However, if you prefer less mess, toss the cauliflower in ALL the sauce in step 8 and skip step 9. This option bakes all of the sauce onto the wings, giving full flavor without the extra mess.
- For more spice, add more cayenne to your buffalo sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
These vegan wings can be made nearly fully WFPB! Use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose, and either skip the breadcrumbs or use whole-wheat breadcrumbs. With these changes the only slightly processed ingredient is the cornstarch, which some WFPB eaters consider acceptable in small amounts.
You can, but the breadcrumbs add a crispy coating. If that doesn't matter to you then feel free to skip them!
The sauce in this recipe is not a traditional buffalo sauce, but is highly inspired by those bold flavors! Classic buffalo sauce is made with hot sauce and butter, while this version is made with tomato paste, vinegar, and spices. It delivers the same tangy, spicy flavor you expect from buffalo wings, but in a vegan & whole-food friendly way!
Other Game Day Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings (Vegan + Oil-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 small/medium head of cauliflower - cut into bite-sized florets
- ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour - OR all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¾ cup nondairy milk - (I like cashew milk for this recipe)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
"Buffalo" Sauce
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon cold water
Optional, for dipping
- 1 recipe Joyful Balance Vegan Ranch - (Or store-bought vegan ranch)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Whisk in the nondairy milk to create a batter.
- Coat the cauliflower: Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl with the batter and gently toss to coat them evenly.
- Add the breadcrumbs: Sprinkle in the breadcrumbs over the coated cauliflower and toss gently again until well covered.
- Bake the cauliflower: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 22-25 minutes, flipping once around the 15 minute mark.
- Prepare the buffalo-inspired sauce: While the cauliflower bakes, combine all buffalo sauce ingredients (except cornstarch and cold water) in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Thicken the sauce: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook 1 more minute to thicken.
- Coat the cauliflower: Reserve a small amount of buffalo sauce off to the side for later. Toss the baked cauliflower with the rest of the sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated. Spread the cauliflower out on the baking sheet again and bake for another 7-8 minutes.
- Add extra sauce if desired: Remove from the oven and toss in the remaining reserved sauce if desired (this provides extra flavor, but does make the experience messier!)
- Serve and enjoy: Pair with optional vegan ranch for dipping and enjoy!
Nutrition
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and are calculated for one serving.
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your wing-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
Tatyana says
This looks great! I am going to make this with the gluten free panko bread crumbs!
Tatyana says
I am looking forward to trying this with gluten free panko bread crumbs!
Delaney Marie says
Hooray! So excited for you to try them!