These buffalo cauliflower wings are an irresistible side dish or game day snack! They have delicious crispy edges and an amazing spicy, tangy flavor.
Buffalo cauliflower wings—a plant-based spin on buffalo chicken wings—are a classic game day snack. But after testing and perfecting this recipe, I’m here to tell you that buffalo cauliflower is wayyyy too good to only make on game day. I’ve been whipping it up for fall gatherings and movie nights, for TV binge sessions and even the occasional lunch or dinner.
It’s crispy on the edges and tender in the middle, spicy, tangy, and a little bit sweet. Try one floret erm, wing, and I promise, you’ll be back for more before you know it.
My Buffalo Cauliflower Wing Sauce
Before I break down the steps to this buffalo cauliflower recipe, let’s talk buffalo sauce. Named after Buffalo, New York, its city of origin, this rich, tangy, spicy condiment earned its fame as a sauce for regular chicken wings. It’s traditionally made with a cayenne pepper hot sauce like Frank’s RedHot, melted butter, and vinegar.
You can buy prepared buffalo sauce at many grocery stores. But for this buffalo cauliflower recipe, I prefer to make my own.
Like most recipes, I start with Frank’s RedHot and melted butter, but I forego any extra vinegar because I find the hot sauce to be tangy enough on its own. Instead, I stir in honey, which makes the sauce thick and glossy, and I add garlic powder and paprika for savory complexity. It’s super easy to stir together and so delicious!
Don’t do butter or honey? Check out my buffalo sauce recipe for a vegan option.
How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Once you prepare your sauce, you can get going on the buffalo wings!
1. Prep the cauliflower.
Break it into large, wing-size florets. Careful not to make the pieces too small. If you do, the cauliflower will overcook before the coating gets crispy.
2. Make the batter and coat the cauliflower.
A simple batter gives this cauliflower a fun fried effect without any frying. Just whisk together water, flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt to make it. The flour makes the mixture thick enough to coat the cauliflower florets, and the cornstarch helps them bake up nice and crispy. Obviously, the spices add great flavor!
Toss the cauliflower florets in the batter and arrange them in a single layer on two large, parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Tip: Make the recipe gluten-free. Though I haven’t tried this myself, several readers have successfully used a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
3. Bake the cauliflower at a high temperature.
Bake the cauliflower at 450°F for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for 10 minutes more.
4. Add sauce and bake again.
Remove from the oven and brush on some of the buffalo sauce. Bake until the cauliflower wings are dark and crisp around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Don’t skimp on this bake time! You want to give the florets plenty of time to caramelize and crisp up around the edges.
5. Brush with more buffalo sauce and serve!
The wings are a fantastic appetizer or snack on their own, but we also love them with ranch dressing or vegan ranch dressing for dipping. I don’t have a recipe for blue cheese dressing, but it’s a classic pairing with buffalo wings. If you prefer it to ranch as a dip, by all means, go for it! Enjoy with carrot and/or celery sticks on the side.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Tips for Making the BEST Buffalo Cauliflower
- Don’t skip the parchment paper. For this recipe, it’s essential. Without it, the cauliflower wings will stick to the sheet pan when you try to flip them. Even with the parchment, make sure to use a spatula and flip them carefully. After just 10 minutes of baking, the batter surrounding them is still delicate, and it can easily tear during the flipping process.
- Brush with more sauce before serving. Let’s be honest: as good as buffalo cauliflower wings are, they’re mostly a vehicle for buffalo sauce. To really pack in that crave-worthy buffalo flavor, you’ll brush the wings with the sauce twice, once mid-bake and once right before serving. FYI, this is not a napkins-optional snack situation.
- Eat them right away. Well, maybe not right away, because these buffalo cauliflower bites are super hot when they come out of the oven. But they are best within a few minutes of baking, when they’re still warm and their edges are deliciously crisp. If you end up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They won’t be crispy, but they’ll still taste great!
More Favorite Snacks and Appetizers
If you love these baked buffalo cauliflower wings, try one of these tasty snacks or appetizers next:
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Serves 4
These baked buffalo cauliflower wings are such a fun appetizer or snack! They have irresistible crispy edges and a delicious spicy, tangy flavor. Pass the napkins!
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cauliflower, about 2 pounds, broken into large florets
- Buffalo Sauce, for brushing
- Ranch dressing or vegan ranch, for dipping, optional
Prevent your screen from going dark
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower florets and stir to coat.
-
Lift the cauliflower florets out of the batter, allowing any excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the florets. Bake for another 10 minutes, swapping the pans on the oven racks.
-
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and brush with some of the buffalo sauce. Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is dark and crisp around the edges.
-
Remove from the oven and brush with additional buffalo sauce. If desired, serve with ranch for dipping.