Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. hot sauce (such as Franks)
4 tbsp. melted butter
Ranch dressing, for serving
Celery sticks, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 450° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, milk, and garlic powder until combined. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the batter is smooth.Step 2Dredge cauliflower in batter until evenly coated. Shake off excess batter and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cauliflower is crispy and golden around edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Step 3Meanwhile make buffalo sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together hot sauce and melted butter. Toss baked cauliflower “wings” in sauce before serving. Step 4Serve with ranch dressing and celery sticks, if desired.
Do I need to cook the cauliflower first? No, just bread and bake! The cauliflower cooks to the perfect texture inside the breading, so no need for any extra steps. Can I fry these instead of baking them? Sure! However, these are so easy, delicious, and healthier baked. If you’d like to add some extra crispiness fry flavor: Heat about 1”-2” of neutral oil in a large heavy bottomed pot to about 350°. Then add the breaded cauliflower wings in small batches, tossing the wings a few times in the oil as they cook. When the breading is nice and golden, the wings are done. Use a slotted spoon or kitchen spider to remove the cauliflower to a paper towel-lined plate and proceed with the remaining wings. Once all the cauliflower is fried, toss with the buffalo sauce. Can I make these vegan? Yes, easily. There aren’t any eggs in this batter, so start by swapping out the regular milk with almond milk. Use margarine in the buffalo sauce in place of butter. For dipping, rather than skip the ranch dressing, make our coconut vegan ranch in this salad recipe, buy a store bought vegan ranch, or try one of the dipping options below. And there are healthy dip options…IF you want them Ranch dressing is our favorite dipping sauce of all time. We even love to make our own! But calories can add up fast. (Let’s face it, everyone double dips.) When we’re trying to be a little healthier, we like to make this Whole30 Ranch Dressing. It uses egg yolks, light olive oil, TONS of herbs, and almond milk. To make them extra crispy, turn on the broiler. Roasting the battered wings in the oven will crisp the edges. But, like many good wings, once the cauli is tossed in the sauce, you lose some of the crunch. To regain crispiness, turn on your broiler. Return the buffalo-d wings to the baking sheets and broil until the sauce is sticky and caramelized. Tried this recipe? Let us know what you think, then stick on the cauliflower trend and try our 30 Best Cauliflower Recipes or steer towards more buffalo with 57 Twists on Buffalo Chicken.
