Cauliflower Wings
When Cauliflower Wings first came on the scene, you might have thought they were a passing fad. Nope! These crispy, highly snackable cauli florets are here to stay—especially when they’re bathed in buffalo sauce and paired with creamy blue cheese dip!
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Cauliflower Wing Recipe
- Cauliflower + Buffalo Sauce = True Love. Cauliflower is a bit of a wallflower—the shy girl who sits in the back of your math class, silently acing her every exam. buffalo sauce is more akin to the starting quarterback—universally popular, essential to any football game, and hot-hot-HOT. Yet, the two—gentle cauliflower and spicy buffalo—are a match made in high school romantic comedy heaven.
- No Deep Frying Needed. Restaurant-style cauliflower wings are deep fried. To mimic their crispiness, I tossed the cauliflower florets in a quick batter, then roasted them at a high temperature. Then, when the cauliflower bites were almost done roasting, I coated them in that orange elixir of fall and football: Frank’s Buffalo Sauce and a touch of melted butter. Score!
- Blue Cheese Dressing With a Twist. A blend of Greek yogurt, rich avocado, and salty blue cheese makes the dip for these crispy cauliflower wings. I love how much thicker the avocado dip is than simple blue cheese dressing, which allows you to scoop a satisfactory dollop with every cauliflower buffalo wing.
5 Star Review
“So delicious! I made them twice in two days.”
— Britney —
How to Make Cauliflower Wings
The Ingredients
For the Wings:
- Flour. I use a blend of white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour, but you can use entirely all-purpose if you prefer.
- Garlic Powder. For savory flavor without the bite of fresh garlic.
- Cauliflower. You can buy a bag of cauliflower florets for a shortcut.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce. I use Frank’s, which is the OG. It’s also my go-to for Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers.
- Unsalted Butter. Butter is the unexpected-but-very-necessary ingredient in buffalo cauliflower wings. It makes the sauce velvety and cuts the heat and acid just a bit.
For the Blue Cheese Avocado Dip:
- Hass Avocado. Make sure you buy one that’s ripe if you’re making this recipe the same day you’re shopping.
- Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt. This adds creamy-dreamy texture and a delightful little tang.
- Garlic. Don’t worry, the lemon juice will help that pungent garlic flavor simmer down.
- Lemon Juice. Use fresh, not bottled!
- Crumbled Blue Cheese. I like a combination of bigger and smaller crumbles. Small crumbles = evenly distributed blue cheese flavor. Big crumbles = funky cheese bliss. (Funky Cheese Bliss is a great jam band name, so feel free to steal it.)
The Directions
- Mix Up the Batter. Whisk the flours and garlic powder with a cup of water. (Pro-tip: You can use this batter to make baked onion rings too.)
- Coat the Cauli. Dump it into the bowl and stir until it’s evenly coated.
- Transfer. Arrange the cauliflower on a baking sheet, being sure not to crowd them.
- Bake. Cook the cauliflower in a 450 degree F oven until it’s lightly browned.
- Make the Sauce. Heat the butter and buffalo sauce on the stovetop until the butter melts.
- Sauce the Wings. Toss the cauliflower wings in the sauce, then bake for another 5 minutes.
- Make the Dip. Mash the avocados, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve with the wings and ENJOY!
More Pairing Ideas for Cauliflower Wings
- Ranch. If blue cheese isn’t your style, go with all-American ranch. Bottled dressing is just fine, but I like this Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip because it’s thicker.
- Feta Dip. For another cheesy option, try this Feta Dip.
- Edamame Hummus. I wouldn’t serve cauliflower wings with just any old hummus, but the flavor of this Edamame Hummus would pair well here.
- Aioli. AKA fancy mayo.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Adjust the Blue Cheese as Needed. The blue cheese avocado dip is easily customizable to your preferred level of blue cheese. Love the crumbly blue stuff like me? Stir it in with reckless abandon. Prefer a more subtle taste? Just add a little. (The recipe as written uses a middle-of-the-road amount.)
- Make Them your Own. Here’s the secret of cauliflower wings: if you’re not a buffalo sauce fan, you can use any sauce you like for these babies, whether it’s Barbecue Sauce, sriracha, or sticky teriyaki.
- Don’t Crowd the Cauliflower Florets. If you do, they’ll steam, which means they won’t have that fabulously crispy exterior.
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Cauliflower Wings
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Crispy cauliflower wings are delicious, but toss them in fiery buffalo sauce and pair them with avocado blue cheese dip? Now we're talkin'!
Servings 4 -6 servings
Calories 291kcal
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower Buffalo Wings:
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or swap additional all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 7 cups cauliflower florets about 24 ounces
- 3/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce I used Frank’s
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Blue Cheese Avocado Dip:
- 1 medium ripe Hass avocado, pitted and diced
- 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2-4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese, to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then coat with non-stick spray.
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In a large bowl, stir together the white whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, and garlic powder. Pour in 1 cup of water, then stir until smooth. Add the cauliflower to the bowl, then toss to coat.
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Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, shaking off any excess batter. Spread the cauliflower out so that the florets do not touch. Bake until lightly browned, 18-20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the Buffalo sauce and butter over medium low heat. Stir until the butter melts, then set aside.
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Once the cauliflower has finished baking, remove it from the oven and pour the buffalo sauce over the top, using the entire saucepan. Toss to coat, using a spatula if the cauliflower is too hot so that you don’t burn your fingers. Return the cauliflower to the oven, then bake for 5 additional minutes, watching carefully so that the sauce does not brown too much on the outside. Serve hot with the Blue Cheese Avocado Dip.
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For the Blue Cheese Avocado Dip: mash the avocados in a medium bowl with the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons blue cheese and stir to incorporate, the taste, adding extra blue cheese as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- TO MAKE AHEAD: The dip can be prepared 1 day in advance. Refrigerate in a bowl or airtight container with plastic wrap pressed over the top.
- TO STORE: The cauliflower texture is best the day it is made, but the flavor will still be tasty leftover. Store cauliflower in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4) | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 189IU | Vitamin C: 91mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 2mg
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