These healthy Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings are oven-baked, not fried. Make them for the next game day snack or family get together. Serve them on a platter with veggie fingers and vegan sour cream for dipping.
The vegan diet can be extremely healthy because of the large quantity of plant-based foods that we eat. But, don’t worry, sometimes vegan alternatives can be just as unhealthy as the traditional dishes! This recipe, however, is on the healthier side, because it is baked, not deep-fried! Deep-fried vegan snacks can be very high in calories even though they are plant-based. So, if you’re trying to watch your weight or reduce your risk of heart disease, it’s best to avoid fried foods or at least keep them for the odd occasion.
If you’d like to find out more about the health benefits of being vegan, read: Is a Vegan Diet Healthy? Or, if you are considering starting the vegan journey, read: How to Become Vegan.
Why are these Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings healthy?
These buffalo wings are made from cauliflower and are baked, not fried.
Cauliflower is filled with healthy vitamins and minerals and is low in calories. It also contains antioxidants and other nutrients that can help prevent cancer.
Oven baking is a healthier option because it preserves some of the vitamins and minerals in the cauliflower and also uses less oil.
On the other hand, deep-frying destroys some of the antioxidants in the cauliflower and adds more calories in the form of oil. Also, research indicates there’s a higher risk of developing chronic diseases if you eat deep-fried food four or more times during the week. So, if you’ve already had a few high-calorie fried meals, these cauliflower wings will be a healthier option.
How to make these Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
Here are a few tips to help you make these healthy vegan buffalo wings using cauliflower.
Use fresh cauliflower
It’s best to use fresh cauliflower for this recipe. A good indicator of freshness would be that the leaves are bright green and vibrant, the florets are creamy white, and there are no spots or blemishes. Another tip is to smell the cauliflower. If it has a very strong smell, it’s probably over-ripe.
Although frozen cauliflower is convenient, it tends to hold more water. For this recipe, frozen florets might come out soggy or the batter won’t be crispy because of the additional liquid. If you are aiming for convenience, look for cauliflower that has already been broken into florets but make sure that they are without brown spots or blemishes.
Tap off excess batter and make sure there is space between the “wings” when baking
When you remove the coated cauliflower florets from the soy milk batter, shake off the excess batter before rolling in vegan breadcrumbs. This will help the “wings” crisp up. Also, make sure there is space between them when baking so that they brown on all sides.
Adjust the heat according to your taste
We’ve used Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings sauce for this recipe but you can use your preferred level of heat and vegan brand.
If you have hot sauce lovers, you can also serve extra on the side with our Vegan Sour Cream.
Healthy Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- ½ cup soy milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 t garlic powder
- 2 t onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup vegan breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce for Buffalo Wings
- 2 T olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, combine the soy milk, water, flour, and the spices. Mix until you have a smooth texture.
- Put the vegan breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.
- Dip each cauliflower floret into the soy mixture, shake off the excess and then dip it into the breadcrumbs.
- Place on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the cauliflower florets.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden.
- While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the sauce by combining the hot sauce and olive oil.
- Remove the baked cauliflower from the oven and place in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over and gently mix to coat evenly.
- Put the "wings" back onto the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately with Vegan Sour Cream and sliced veggies.
If you liked this recipe, you might also like our Simple Vegan Fried Chicken Recipe or our Vegan Pizza – Easy Deep Dish Recipe.