These cauliflower wings are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. They are easy to make in the air fryer in under 30 minutes and are so delicious when tossed in buffalo sauce, lemon pepper seasoning, or sesame garlic sauce.
It's appetizer season right now, so what better time to share a new recipe for air fryer cauliflower wings? Even though these wings are vegan, they are so good that even meat lovers enjoy them (trust me, I checked!)
I like to make cauliflower wings in the air fryer because their coating becomes super crispy without using a lot of oil. This recipe includes 3 different cauliflower wing sauces, and the cauliflower is steamed before air frying so that each bite is super tender.
Whether you're trying to get your family to eat more veggies or want an easy appetizer for the holiday season, these cauliflower wings are worth a try!
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Recipe features
- Texture: The cauliflower is steamed until just tender before breading it, resulting in a crispy exterior and soft inside.
- Quick & easy: Made using less than 10 ingredients in under 30 minutes.
- Multiple ways to make: Although this recipe is for air-fried cauliflower wings, I also include methods for stove-top and oven-baked wings.
- Includes recipes for three sauces: Buffalo wings, sesame garlic, and lemon pepper sauce.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed for the base cauliflower wing:
- Cauliflower: You can use fresh or frozen cauliflower. I usually buy a head of cauliflower and slice it myself, but you can pre-sliced cauliflower florets to save on prep time. Frozen cauliflower also works.
- Milk: I use unsweetened, unflavored soy milk but any kind of milk works. Just make sure it is unsweetened! Buttermilk can be used if you have it on hand.
- Panko breadcrumbs add a crispy crunch. An equal amount of regular breadcrumbs can be used but results in a less crispy cauliflower wing.
- Seasonings: In order to have a flavorful cauliflower wing, we need to start with the wing batter. This is why we're adding onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning (Cajun seasoning is an easy sub if you don't have Old Bay).
Wing sauces
These wing sauces are included in this recipe:
Buffalo sauce is a classic wing sauce and it is so easy to make. All you have to do is combine hot sauce with melted butter. I used Cholula because it's my favorite "basic" hot sauce, but Frank's Red Hot is usually very popular in buffalo wings. I used vegan butter to keep these wings vegan, but any unsalted melted butter works.
Sesame garlic sauce is like a sweet and garlicky teriyaki-style sauce. It's made using fresh garlic, sesame oil, honey or agave syrup, soy sauce (sub reduced sodium for a lower salt option), and sesame seeds.
Lemon pepper sauce is a bright, zesty dry-ish seasoning that brings these wings to life. To save on time, we're using store-bought lemon pepper seasoning (this usually includes dry lemon peel, citric acid, sugar, and black pepper), melted butter, and honey.
More cauliflower wing sauce ideas:
- Teriyaki sauce using my teriyaki quinoa fried rice.
- Sweet BBQ wings using my vegan BBQ sauce.
- A thicker sesame garlic sauce can be made using my sesame tofu recipe.
- Sweet and spicy wings using my harissa tofu.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you begin: If using a whole head of cauliflower, slice it into florets. It's okay if there are a few different sizes of florets.
Cauliflower wings are made by dipping each wing in a batter and panko breadcrumbs.
- Steam the cauliflower until just tender. It should still have a little bit of crunch to it but not be completely raw or completely softened because it will cook a little bit more in the air fryer.
- Make the batter: Whisk together the all purpose flour and seasonings. Slowly whisk the milk into the flour. Do not pour flour into the milk or it will clump up. Pouring slowly while whisking keeps the mixture smooth.
- Coat each cauliflower floret in the batter mixture. Lightly shake to remove any big drips.
- Roll the cauliflower floret in the panko breadcrumbs.
Cooking methods
- To air fry: Place cauliflower wings in the lightly oiled air fryer basket. Work in batches to avoid overlapping the wings. Air fry at 400F for 6-8 minutes. I don't usually need to turn the wings halfway through.
- To fry: Heat a medium skillet (I use my 12 inch cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add about an inch of oil. To test that the oil is hot enough, sprinkle it with a pinch of flour. It is good to go if it immediately sizzles. Once hot, add the cauliflower wings. Flip over when golden, about 1-2 minutes.
- To roast: Layer the breaded cauliflower wings on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, careful not to overlap pieces. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, until the exterior is crispy and golden.
Toss the cooked cauliflower wings in sauce or brush them with the sauce just before serving. Enjoy!
Tips and variations
- Make sure to leave space between the cauliflower wing while air frying or baking. This allows them to crisp.
- Lightly oil the air fryer basket to keep the wings from sticking.
- Cauliflower prep tip: The easiest way to prep a whole head of cauliflower is to first slice it directly down the center. Slice each half in half again down the core. Use a knife to slice out the core and the florets will fall away. From here you can slice the florets into smaller pieces as needed.
- How to use frozen cauliflower: You can make air fried cauliflower wings using frozen cauliflower! To avoid mushy cauliflower, I recommend cooking it for a minute less than recommended on the bag instructions.
- DIY steaming basket: If you don't have a steamer basket, you can place a medium metal sieve into a medium pot. Add cauliflower to the sieve and cover tightly with the pot lid.
- Types of air fryers: There are many different kinds of air fryers and I can't promise the exact same results in every kind, which is why I include a range of times. I tested this recipe in my Cuisinart toaster oven/air fryer combo and in my Instant Pot air fryer lid. I did not notice a substantial difference between the two brands.
- Batter texture: The batter should be thick like pancake batter. If it is too thin it will fall off the wings. If it is too thick it won't coat the wings well. To fix thin batter, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time until thickened. To fix thick batter, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time.
- Gluten-free option: Yes, you can substitute gluten-free all purpose flour or whole wheat flour. I recommend Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Dipping sauces: This vegan ranch dressing is a must-make. Chipotle ranch dressing is another delicious option.
Storage tips
Leftovers: My personal take is that cauliflower wings don't make great leftovers and are best enjoyed immediately. If you do choose to keep leftovers, keep them refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Reheating: I highly recommend reheating cauli wings in the air fryer so that they become crispy again. Air fry at 350F for 4-6 minutes, or until crispy.
Looking for air fryer favorites?
Check out my roundup of tailgating recipes for more game day recipes, or try these panko breaded tofu nuggets (they can also be air-fried!).
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating in the recipe card or a review in the comments below. Or check out my cookbook and keep up to date with my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or newsletter!
Recipe
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Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
Cauliflower Wings
- 1 medium head cauliflower sliced into florets, see note #1
- 1 cup all-purpose flour see note #2
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning Cajun seasoning also works
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup milk of choice I use unsweetened, unflavored soy milk
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup hot sauce Cholulah or Frank's Red Hot are best
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Sesame Garlic Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- sesame seeds for coating
Instructions
Cauliflower Instructions
- Steam the cauliflower: Using a steamer basket, steam the cauliflower until just tender, about 5 minutes. It should be crisp but easy to pierce with a fork.
- Make the batter: Whisk together the all purpose flour and seasonings. Slowly whisk the milk into the flour. Do not pour flour into the milk or it will clump up. Pouring slowly while whisking keeps the mixture smooth.
- Coat each cauliflower floret in the batter mixture. Shake to remove any big drips.
- Roll each cauliflower floret in the panko breadcrumbs.
- To air fry: Place cauliflower wings in a lightly oiled air fryer basket. Work in batches to avoid overlapping the wings. Air fry at 400F for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown.
- To roast: Layer the breaded cauliflower wings on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, careful not to overlap pieces. Bake at in a preheated 425F oven for 15 minutes, until the exterior is crispy and golden.
- To fry: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add about an inch of oil. Once hot, add the cauliflower wings. Flip over when golden, about 1-2 minutes.
Sauce Instructions
- For each sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Toss the cooked cauliflower wings in sauce or brush them with the sauce just before serving. Toss the sesame wings with sesame seeds. Serve wings with ranch dressing. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cauliflower: Frozen cauliflower also works. Cook for one minute less than recommended on package instructions.
- Flour: An equal amount of whole wheat flour or gluten-free all purpose flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
- Sauce amounts: Each sauce makes enough to coat ½ batch of cauliflower wings. I recommend doubling the sauces if you plan to use just one sauce per batch.
- Nutrition facts are based on cauliflower wings without sauce.
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