Cauliflower Wings (Air Fryer or Baked)

Name: Cauliflower Wings (Air Fryer or Baked)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 small 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; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup milk of choice (I use unsweetened, unflavored soy milk); 2 cups panko breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning; 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon honey (or agave syrup); 1/2 cup hot sauce (Cholulah or Frank's Red Hot are best); 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3-4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon honey (or agave syrup); 1 teaspoon sesame oil; sesame seeds (for coating)

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These cauliflower wings are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. They are easy to make in the air fryer or in the oven in under 30 minutes and are so delicious when tossed in buffalo sauce, lemon pepper seasoning, or sesame garlic sauce.

Orange and yellow cauliflower wings stacked on each other

It's appetizer season right now, so what better time to share a new recipe for cauliflower wings? Even those these wings are vegan, they are so good that even meat-lovers enjoy them (trust me, I checked!)

Table of Contents hide

1 Recipe features

2 What you'll need

3 Wing sauces

4 Step by step instructions

5 Expert tips and troubleshooting

6 Recipe FAQ

7 Looking for appetizer recipes?

8 Cauliflower Wings (Air Fryer or Baked)

Recipe features

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.

Here's why this recipe works:

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: can be fried on the stovetop, air-fried, or oven baked
Includes 3 sauces: buffalo wings, sesame garlic, and lemon pepper

What you'll need

Labeled ingredients used to make cauliflower wings

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 garlic 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.

Making the breading

Cauliflower wings are made by dipping each wing in a batter and panko breadcrumbs.

Steps 1 through 4 to make cauliflower wings

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 the wings

Breaded cauliflower on metal air fryer rack on marble counter

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!

Expert tips and troubleshooting

Make sure to leave space between the cauliflower wing while baking. This allows them to crisp.
Lightly oil the air fryer basket to keep the wings from sticking.
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.
Dipping sauces: This vegan ranch is a must-make. Chipotle ranch is another delicious option.

Recipe FAQ

How do you prep a whole head of cauliflower?

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.

Can I use frozen cauliflower?

Yes, frozen cauliflower works really well. To avoid mushy cauliflower, I recommend cooking it for a minute less than recommended on the bag instructions.

Can I make these without panko or breadcrumbs?

Yes, you can skip the panko and just make the batter, but this will result in a softer texture.

Can I use gluten-free flour?

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.

Why are my cauliflower wings soggy?

The wings are soggy either because you added too much sauce, they didn't bake long enough, or they sat out too long. The wings should be golden and have a crispy exterior before tossing with sauce. They are best enjoyed soon after making because as the wings sit, the sauce causes the breading to soften.

Do these taste like chicken?

Honestly? No. The texture is reminiscent of wings (soft inside, crunchy outside), but cauliflower wings are their own thing, so don't go expecting a chicken wing!

Can I use raw cauliflower?

I tested this recipe with raw cauliflower a few times and did not like the result. The cauliflower is just too raw. You can technically use raw cauliflower but I don't recommend it.

How do you store and reheat leftovers?

Cauliflower wings don't make great leftovers and are best enjoyed immediately. If you do choose to keep leftovers, keep refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheat in the air fryer or oven.

Orange and yellow cauliflower wings on a white plate

Looking for appetizer recipes?

Check out my roundup of tailgating recipes for more game day recipes, or try these panko tofu nuggets (they can also be air-fried!).

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