Buffalo Cauliflower Wings (Print View)

Spicy baked cauliflower florets served with a tangy blue cheese dip and crunchy veggie sticks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cauliflower Wings

01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil (for baking tray)

→ Buffalo Sauce

10 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - ½ cup hot sauce (preferably Franks RedHot or similar)
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

→ Blue Cheese Dip

13 - 3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
14 - ½ cup sour cream
15 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
16 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
17 - 1 tablespoon milk
18 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional)
19 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

20 - Celery sticks
21 - Carrot sticks

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
03 - Add cauliflower florets to the batter and toss until each piece is well coated. Shake off excess batter and arrange florets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until just golden.
05 - Meanwhile, make the buffalo sauce: In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, hot sauce, and honey until smooth.
06 - Remove cauliflower from the oven. Using tongs, dip each floret into the buffalo sauce, ensuring even coverage. Return to baking sheet.
07 - Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until crispy and lightly browned.
08 - For the blue cheese dip: In a small bowl, combine blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, milk, and chives. Mix until creamy, leaving some blue cheese chunks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Serve buffalo cauliflower wings immediately with blue cheese dip, celery, and carrot sticks.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crispy exterior gives way to tender cauliflower while the buffalo sauce delivers that perfect spicy kick
  • You get all the satisfaction of wings without the meat, and honestly nobody misses it
02 -
  • Don't skip shaking off excess batter or the coating becomes gummy instead of crispy
  • The second bake is crucial for setting the sauce texture properly
03 -
  • Line your baking sheet with fresh parchment after the first bake to avoid sticky cleanup
  • Room temperature cauliflower coats more evenly than cold from the fridge