Sriracha Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
Sriracha Cauliflower Buffalo Wings! If you love spicy food, you’ll want to try these vegan cauliflower buffalo wings. Crispy, spicy and delicious!
The Superbowl is this weekend which means…. we’ll be eating these cauliflower buffalo wings, drinking a few ice cold beers and celebrating the end of football season.
It’s no secret that football season isn’t my favorite. Or, any sports season for that matter. I know that I’ll be forced into loving sports one day once Vander gets a little older but for now, I’d rather be doing just about anything else than watching a game.
The complete opposite is true of my husband. The son of a football coach and an athlete in his own right, sports is in BL’s veins. Sometimes I think he forgets that while his fantasy team might say otherwise, he’s actually not on the coaching staff for the Packers. So, I make us a giant feast for the Superbowl. A celebratory end of the season for him and the return of weekends for me.
I’m guessing by this point you’ve had cauliflower buffalo wings before. I first made them over 4 years ago and they’ve been a hit ever since. No, they don’t actually taste like chicken wings BUT it doesn’t really matter. Cauliflower coated in a crispy batter then dunked into a spicy buffalo sauce tastes so good that you don’t even need the meat.
We’re just here for the sauce anyways, right? I find that with most vegetarian and vegan food, as long as the sauce is good, the food is good. Cauliflower is the perfect stand-in for chicken.
These get turned up quite a few notches with the addition of Sriracha. Do you love food that makes your mouth almost seem like it’s going to catch on fire? Cool, me too.
These are spicy but not unnecessarily so. They provide just enough heat that you’ll want a cold beverage nearby, but not so hot that they aren’t fun to eat. I like spicy food, but I still want to enjoy my food, you know?
Pan Frying vs. Baking Cauliflower Wings
I went back and forth with how I wanted to prepare these and ultimately decided on pan-frying them. Yes, I know that it adds more calories and fat then baking them but hear me out.
These are a fun, watching-the-game appetizer. An appetizer that you likely don’t eat every weekend. And, that super crispy crust is almost impossible to achieve through baking. Sure, they aren’t as ‘healthy’ as the baked version but I stand by this frying. And, if you really, really want the baked kind then just follow my directions for that recipe here.
To fry these, you’ll want to get a skillet nice and hot with a thin layer of vegetable oil on the bottom. I used my cast-iron skillet and think it provides the best crust for frying. Getting the oil to a shimmer before adding the cauliflower ensures that it will absorb a minimal amount of oil. Too cold oil will absorb more, so do a quick test before adding the cauliflower: sprinkle a bit of water onto the oil. If it crackles, it’s hot enough.
We are also doing a classic triple dredge for the coating. Dip once in the seasoned flour, once in the “egg wash” and then again in the flour before carefully placing into the hot oil.
The egg wash is a trick I learned from The Edgy Veg. It’s essentially just soy or almond milk thickened with a bit of cornstarch and heated through. Once it cools down, it has a similar consistency of an egg wash and clings to the cauliflower pieces beautifully.
To make these come together easy, do this. Make the ranch dressing and set aside. While the cauliflower is cooking in the oven, prepare your flour and egg mixture. Right before you begin to fry the cauliflower, mix together the butter and hot sauce in a small pan so it’s warmed and ready to go as soon as the cauliflower comes out. Then, toss together and serve!
I know what I’ll be eating this weekend and I really hope these Sriracha Cauliflower Buffalo Wings make it to your table as well.
If you try these Sriracha Buffalo Wings, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Sriracha Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy or almond milk
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into drumstick-like pieces
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Buffalo Sauce, like Frank’s Hot
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3-4 tablespoons Sriracha
- vegetable oil, for frying
Vegan Ranch DressingÂ
- 1/2 cup mayo, or vegan mayo
- 1/4 cup soy milk
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Toss the cauliflower with olive oil and place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 40 minutes, until soft and slightly browned on the edges.
- Make the ranch dressing. Whisk together the mayo, soy milk, parsley, dill, garlic powder. Add a pinch of salt and season to taste, if needed. Set aside.
- Heat the milk and cornstarch together until cornstarch has dissolved. Heat the milk over medium heat until slightly thickened, then set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, garlic salt, paprika, onion powder, black pepper and salt.
- Heat a large skillet (I used a cast iron skillet)over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to have a 1/4-1/2" layer on the bottom.
- Dip the cauliflower into the flour, then into the thickened milk mixture, then back into the flour. Place in the oil and fry until golden brown, turning on each side. Repeat with the rest of the cauliflower and place on a paper-towel lined plate to soak up an excess oil.
- Heat the butter, buffalo hot sauce, vinegar and Sriracha over medium heat. Toss with the crispy cauliflower and serve immediately with the ranch dressing.