We’ve been on this Vegan Journey for about a year and a half now. The kids made it for six months before bailing and I’m really an 80/20 vegan now, but Michael is still 100% plant-based. We did, after all, embark on this way of eating because of his doctor’s stern warning to get his stuff together!

Learning to cook plant-based hasn’t been difficult, but it has been VERY different. I’m a Southern cook. I use butter. I use heavy cream. I use cheese. “Casserole” is its own food group. I used to spend large chunks of my summers cooking oodles of meals to freeze for future days when I didn’t feel like cooking.

I don’t do alot of freezer meals anymore. That’s my own fault. It’s just that I have very few plant-based recipes that freeze well. I do use plant butter and there’s even a plant-based heavy cream and plant-based cheeses, but some things just don’t translate!

This recipe definitely translates!

My boys are both HUGE wings fans. Michael prefers traditional buffalo wings and Christopher likes honey BBQ – but will eat buffalo as well. I have made wings in so many different ways. I’ve fried them. I’ve air fried them. I’ve made them in the slow cooker. I’ve made them in the Instant Pot. I’ve smoked them (my personal favorite). I’ve grilled them. I’ve baked them.

We were all VERY skeptical of eating buffalo cauliflower. My family has big trust issues when it comes to cauliflower. I’ve been using it for years – especially when Michael was eating low carb. It really is crazy-versatile and can be used in so many dishes. But buffalo cauliflower?

Yes, please!

This started out as several recipes I found online, but I tweaked them to make my own. It is a little labor-intensive, but SOOOOO worth it!

Buffalo Cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower, broken into bite-sized pieced. You should have 30-40 pieces

Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup of Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce
  • 6 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the other ingredients until well combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Batter:

  • 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups of milk
  • 3 tablespoons of Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line two big baking pans with foil or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Batter should resemble thick pancake batter. If you think it’s too thick add a tablespoon more of milk, but be careful not to make it too thin. Add the cauliflower to the batter and stir gently to completely coat it. Place each piece onto the lined baking sheet, dividing equally between the two pans and avoiding overcrowding.

Bake until the pieces are golden with some darker brown spots (about 20 minutes).

Remove from the oven and place into a second large bowl. Pour the prepared wing sauce over the pieces and toss gently to coat.

Turn on the broiler to high.

Place coated cauliflower back onto the baking sheets (don’t wash the bowl!!). You will cook each pan separately. Cook under the broiler until the pieces are crispy and browned in spots (3-4 minutes). Remove the cauliflower from the pan and place back into the sauce bowl and toss. Place second pan into the oven and repeat. Once you have sauced them a second time, remove to a serving platter.

Serve with bleu cheese or ranch and celery sticks.

Well Duh #1: I used almond milk, but you can use whatever is your milk of choice.

Well Duh #2: I bought bags of cauliflower florets because I’m lazy.

Well Duh #3: I doubled this recipe. Even when I don’t double the entire recipe, I ALWAYS double the sauce. I like to put what’s leftover into a squirt bottle to use on the pieces I cook from frozen.

Well Duh #5: Michael hates bleu cheese. Says it smells like catfish bait.

Well Duh #6: These freeze BEAUTIFULLY!! I placed leftovers onto a newly-lined pan and froze them for a couple of hours. Then I pulled them off the pan and threw them into a big ZipLoc and stored them in the freezer. To reheat, I just put them in the air fryer on the French fry setting, but you could also bake them at 400 for about 15 minutes.

These were absolutely loved by every member of the family – even Elizabeth, who HATES regular wings!

This is definitely a recipe that you should try!!

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