WFPB Cauliflower Wing Bites (Vegan)
Cauliflower Wing Bites are a great way to get your chicken wing fix living whole food plant-based. For the first 43 years of my life, I lived in Rochester, New York, just 90 minutes west down I-90 was the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY.
Post Date: November 07, 2023
Posted by: Donna SpencerThis post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
If you know Western New York, you know just how seriously we take our chicken wings! They’re practically a food group. Whether you’re enjoying a dozen as an appetizer or ordering two dozen and calling it dinner, wings are serious business!
So when I transitioned to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle, I knew I needed a way to enjoy those familiar flavors and that satisfying crunch without the chicken or the oil.
Enter these Cauliflower Wing Bites!
Crispy and golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and delicious with your favorite hot sauce and a creamy plant-based dipping dressing, these little bites bring back some of my favorite Western New York food memories.
They’ve become a regular at our traditional Friday Night Happy Hours and are just as perfect for football Sundays, casual gatherings, or holiday appetizer tables.
Are they exactly like Buffalo chicken wings? Of course not! But they deliver plenty of crunch, spice, and satisfaction—and that’s what makes them a favorite in our house.
Why These Cauliflower Wings Are Worth Making
I’ve ordered cauliflower wings at restaurants more times than I can count, and I’m almost always disappointed. They’re often drenched in oil, heavily battered, and by the time they reach the table, the cauliflower has become soft and soggy. Not exactly the crispy, satisfying wings I was hoping for!
That’s why I love making these Crispy Cauliflower Wing Bites at home. They’re baked, not fried, and the combination of a light cornstarch coating and seasoned gluten-free panko breadcrumbs gives them that wonderful crunch without all the oil.
Here’s what makes them worth trying:
- Crispy outside, tender inside. The coating provides a satisfying crunch while the cauliflower stays tender without turning mushy.
- No added oil. You get that golden, crunchy coating without deep-frying or drenching the cauliflower in oil.
- Big flavor, simple ingredients. Garlic, onion, chili, turmeric, and other seasonings bring plenty of flavor to every bite.
- Make them as spicy as you like. Serve with your favorite hot sauce, from mild to fiery, and a creamy plant-based dressing for dipping.
- Perfect for sharing. Whether it’s football Sunday, Friday Night Happy Hour, or a holiday gathering, these little bites make a fun, crowd-pleasing appetizer.
And unlike restaurant versions that can arrive swimming in sauce, you control how much hot sauce and dressing to add, helping those crispy cauliflower wings stay crunchy until the last bite!
A Simple Dredging Station Makes All the Difference
The secret to these cauliflower wings is the three-part dredging station. It may sound a little fussy at first, but it is actually very simple—and it is what helps create that crisp, golden coating.
Here is how it works:
- Cornstarch: The cauliflower pieces get a light dusting of cornstarch first. This helps dry the surface a bit and gives the next layer something to cling to.
- Unsweetened non-dairy milk: Next, the cauliflower is dipped into the non-dairy milk. This acts like the “glue” that helps the breadcrumbs stick.
- Gluten-free panko breadcrumbs: Finally, each piece is coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, which create that crunchy exterior once baked.
This three-step process is what gives the cauliflower a crisp outside while keeping the inside tender. It also helps the coating stay in place better than simply tossing the cauliflower in breadcrumbs alone.
If you are setting up your dredging station for the first time, I recommend arranging the bowls in order—cornstarch, milk, then breadcrumbs—so you can move quickly and keep one hand for dry ingredients and one hand for wet ingredients. It makes the whole process much easier and a lot less messy.
PLANTifull Fare Notes
- Keep the Cauliflower Dry: After washing your cauliflower, dry it thoroughly before breading. Excess moisture can prevent the coating from sticking and leave you with soggy wings instead of crispy bites.
- Use a Light Touch When Dredging: Lightly coat each cauliflower piece in cornstarch, shaking off the excess before dipping it into the non-dairy milk. Too much cornstarch can create a thick, powdery coating rather than a delicate crunch.
- Give Those Wings Some Breathing Room: Arrange the breaded cauliflower in a single layer on your baking sheet, leaving space between pieces. Overcrowding traps steam and prevents the coating from getting crispy. Use two baking sheets if necessary.
- Keep the Sauce on the Side: For the crispiest cauliflower wings, serve your favorite hot sauce and creamy plant-based dressing alongside them rather than tossing everything together. This keeps the coating crunchy and lets everyone adjust the heat to their liking.
Grocery List
Produce
cauliflower
Pantry
breadcrumbs of choice
unsweetened non-dairy milk
corn starch
turmeric
dried parsley
chili powder
onion powder
garlic powder
Misc
salt
pepper
hot wing sauce
vegan blue cheese
Add-Ins and Substitutions
Try this recipe for onion rings, zucchini sticks, artichokes, or any other veggie you would like to coat and dip into delicious sauces.
Storing
I am going to tell you straight up. These don’t reheat well but you can try in the oven at 425 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Warning: they may overbake into mush.
Instead, I turn leftovers into cauliflower parmesan for a quick weeknight dinner. Simply place a bit of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish, layer the cauliflower on top, then sauce again. Repeat the layers as desired and top with Vegan Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition 411
Quick Nutrition Snapshot
These crispy cauliflower wings offer a lighter, oil-free alternative to traditional deep-fried wings, with cauliflower providing fiber, vitamins, and beneficial plant compounds.
Based on the current recipe card, one serving (¼ of the recipe) provides approximately:
- Protein: Varies depending on the non-dairy milk and breadcrumbs used
- Fiber: Contributed by the cauliflower and gluten-free breadcrumbs
- Fat: No added oil; total fat depends on the ingredients and dipping dressing
- Sodium: Varies considerably depending on the breadcrumbs, hot sauce, and seasonings
These values are estimates. The recipe card’s calorie calculation should be verified, particularly because gluten-free panko brands and dipping dressings can differ significantly.
Ingredient Highlights
Cauliflower: The star of this recipe is a cruciferous vegetable that provides vitamin C, fiber, folate, and beneficial plant compounds called glucosinolates. Vitamin C supports normal immune function and collagen formation, while fiber contributes to digestive health.
Cornstarch: Used in a small amount to help create a light, crispy coating. Cornstarch contributes carbohydrates but relatively few vitamins or minerals. Its primary job here is texture rather than nutrition.
Gluten-Free Panko Breadcrumbs: Give these wings their satisfying crunch without deep-frying. Nutritional content varies by brand, so look for options without added oil and with reasonable sodium levels.
Herbs and Spices: Garlic, onion, turmeric, chili, and parsley add layers of flavor without relying on oil. They also contribute small amounts of naturally occurring plant compounds.
Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk: Helps the breading adhere to the cauliflower. Nutrients vary by type, with fortified soy milk generally providing more protein than almond or rice milk.
The Bigger Picture
These cauliflower wings are a great example of how cooking techniques can transform an everyday vegetable into something fun and satisfying without relying on deep-frying.
The three-step dredging process creates a crispy coating, while baking eliminates the need for added cooking oil. Serving the hot sauce and creamy dressing on the side lets you control the amount of sodium, heat, and richness.
Although cauliflower wings aren’t nutritionally equivalent to chicken wings—they generally provide less protein—they offer another delicious way to enjoy vegetables as part of a varied, whole-food, plant-based eating pattern.
And sometimes, that’s the whole point: enjoying familiar flavors and food traditions while making room for more plants on your plate!
Cauliflower Wing Bites
Ingredients
- 1 small-head of Cauliflower
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ¾ to 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 2 cups gluten free panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided in two 1/4 teaspoons
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ cup jarred hot sauce (look for one with no sugar, no oil and that is fermented
- ¼ cup WFPB creamy dipping dressing of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat conventional oven to 400°F. (If you have a convection oven set to 425°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or rack and set aside.
- Cut Cauliflower into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Place the corn-starch in a plastic baggie or small bowl with second 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Pour the non-dairy milk into another small bowl.
- Combine* the breadcrumbs with all the seasonings except for parsley and use only 1/4 teaspoon salt here. (*I place all these ingredients in a plastic gallon size bag and crush finer with rolling pin, use a food processor or use a blender.) Place in a small bowl.
- Dip each piece of Cauliflower into the corn-starch, then the non-dairy milk, and then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
- Place the breaded Cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown. In conventional oven 35-40 minutes at 400°F and about 20-25 minutes for 425°F in convection oven.
Notes
- If you are making this recipe gluten free, you can buy gluten free bread and toast the bread then process it into bread crumbs. I use Panko Gluten Free.
- Use a gallon plastic bag to dredge the cauliflower in the Corn Starch. This will allow you to apply a light coat of corn starch. It will also reduce your clean-up effort as you can shake off extra from the cauliflower inside the bag to reduce clean-up efforts and prevent the cauliflower from tasting like dry like cotton balls
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