I am a huge fan of BIG savory flavors. If it’s salty, spicy, zesty and/or has that all-round umami goodness, I’m all over it. These Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings” with Ranch dip are my idea of a perfect appetizer, mid-afternoon snack, game day munchie, breakfast (okay, maybe not…) But, they really are that good.
I promise that even your friends who aren’t vegan are going to love these. Cauliflower has great texture and takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with – making it the perfect base for these tasty morsels. Coated in a savory batter, roasted, then brushed with a spicy, buttery buffalo sauce and served hot with zesty ranch… you simply cannot go wrong.
“But, I can’t do spicy,” you say… I see you. And guess what? You can still make this recipe work for you! Instead of buffalo sauce, substitute your favorite BBQ sauce or Teriyaki. You could even use soy sauce and vegan butter mixed together for a simple salty (but not spicy) wing.
Bon appetit!
Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings” with Ranch Dip
Wings Batter Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (substitute for gluten-free flour mix for gluten-free recipe)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or seasoned salt)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted*
- 1 cup almond milk
Buffalo Sauce Ingredients:
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted*
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce** (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Ranch Dip Ingredients:
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
* My favorite non-dairy butter is this cultured vegan butter by Miyoko. Definitely more expensive than other options, but it is incredibly delicious and really shines in the buffalo sauce for this recipe. If you cannot find this butter, feel free to use Earth Balance or even coconut oil.
** Tabasco was my hot sauce of choice for this buffalo sauce. You can use any hot sauce that you like, but I recommend a thinner vinegar-based hot sauce for a more authentic-tasting buffalo sauce.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix flour, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast in a medium-sized bowl. Add vegan butter and almond milk and mix until everything is consistent and there aren’t many lumps. The consistency should be medium-thick, like a pancake batter. Add more almond milk if it’s too thick or more flour if it’s too runny.
- Toss cauliflower in the batter, coating all pieces thoroughly. Place each piece on the parchment paper lined baking tray and put in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower looks cooked through (but not too golden.)
- While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the buffalo sauce by combining all Buffalo Sauce Ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference. **TIP: Like I mentioned above, you can always substitute in another favorite sauce, particularly if you don’t care for spicy things. BBQ sauce or Teriyaki are both great options.
- Also while the cauliflower is baking, prepare the Ranch Dip by combining all Ranch Dip ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference.
- Remove baking tray with cauliflower from the oven (leaving the oven on) and liberally brush the buffalo sauce on all cauliflower pieces using a pastry brush. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove cauliflower from the oven and serve piping hot with the delicious Ranch Dip. Enjoy!
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