Cauliflower Buffalo Wings with Tahini Ranch

These cauliflower buffalo wings are extra crispy on the outside, tender in the middle and the perfect amount of spicy! Cool down the heat by dipping them in the homemade tahini ranch. The perfect appetizer for hosting or game days. Only 20 minutes of prep time required!

I know cauliflower buffalo wings are not a new or original idea. I have seen them circulating the internet, particularly among vegan food blogs for quite a while now!

The first time I had seem them was on Lauren Toyota’s Hot for Food Youtube Channel.

I don’t know if she is the original genius behind the cauliflower buffalo wings, but I’ll give her credit as she introduced me to this amazing, meaty but not meaty at all substitute.

The Best Method for Coating the Wings

I did want to share my take, or I might say my mom’s take on cauliflower wings as they are a bit easier than Lauren’s original method.

Lauren’s original method calls for dipping each cauliflower in the batter one by one and tapping the excess off on the side.

Instead of dipping one by one, just throw all the florets and batter together in a bowl with a lid and shake until they are all coated.

Not only is this way faster and easier, I’ve also found it helps get off the excess batter much better which prevents sticking.

When I have dipped them one by one in the past, excess batter always pooled around the floret on the baking mat. This ended up sticking to the mat during baking and ripping off the floret no matter how careful I was.

Losing precious delicious wing batter is sad no matter how you look at it.

As you can see above, no pooling of excess batter! This is KEY to getting them extra crispy.

Another key to making these extra crispy is getting your oven super hot! For a while I used to bake these at 400 degrees, Fahrenheit and while it worked, I noticed they did stick to the pan more.

Increasing the heat to 450 degrees, Fahrenheit will prevent the sticking and make them as crispy as possible!

Making the Tahini Ranch

Now, making this tahini ranch is super simple! But I want to give you a little disclaimer first and tell you this does not taste like ranch.

I also want to tell you that if you have never had tahini before, it has a strong, sometimes bitter taste. I really like tahini it but it is a taste that takes some getting used to!

Some brands of tahini are more mild than others so it may take you some time to find the one you personally like, but it is a great nut butter substitute as it is more neutral tasting.

It is also a good creamy, healthier replacement for popular non-vegan foods like ranch dressing and does really well in baked desserts.

To make this tahini ranch, all you need to do is mix together all of the ingredients. Super simple. Give it time to chill in the fridge so it is cool when the wings are ready!

A few key ingredients are the chives, parsley and dill. Adding in herbs will give it that ranch flavor! You can use fresh parsley and dill as well if you have it on hand!

YUM! Doesn’t that look meaty?!

I can’t wait for you guys to try this recipe! It’s pretty amazing all the wonderful things cauliflower can do.

More Vegan Appetizers to Try

• Vegan Cheesy Garlic Bread (Pull Apart Bread!)
• Baked Dinosaur Tofu Nuggets
• Savory Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

Enjoy!!

Recipe inspired by: Hot For Food. Photo styling inspired by: Half Baked Harvest.

Cauliflower Buffalo Wings with Tahini Ranch

Nicolette

Vegan cauliflower buffalo wings with tahini ranch. The perfect game day or hosting snack. Spicy, crispy, and tangy from the tahini ranch! 

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

 

Cauliflower Wing Batter

• ▢ 1 large cauliflower broken into florets about 8 loosely packed cups
• ▢ ⅔ cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk can substitute water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 ½ cups bread crumbs can substitute panko breadcrumbs

Buffalo Sauce

• ▢ 1 cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper sauce or other comparable buffalo sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegan butter melted
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Tahini Ranch

• ▢ ½ cup tahini very smooth and runny
• ▢ ⅓ cup lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chives finely diced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried dill
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ teaspoon maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or grease well. 
• Chop your head of cauliflower into bite sized florets.
• To a large mixing bowl with a lid (can also use a Tupperware), add the all-purpose flour, plant based milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper to make the batter. Whisk well. 
• Add the cauliflower florets to the batter then add the lid, and shake well until all florets are covered well in batter. 
• In a second large mixing bowl with a lid (can also use a large Tupperware) add the breadcrumbs. Transfer the battered cauliflower into bowl with bread crumbs. Add the lid and shake until all florets are well coated in bread crumbs. 
• Divide the breaded cauliflower florets between two baking sheets. Make sure they are spaced out enough to allow them to crisp up. If they are too close together they will steam and not get nearly as crispy.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• While the cauliflower wings are baking, prepare the tahini ranch and buffalo sauce.
• To make the tahini ranch, simply mix together all tahini ranch ingredients listed above until well combined. Transfer ranch to the fridge to chill.
• After 25 minutes of baking, carefully transfer the florets back into your large mixing bowl that you used for the breadcrumbs (does not need to be clean) and add the buffalo sauce mixture. Add the lid and shake to coat all florets in buffalo sauce. Transfer florets back to your baking sheets and bake again for another 25 minutes.
• After 25 minutes, remove from oven and enjoy immediately. 
• Storage: These cauliflower buffalo wings are really best fresh but will last up to 3 days in the fridge. They will be significantly less crispy after refrigeration.

Notes

• This tahini ranch does not taste like traditional ranch but is a great dairy-free, oil-free alternative. Follow Your Heart makes a good store-bought vegan ranch.
• I have not tried making these wings with gluten free flour or gluten free bread crumbs but if you give it a try, please let me know! 

Nutrition Facts

Cauliflower Buffalo Wings with Tahini Ranch

Amount per Serving

Calories

543

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

24

g

37

%

Saturated Fat

 

4

g

25

%

Sodium

 

671

mg

29

%

Potassium

 

904

mg

26

%

Carbohydrates

 

69

g

23

%

Fiber

 

8

g

33

%

Sugar

 

11

g

12

%

Protein

 

18

g

36

%

Vitamin A

 

415

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

 

107

mg

130

%

Calcium

 

253

mg

25

%

Iron

 

5

mg

28

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer: The Nutritional Information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe?Tell us how you liked it in the comments below!