These Maple Sriracha Cauliflower Wings will make all your game day dreams come true. They’re vegan, easily gluten-free, and full of flavor!
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These Maple Sriracha Cauliflower Wings are the kind of crowd-pleasing vegan appetizer that game day dreams are made of. They’re coated in a buttermilk batter and panko breadcrumbs and roasted until perfectly crispy, drenched in the most delicious maple sriracha sauce, and roasted some more until it all comes together. It does require a bit of work, but the results are oh so worth it.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Wings
Cauliflower: The key here is to abide by the Goldilocks rule. You want to cut your cauliflower into florets that are not too big, not too small. Just right.
Almond Milk and Rice Vinegar: Any plant-based milk works as long as it’s unsweetened and unflavored. You’re gonna mix it with some rice vinegar to create a vegan “buttermilk” situation to coat the wings in.
Flour: I used all-purpose, but gluten-free 1-for-1 flour should work well too.
Cornstarch: Just a tablespoon to thicken the batter and provide structure without adding egg.
Garlic Powder and Sea Salt: To give our batter a bit of flavor dimension (though that maple sriracha sauce will be the real star).
Panko Breadcrumbs: To give these wings some signature crunch. Gluten-free will work here too!
Ingredients for Maple Sriracha Sauce
Soy Sauce or Tamari: Make sure to use the low-sodium variety so these wings are not overly salty.
Vegetable Broth or Water: To balance out the salty umami vibes of the soy sauce.
Sriracha: I put in about a quarter cup for a nice spicy kick, but put more or less depending on your tastes.
Maple Syrup: You could also use honey if you’re not vegan.
Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Gotta add some aromatics to deepen the flavor!
Cornstarch and Water: To make a slurry! You’ll whisk together until there are no lumps and then add it to the sauce to thicken it up.
Toasted Sesame Oil: Optional to stir in at the end for an extra layer of flavor.
Cauliflower Wings Tips & Tricks
- Dredging: Make sure to quickly dredge each cauliflower floret through the panko breadcrumbs, coating on all sides without lingering. If you rotate too many times, the breadcrumbs will start to fall off and make a soggy mess.
- Storage and Reheating: While I think these wings are best served fresh, they will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. I would reheat in the oven on 350° F so they can crisp up again.
- Make gluten-free! Simply use gluten-free 1-for-1 flour in place of the all-purpose flour, gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, and tamari in place of soy sauce.
- Leftover sauce? Depending on how large your head of cauliflower is, you may have some leftover sauce. I would totally add some peanut butter (and maybe a little water to thin it out) and make an East-Asian inspired rice or noodle dish similar to this one.
I hope you absolutely love these Maple Sriracha Cauliflower Wings and they are your new fave game day snack! If you give them a try, I would love for you to leave a rating and review. This encourages others to try the recipe too! You can also always find me on Instagram and Pinterest. It makes my day to hear from you!
More Vegan Game Day Snacks!
- The Best Vegan Queso (8 Ingredients!)
- Three Bean Walnut Pumpkin Chili (Vegan!)
- Healthier S’mores Dip (3 Ingredients!)
Maple Sriracha Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
For Cauliflower Wings:
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into bite-size florets
- 1¼ cups unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened plant-based milk of choice)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1-for-1 flour)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1-2 cups panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
For Maple Sriracha Sauce:
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- ¼ cup sriracha (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine almond milk and rice vinegar in a bowl or liquid measuring cup and set aside for 5 minutes to form a homemade "buttermilk."
- In a large bowl, mix together "buttermilk" mixture, flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, and sea salt until just combined. Put panko breadcrumbs in another large bowl.
- Carefully dredge each cauliflower floret through the buttermilk batter and then the breadcrumbs until fully covered before spacing evenly apart on the baking sheet. The key here is to quickly cover all sides of the cauliflower with panko without letting it dredge too long; otherwise the panko begins to fall off and cause a mess. Bake 22-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, veggie broth, sriracha, maple syrup, ginger, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Mix together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until no clumps remain before adding to the simmering sauce. Simmer 5-10 more minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and fold in sesame oil if using.
- Remove cauliflower from the oven and use a fork or other utensil to carefully dredge each floret through the sauce until fully covered. Return to baking sheet and bake for 5 more minutes so the flavors come together. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Photography by Hope Agresti
who new healthy could taste so good. yumm!