Air Fryer Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

These Air Fryer Cauliflower Buffalo Wings are a fantastic vegetarian alternative to traditional buffalo wings. They’re coated in a crispy flour-based batter, then air fried to perfection, and tossed in a traditional buffalo sauce with a twist. They’re sure to become a weeknight favorite!

I’ll admit it – I’m kind of a baby about spicy food. I like what I like, and while I’ve tried and tried to expand my palate to include things that are a little hotter, I just can’t get there. There are a few exceptions. Hot Honey for one, this pickled corn has a bit of a kick to it. And these cauliflower wings are my new obsession. They’re spicy, but not too spicy – dipped in ranch to cool them down a bit they’re just about perfect.

Now, no one is going to eat one of these and mistake it for chicken, but I bet they’ll still think it’s pretty darn good, because it is!

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You can make this in the oven too, if you don’t have an air fryer – I’ll provide instructions further down in the post.

All in all, this is ready in under 45 minutes – serve with some fries or a salad if you’re trying to keep it light and you’ve got yourself a fantastic dinner!

Shopping List for Air Fryer Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

• Cauliflower
• Flour
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Buffalo Sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)
• Water
• Butter
• Honey (optional)

Let’s Talk about Cauliflower Wings:

Flavor: These have a traditional mild buffalo wing flavor. If you want them spicier, you can definitely swap out the hot sauce for a hotter version or use more of it. I use Frank’s Red Hot, and I know there are about 10 different varieties of varying spiciness. The regular Frank’s gives a gentle heat that’s not overwhelming.

Texture: The batter coating makes these wings crispy and delicious as long as you eat them right away. The inner texture is definitely a cauliflower texture more than chicken but the flavor really does help you feel like you’re eating a sinful treat.

Ease: This is an incredibly easy meal to put together. The most labor-intensive part is chopping up the cauliflower so that the pieces are relatively even. The batter is easy to mix together, and you can spoon the cauliflower pieces out directly into the air fryer basket.

Recipe Highlights:

• Vegetarian recipe
• Delicious chicken wing flavor
• Easy to make
• Air Fryer or oven friendly
• Fast weeknight dinner option
• Spicy – but able to be adapted

FAQ’s

How big should I cut the pieces of cauliflower? You want them all to be even and about an inch or so in size. If they’re too big, they wont cook through before they burn, and if they’re too small they’ll get mushy inside. It’s a real Goldilocks situation. The most important thing is trying to get them to be all as close in size to each other as possible, so they cook at the same rate.

How do I make this if I don’t have an air fryer? You can make these in your oven easily. Pre-heat to 450, and line a baking sheet with foil. If you have a cooling rack, place it over the foil. Once you’ve tossed the cauliflower in the batter spread it out on the sheet/cooling rack and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove from the oven, place in a bowl, and toss with the hot sauce mixture.

Why do I need a cooling rack for making these in the oven? You don’t really need one, but using one allows for air to get under the cauliflower which will help it stay crispy.

What do I serve with cauliflower wings? This is bar food at it’s heart, so my first pick for a side would definitely be French fries. You also want plenty or ranch or blue cheese, and celery!

Tips and Tricks

Try to keep the cauliflower from touching in the air fryer basket. It’s okay if it overlaps a little bit, but don’t crowd the basket too much, or it wont get crispy.

I add honey to my hot sauce mixture because I like it that way, but it’s totally optional. If you don’t like a traditional buffalo sauce, you could use a sweet barbeque or any other wing sauce you prefer.