BBQ Cauliflower Wings made with just 9 ingredients are the perfect cauliflower wings for Game Day Snacks and Appetizers, and any occasion! They’re crispy, crunchy and coated in a saucy bbq sauce with just a few ingredients. Learn how to make these in HALF the time!!

Bbq cauliflower wings on a plate with a spoon beside it.

Cauliflower Queen is back again with another Cauliflower recipe! Let me tell you – these BBQ Cauliflower Wings are LIT! They’re saucy, crispy, crunchy on the outside and the perfect texture on the inside.

They’re the kind of cauliflower wings perfect for game night (football anyone?), an incredible appetizer, a side dish or even a fun dinner!

If you’re new around here (or maybe just haven’t explored my older content) you have to check out the rest of my cauliflower content too! I have 10 ways to transform cauliflower, but also all my favourite cauliflowers. Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Wings, Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings, General Tso Cauliflower Wings…!! Just to name a few.   

Notes on the Ingredients:

Ingredients for cauliflower wings.

These ingredients couldn’t be easier. Your standard dredging dip, which you can follow the process via the step by step photos below or the video in this post! 

Cauliflower: If you’re using a large cauliflower head instead of medium, definitely double it! It’s hard for me to guess the size of yours, so size up your ingredients accordingly! 🙂 

BBQ Sauce: the highlight of this dish! You can use your favourite sauce (makes it so easy to prep!) or you can make my strawberry bbq sauce. I promise you’ll love it! Either way, these things will taste phenomenal. 

Flour, breadcrumbs: these work perfectly any version of these ingredients! Regular or gluten free flour or breadcrumbs – the choice is up to you. 

Vegan milk: For the vegan milk, any kind will work. If you want the best battering result, might I suggest a thicker one like soy milk or cashew milk? 

Seasonings: if you have a favourite combo of bbq seasonings, feel free to add them in! 

How to Make BBQ Cauliflower Wings (Step by Step):

A head of cauliflower next to a bowl of cauliflower florets.

Using a knife, remove florets from the cauliflower (aka cut off the leaves and don’t use the stems). Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces to resemble the size of the wings.

Two bowls, one with dry ingredients, another with wet ingredients.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, vegan milk and sea salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl to make the batter. If the batter is too thick, feel free to thin it out with some more milk and vice versa.

Top down shot of cauliflower florets in wet ingredients.

In a separate bowl, place the breadcrumbs. Line it up beside the batter bowl and the cauliflower (for a dredging station). Toss the cauliflower in the batter mixture (you can add them all at once), using a spatula or spoon to coat them all.

Cauliflower florets in a bowl of breadcrumbs.

Transfer them to the breadcrumbs (you can do this in two or three batches) to coat completely.

Cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, before and after baking.

Then place onto the baking sheet, giving each wing enough space. Repeat until all of the wings are coated. Bake for 22 minutes. Remove from oven.

A brush coating cauliflower florets in bbq sauce.

Toss the wings in the sauce (I like to use a spatula to move them around to get properly coated) then using tongs or a spoon, remove and place back on the baking sheet OR brush the bbq sauce onto each wings. Bake for another 5 minutes for the sauce to soak into the wings.

Remove from oven and, and garnish with scallions! Eat immediately – enjoy!

Expert Tips & FAQ:

When you’re cutting the cauliflower off of the stem, don’t make them too small. Think: hand held wing-like pieces! You can even leave a bit of stem on at the end to hold on to!

BTW, and it’s a big by the way, I completely hacked my own recipe! You don’t have to dip each cauliflower wing in individually (like I used to in the past). Like in the video, you can just toss them all at once! It saves SO much time and energy (and you get to eat them faster!)!

If you have a very thick bbq sauce that can spread, definitely thin it out a bit with some water. 

If you can’t have it, you can skip the cornstarch. But it does make the cauliflower extra crispy and crunchy by drawing out any excess liquid!

I highly recommend using a (affiliate link) silicone baking sheet for this. Nothing sticks to it, and it’s so easy to clean! This is the (affiliate link) one I use

Close up of a bbq cauliflower wing on a fork with a plate of cauliflower wings in the background.

Enjoy friends! If you make this BBQ Cauliflower Wings, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!

Bbq cauliflower wings on a plate with a spoon beside it.

BBQ Cauliflower Wings

BBQ Cauliflower Wings made with just 9 ingredients are the perfect cauliflower wings for Game Day Snacks and Appetizers, and any occasion! They're crispy, crunchy and coated in a saucy bbq sauce with just a few ingredients. Learn how to make these in HALF the time!!
5 (from 32 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, (if using a large head, you may need to double the batter and sauce quantities)
  • 3/4 cup flour, (all-purpose gluten free flour or regular all purpose flour)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened vegan milk, any kind works
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs seasoned with salt & pepper, gluten-free breadcrumbs works too
  • 1 1/2 cups bbq sauce, (barbecue sauce) storebought or try my homemade recipe

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 450°F/230° C.
  • Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silicone baking sheet or greased foil.
  • Using a knife, remove florets from the cauliflower (aka cut off the leaves and don't use the most of the stems. You can leave a little piece on at the ends to hold on to). Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces to resemble the size of the wings.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, vegan milk, sea salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl to make the batter. If the batter is too thick, feel free to thin it out with some more milk and vice versa. In a separate bowl, place the breadcrumbs. Line it up beside the batter bowl.
  • Toss the cauliflower in the batter mixture (you can add them all at once), using a spatula or spoon to coat them all. Transfer them to the breadcrumbs (you can do this in two or three batches) to coat completely, then place onto the baking sheet, giving each wing enough space. Repeat until all of the wings are coated.
  • Bake for 22 minutes. Please ensure your oven is completely preheated and hot.
  • While baking, prepare the ingredients for the sauce by heating & whisking together. If you’re using store-bought bbq sauce, you may want to sightly thin it out with some water. Heat it up in a pot on the stove, or a large bowl in your microwave until warm. Allow it to cool before putting it on the wings.
  • Remove from oven. Toss the wings in the sauce (I like to use a spatula to move them around to get properly coated) then using tongs or a spoon, remove and place back on the baking sheet OR brush the bbq sauce onto each wings. Bake for another 5 minutes for the sauce to soak into the wings.
  • Remove from oven and, and garnish with scallions! Eat immediately – enjoy!

Notes

Expert Tips & FAQ:
When you’re cutting the cauliflower off of the stem, don’t make them too small. Think: hand held wing-like pieces! You can even leave a bit of stem on at the end to hold on to!
If you can’t have it, you can skip the cornstarch. But it does make the cauliflower extra crispy and crunchy by drawing out any excess liquid!
I highly recommend using a (affiliate link) silicone baking sheet for this. Nothing sticks to it, and it’s so easy to clean! This is the (affiliate link) one I use
Calories: 51kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 189mg, Potassium: 105mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 45IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.