These cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings up the ante by adding vegan cheese to everyone’s favourite plant-based spicy snack! They’re crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the best alternative to traditional chicken wings.

Platter of cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings with celery, carrots, and ranch.

Add cauliflower to the ranks of cashews and tofu for magical vegan ingredients that can be completely transformed by the way you cook them or the ingredients you add to them. And in the case of these cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings, it’s both! A cheesy, fiery batter and panko coating makes these vegan wings crispy and delicious, with the bold flavour you want (no, DEMAND!) of a game day snack. Like my BBQ cauliflower wings and mango habanero cauliflower wings , these are an instant crowd-pleaser!

What Makes These Cauliflower Wings Better Than the Real Deal

I could not stop eating these cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings when I first made them and I honestly could not tell the difference between this and chicken. Even my vegetable-hating little brother ate these up, shocked by how much they tasted like chicken! 

  • Baked, not fried. Traditional wings (and even cauliflower wings at restaurants!) are made in the deep fryer, but my Buffalo cauliflower wings are baked in the oven, which means less mess and way less oil.
  • Double-crispy. Using a batter and panko instead of choosing one or the other makes these cauliflower wings extra crispy. And putting the hot sauce in the batter means you don’t have to stir the wings into the sauce after baking, which keeps them crispy-crunchy.
  • Spicy and cheesy. I love traditional Buffalo cauliflower wings, but adding vegan cheese makes these wings a little more indulgent!
Ingredients for cheesy buffalo cauliflower wings with labels.

Note on Ingredients

You don’t really need all that much to make these cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

  • Cauliflower – You can save yourself some prep time by buying a bag of pre-cut florets.
  • Flour – I’ve successfully tested this recipe with all-purpose, whole wheat, and gluten-free flour, so use whichever fits your needs.
  • Non-dairy milk – Make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavoured.
  • Seasonings – Salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. 
  • Hot sauce – Choose your favourite. Frank’s is the classic choice and it’s fairly mild as far as hot sauces go.
  • Vegan shredded cheese – I like to use cheddar or mozzarella.
  • Panko bread crumbs – Use gluten-free panko if needed.

How to Make Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

This step-by-step guide will show you how it’s done!

Cauliflower florets on cutting board with knife.
Cut the cauliflower into “wings.”
Bowl of batter with rubber spatula.
Mix the batter.
  • Prepare. Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet. Cut the cauliflower into wing-sized florets.
  • Make the batter. Whisk the flour, non-dairy milk, salt, spices, hot sauce, and cheese in a bowl.
Stirring cauliflower in bowl with batter.
Coat the cauliflower.
Battered cauliflower wings added to bowl of panko.
Dredge in panko.
  • Coat the cauliflower. Toss the florets in the batter, then dredge them in the seasoned panko.
Buffalo cauliflower wings on pan before baking.
Spread onto sheet pan.
Baked cheesy buffalo cauliflower wings on sheet pan.
Bake until crispy.
  • Bake. Arrange the cauliflower wings on the prepared pan. Spray with oil for extra crispiness if you’d like, then bake for 22 minutes or until crispy.
  • Serve. Enjoy immediately with vegan ranch dressing or your favorite dipping sauce.

Tips for Making Cauliflower Wings

From sticky sesame cauliflower wings to these cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings, I’ve made LOTS of cauli wings over the years. Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way!

  • Don’t discard the smaller bits. It’s hard to cut cauliflower into florets without having smaller pieces fall off. You can bake those with the bigger pieces; they get extra crispy and browned. I think they’re delicious!
  • Use cooking spray for extra crunch. After adding the cauliflower wings to the pan, you can coat them generously with cooking spray or an oil mister. This will get your wings extra golden and crispy.
  • Let the excess batter drip off. Then, press the cauliflower into the panko so it’s evenly coated. Too much batter will simply slide off the cauliflower onto the pan.
Bowl of cheesy baked buffalo cauliflower wings with ranch dressing, carrots, and celery sticks.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings as an appetizer with vegan ranch or blue cheese dressing alongside celery and carrot sticks. If I’m making a game day spread, I’ll pair them with other fun snacks like creamy vegan queso and vegan cranberry meatballs.

Storage and Reheating

  • To store: Store leftover cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the wings will lose their crispiness.
  • To reheat: Warm the wings in a 375°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes to re-crisp. The air fryer is a great option too!
Fork dipping cheesy buffalo cauliflower wing into vegan ranch.

More Magical Cauliflower Recipes

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

Cheesy buffalo cauliflower wings with bowl of vegan ranch.

Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Servings: 3 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
These cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings are made with a spicy batter and a panko coating for a double-crispy vegan game day snack!
5 (from 1 rating)
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Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, may have to double ingredients below for a large head
  • 1 cup flour, whole wheat flour works fine, so does white flour, 120g
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk,  unsweetened or original flavour, 240mL
  • ½ teaspoon salt, 2.5g
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1g
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 5g
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1.25g
  • ¼ to ½ cup hot sauce, Frank's is a good all around option and not too spicy, 60–120mL
  • ½ cup vegan shredded cheese, cheddar or mozzarella, 50g
  • 2 cup panko bread crumbs, (100g) seasoned with an extra ½ teaspoon sea salt (2.5g), ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (1g) and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (0.5g)

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 stems). Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces to resemble the size of the wings and place in a bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the flour, milk, salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce and cheese together. 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. If you'd like you can use a cooking spray oil to spray the "wings" before baking to help deepen their colour.
  • Bake for 22 minutes. Please ensure your oven is completely preheated and hot. While baking, prepare the ingredients for the sauce by whisking together.
  • Remove from oven and serve immediately. Serve with a dipping sauce such as vegan ranch.

Notes

  • To store: Store leftover cheesy Buffalo cauliflower wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the wings will lose their crispiness.
  • To reheat: Warm the wings in a 375°F oven for 5–7 minutes to crisp. The air fryer is a great option too!
Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 1654mg, Potassium: 744mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 424IU, Vitamin C: 110mg, Calcium: 212mg, Iron: 3mg

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.

Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizers, Dinner, Lunch
Author: Jessica Hylton