Mango Habanero Cauliflower Wings

If you love your heat with a side of sweet, these mango habanero cauliflower wings will blow your tastebuds away. An easy crowd-pleaser!

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 27

Total Time 42

Servings servings

Calories 189

1 small head cauliflower if using a large head, you may need to double the batter and sauce quantities
½ cup all purpose gluten free flour mix 60 grams
½ cup unsweetened almond milk 120 grams
¼ teaspoon sea salt 1.5 grams
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 0.5 grams
½ teaspoon garlic powder 1.5 grams
1 cup crispy gluten free breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper OR toast your breadcrumbs slightly before using, 50 grams

2 cups soft mango chunks from 2 very ripe mangoes, about 340 grams each with seeds in the middle
2 to 4 habanero peppers orange or red (green will change the colour of your sauce )or 2 tablespoons ¼ cup red hot sauce (if you want it super spicy, add up to 4 habanero peppers - I personally used 2 habaneros).
¼ cup brown sugar depending on how sweet your mangoes are - start with 2 tablespoons, add as much as you need. You can also use agave nectar or maple syrup or a honey alternative, 50 grams
2 teaspoons garlic powder 6 grams
1 teaspoon sea salt 5 grams
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar, 30 grams
¼ cup lime juice 60 grams
extra water or vinegar to slightly thin out sauce if needed

Preheat oven to 450℉/230℃.
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 wings.
In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten free flour, almond milk, salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl to make the batter. In a separate bowl, place the breadcrumbs. Line it up beside the batter bowl.
Toss the cauliflower in the batter mixture one at a time, shaking off excess batter. Do not soak. Then, dip the cauliflower into the breadcrumbs to coat completely, then place onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the wings are coated.
Bake for 22 minutes. Please ensure your oven is completely preheated and hot.
While baking, make the sauce.
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, remove and place back on the baking sheet. Bake for another 5 minutes for the sauce to soak into the wings.
Remove from oven and eat immediately - enjoy!

While the wings are baking, blend your mango, habanero peppers brown sugar, garlic powder, sea salt, apple cider vinegar and lime juice in a blender until pureed. Taste test and add more sugar, vinegar or heat based on your preferences.
In a small pot over low heat, stir all the sauce ingredients. Heat for about 5 minutes until ingredients are all cooked through. Add up to 2 tablespoons water OR apple cider vinegar (don't add more vinegar if your sauce is already a good balance of brine) to thin out the sauce slightly if desired.
Remove from heat and let cool completely. Taste a little bit to decide if you need more sugar or acid (vinegar) to balance out the heat; if so, add a tablespoon at a time until your desired heat. Please note that especially depending on the amount of habaneros or hot sauce you use, these wings are hot so take caution!

Refrigerator: Store any leftover mango habanero cauliflower wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

To reheat: For maximum crispiness, reheat the cauliflower on a parchment-lined pan in a 400ºF oven or air fryer. You can also reheat it in the microwave or in a non-stick skillet, but it won’t be as crispy.