Recipe: How to Make Cauliflower Wings From Scratch

If you need a good mid-day snack for the weekend to go along with whatever sports you’re watching on TV, these cauliflower wings are a super easy and tasty recipe. You can adjust the seasoning of the breading to make it spicier, and you could also coat them in hot sauce of your choice once they’re baked. These make for a great vegetarian option for a game-day spread, and you can even swap out some ingredients to make it vegan. This recipe serves four to six people.

Cauliflower Wings Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium to large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small head of garlic
• 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup of parmesan
• 1 cup of milk
• All-purpose flour (approx. 1 cup)

To Taste/you can adjust:

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika (optional, more if you want more heat)
• Optional: zest of one small lemon

For the dip: 

• Juice of one small lemon
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup yogurt (plain) or mayo
• Finely chopped parsley and/or chives (approx. 1 tbsp)
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: paprika and/or hot sauce

Instructions

To save time, roast the head of garlic first (in a foil packet, cut the top off and drizzle with olive oil) for approximately 30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows it to cool, so you don’t burn your fingers as well.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place an oven-proof (important!), non-stick, cooling/wire rack on a baking sheet.

2. In one shallow bowl, add the cup of milk and whisk in the all-purpose flour until it’s paste-like. In a second bowl, combine the panko, onion and garlic powder, paprika, parmesan, salt, pepper and lemon zest (if using) until thoroughly mixed.

3. Dunk the cauliflower florets in the milk/flour paste and then dredge them in the panko mixture (press it in so it sticks better). Put them on the cooling rack on top of the baking sheet (you may want to spray it with cooking spray for extra non-stickiness).

4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, take them out and flip them, baking again for about 15-20 minutes until they’re brown and crispy. Keep an eye on them throughout, as some ovens may cook them faster than others.

5. While this is baking, make the dip by combining the roasted garlic, lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt (or mayo), parsley or chives, optional hot sauce/paprika, salt and pepper. You can do this by hand, but I used an immersion blender to make sure it was nicely pureed. Pour into a small bowl for dunking once blended.

6. Plate the cauliflower on a serving tray with the dip. Sprinkle with parsley (optional) and serve it hot.

Enjoy, and go team!

Read more: How to Make Burger Buns From Scratch