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The Best Baked Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

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Looking for the best crispy buffalo cauliflower recipe? You’ve come to the right place! These oil-free, baked buffalo cauliflower wings are perfectly crispy and truly addicting! They make for a delicious vegan appetizer for football games, parties, and potlucks. These buffalo cauliflower bites are great in wraps and salads, and delicious by themselves. They’re especially tasty dipped in your favorite vegan ranch, vegan blue cheese, or hummus. Mmmmm!

What Makes This the Best Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe?

Firstly, I love this buffalo cauliflower recipe because the outside truly turns out crispy thanks to the breadcrumb coating. I like these healthy, gluten-free breadcrumbs made with chickpeas for some added protein.

While some restaurants offer buffalo cauliflower as a meatless appetizer option, many times the batter contains eggs and/or milk.

Not these buffalo cauliflower wings! They contain no milk or eggs and are perfectly crispy on the outside! They’re a great healthy vegan snack loved by people of all diets.

crispy buffalo cauliflower

I’ve made buffalo cauliflower dozens of times over the last few years. I am happy to share that this is the best version I’ve tried to date!

This crispy buffalo cauliflower bite recipe is vegan, oil-free, and easy to make. I enjoy making these for family and friends because I love seeing how much meat-eaters enjoy them too. One commenter on Pinterest even said these were mistaken for real buffalo chicken bites! While I can’t promise that you will think the same, I can assure you this will become your favorite cauliflower recipe 😉

Crispy buffalo cauliflower bites are a delicious, nutritious, and cruelty-free alternative to traditional boneless buffalo wings. They are filled with flavor, have the perfect texture, and you wouldn’t even know they’re made with a vegetable. Win, win, win!

What Sauce Goes Best With Cauliflower Bites?

buffalo cauliflower and vegan blue cheese

After trying many brands, I’ve finally found my go-to vegan buffalo sauce. I love this buffalo sauce because the ingredients list is completely simple and clean, whole 30 approved and paleo, and truly the best tasting buffalo sauce I’ve come across. I always go for the medium buffalo flavor, but this brand carries a hot buffalo flavor as well if you are braver than I am! If spice isn’t your thing, you can also find a mild buffalo flavor.

As far as a dipping sauce, I personally prefer more buffalo sauce (anyone else!?) But my family and friends love this vegan blue cheese. If you like, vegan ranch goes well with these crispy buffalo cauliflower wings, too!

Is Buffalo Cauliflower Healthy?

buffalo cauliflower

Cauliflower is not only a diverse veggie to cook with, but it is also a nutrient-dense powerhouse. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consuming powerhouse fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. One large head of cauliflower is an excellent source of fiber, potassium, antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and more. Another win!

Now that I’ve convinced you that you absolutely have to try these crispy buffalo cauliflower bites, I know you’ll love this easy and delicious recipe.

The best part? These buffalo cauliflower wings make the best leftovers, and turn out almost more delicious and crispy the second time around! Simply pop in the oven or toaster oven at 400° for 20-25 minutes and they taste as good as (or better) than new.

If you like vegan recipes with a kick, you will also love my easy zesty vegan tacos!

buffalo cauliflower
Melissa Donovan

Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower

5 from 1 vote
These baked crispy buffalo cauliflower wings are oil-free, easy to make, and addicting. Buffalo cauliflower bites are the perfect healthy vegan snack.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head of cauliflower cut into florets
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk or other plant-based milk of choice
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/4 cup buffalo sauce

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper together until well-combined. Add soy milk and mix until well-combined to form batter. In a separate bowl, add breadcrumbs.
  2. Cut the cauliflower into florets and coat completely in the batter.
  3. Once coated in batter, dip the cauliflower florets into the breadcrumbs until completely coated.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes at 400°, flipping cauliflower bites halfway through.
  5. Carefully remove cauliflower bites from oven and coat in buffalo sauce. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, once again flipping halfway through.
  6. Optional: Broil for 2-4 minutes on high for extra crispiness.
  7. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and celery sticks. Enjoy!

Most importantly, don’t forget to pin the recipe for later!

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: buffalo cauliflower, crispy buffalo cauliflower wings

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah

    November 29, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    Okay this sounds like the perfect SuperBowl snack! My husband Ryan is already requesting them!😁

    Reply
    • Melissa Donovan

      November 29, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      Definitely perfect for the Super Bowl! I hope you and Ryan love them 🙂

      Reply
  2. Justin

    February 17, 2025 at 5:36 am

    5 stars
    This looks amazing I don’t normally like cauliflower but I would definitely try this.

    Reply
    • Melissa Donovan

      February 26, 2025 at 7:40 pm

      Thank you! This is my absolute favorite way to enjoy cauliflower, I think you’d like it!

      Reply

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By Melissa Donovan

I love creating tasty, balanced, and healthy vegan recipes for people of all diets. Whether you’re looking for high protein, macro friendly vegan recipes or positive encouragement in adopting a more plant-based lifestyle, you’re in the right place!

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myplantbasedfriend

I’ve broken more promises to myself than I’d like I’ve broken more promises to myself than I’d like to admit.

One year I made it a goal to do yoga for 100 days in a row.

And I actually did it!

100 straight days of showing up on my mat. My body and mind felt amazing. I was more grounded, more flexible, more connected to myself.

But shortly after I hit the 100 day mark, I missed a few days.

And because my streak was “ruined,” my brain immediately went “well, what’s the point now?”

So I stopped practicing yoga for a long time because I was still stuck in the all-or-nothing mindset.

I felt like if it wasn’t perfect, it didn’t count.

I see this all the time with fitness goals too.

10k steps every single day.
Hitting macros perfectly to the gram.
Never missing a workout or cardio session.

And if you fall off one time, suddenly it feels like everything is ruined.

Even recently, after hitting 10k steps daily for months, I got injured and literally couldn’t walk for a day.

And that old voice still tried to creep in.

“You just ruined your consistency.”

I had to laugh a little and remind myself,
I’m injured 😅 my body needs rest. That doesn’t erase months of showing up.

So I rested. And the next day, I got right back to moving my body because it felt good to.

That’s the biggest shift I’ve made over the years.

Now, I stretch almost every day because it genuinely feels good in my body. Not because I’m forcing myself to maintain a streak.

I practice yoga regularly now- but not every single day- because that actually works for my life.

Consistency stopped feeling like pressure the moment I stopped equating it to perfection.

Some days you’ll show up at 100%.

Some days it looks like 80.
Or 50.
Or even 20.

And that still counts!

Your habits don’t have to be perfect to make a positive difference. They just have to be sustainable for you.

If you want support building habits that actually work for your life and nervous system, you can work with me or one of the coaches on the @vegansquadcoaching team.

Comment “SQUAD” if you’d like to get access to our current Scholarship program! (Limited spot available and only for those who qualify).
You can be doing everything “right” and still feel You can be doing everything “right”
and still feel completely depleted.

It might not be a productivity, discipline, or consistency problem.

That was the part that confused me the most.

If you’re an ambitious person, you’ve probably learned to function in a state of overriding yourself.

You push through when you’re on empty.
You rationalize red flags because you see the good in everyone.
You think it’s necessary to live in an exhausted state to reach your goals.

It’s not.

Sometimes the real work is deeper than better habits.

It’s meeting the parts of you that learned to find safety in shrinking, people-pleasing, over-functioning, or carrying what was never yours to hold.

When we clear the emotional and energetic weight underneath it all, you become more YOU. More regulated and alive in your own skin.

If this sounds like you, I’m currently accepting applications for 1:1 subconscious coaching and somatic healing.

This work is for you if you’re ready to feel safe, supported, and powerful from the inside out 🥰
When I used to try staying consistent, day-to-day When I used to try staying consistent, day-to-day I felt like a fraud.

Deep down I felt like I could only “keep up the act” of being a fit person for so long.. and then I’d inevitably sabotage myself.

My internal dialogue when I messed up was full of shame and anger.

“What’s wrong with me? Why is this so easy for everyone else? I’ll never be disciplined.”

The moment my progress became sustainable was the moment I chose repair over shame.

Accepting that life isn’t perfect, progress isn’t linear, and mistakes don’t have to spiral.

And talking to myself with the same kindness I’d give my clients, friends, or my inner child.

Setting baseline habits made the biggest difference. I didn’t force myself to get 10k steps when I was averaging 3k. I set a stretch goal of 6k for me, gradually working up. I stopped comparing my progress, timeline, or goals to anyone else’s.

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If you’re done feeling like a fraud in your own goals and ready to become someone you can trust, we can help you do that!

To work with me or one of the coaches on the @vegansquadcoaching team, comment YES and let’s begin 🔥
For a long time, being myself didn’t feel safe. S For a long time, being myself didn’t feel safe.

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-Asking for space when I need it
-Reaching out for support instead of isolating
-Saying “this doesn’t work for me” at the first red flag
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-Speaking my needs without shame
-Choosing myself, even if it disappoints someone

I can do this because I’ve built a deep sense of self-trust, and know that I don’t have to abandon myself to be loved.

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For the longest time, I thought I was just bad at For the longest time, I thought I was just bad at consistency.

With food.
With training.
With routines.
With showing up for myself.

I’d be on top of it all until my body was exhausted and begging me to slow down.

Living in an overwhelmed, overstimulated state became my norm. But I didn’t know how to change it.

So I pushed harder. Ignored hunger. Overrode fullness. Trained while depleted. Rested only when I was burnt out.

And then I’d blame myself when I inevitably crashed.

I thought discipline meant pushing through no matter what, even if that meant overriding my body’s signals.

I didn’t realize I was building the belief:
“You don’t matter unless you’re productive.”

No wonder my self-trust was broken ❤️‍🩹

And I didn’t heal with more willpower.

I learned how to listen to myself.

Am I actually hungry? Or emotionally empty? Am I tired? Overstimulated? Lonely? In need of comfort?

I’ve learned to meet my needs without shame and stop comparing my capacity to others.

Most days that looks like balanced meals. Sometimes it’s a whole pizza without guilt. 

Sometimes it’s an extra rest day, and sometimes it’s moving more because it feels good.

Sometimes it’s saying no, even if that means disappointing others.

Everything changed when I started keeping tiny promises to myself.

It’s human to break them sometimes. But the work is in not falling into the shame spiral and trying again.

Over time, my body learned:
I’m safe with myself.
I won’t abandon me.
I don’t have to be perfect to keep going.

Showing up for myself isn’t a chore anymore. It’s my greatest act of self care 🥰

Now, my growth is sustainable because I don’t force it. I know how to stretch myself outside my comfort zone without overriding my nervous system.

If you’re craving this kind of relationship with yourself, this is the work I do with my 1:1 clients.

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Even years into my fitness journey, food still had Even years into my fitness journey, food still had so much power over me.

I was “perfect” during the week. Hitting my macros, eating my prepped meals, counting down the hours until Friday night.

I’d spend weekdays fantasizing about what I was finally “allowed” to eat.

When the weekend came, I went ALL in.
Massive bowls of pasta. Pizzas (RIP Ground Foods Cafe- IYKYK 🥲). Trying every snack and dessert in sight.

I’d eat way past fullness, not because I was hungry, but because food felt like one of the only sources of pleasure in my life. That realization came with so much shame.

The comfort never lasted. It always turned into emptiness, guilt, and the fear that I couldn’t trust myself around food.

I thought my “lack of willpower” meant something was wrong with me.

What shifted wasn’t me hating food, I never did. I’m still a foodie and always will be!

The first real change was letting myself eat the foods I craved, no matter the day, and noticing something surprising: this doesn’t actually make me feel my best 😬

For the first time, I wanted to heal my relationship with food not to look better, but to FEEL better. I was committed to feeling more energized and at ease, and less mentally consumed.

That meant learning to listen to my body: hunger, fullness, boredom, cravings, emotions. That process wasn’t linear. Sometimes cravings still won, and holidays were especially hard.

But over time, food stopped carrying so much weight.

Meals like this aren’t the highlight of my entire week anymore. There’s no guilt, shame, or “eff it” spiral.

I get to be present.
Enjoy the food.
Enjoy my time with people.
And move on with my life.

Food is still a source of pleasure, it just isn’t the only one anymore ❤️

If this feels impossible right now, I want you to know: it IS possible. Maybe imperfect and nonlinear, but possible.

And it all starts with believing that you’re not broken, because you’re not. You’re just learning how to trust yourself again 🤍

Huge shoutout to these amazing vegan food vendors:
🌯 Gyro: @theveganhalalcart 
🍕 Pizza: @projectnovapizza 
🌮 Tacos: @seasonedgreen
If you’re a giver- a healer, coach, leader, helper If you’re a giver- a healer, coach, leader, helper.. it’s easy to take on the weight of the world.

It’s easy to feel like these problems are so much bigger than us that we’re helpless. That our actions and voices don’t matter.

To feel like if we just learned more, processed more, rested later, did a little better, maybe then we’d be doing enough.

And yes, there IS always more to do.
More to learn. More to unlearn. More that needs change.

But the moment we stop making a difference isn’t when we slow down.

It’s when we override our capacity to the point of burnout.

So many highly sensitive people do this without realizing it because we care so deeply ❤️‍🩹

Taking a break isn’t the same as giving up. It’s not all or nothing.

You don’t need to compare your capacity, your forms of activism, or your role in collective change with anyone else’s. You matter, your voice matters, and you are most powerful when your cup isn’t empty.

We don’t heal our nervous systems so we can be calm, regulated, and relaxed all the time. That’s not the point of healing, or realistic in the world we’re living in.

We heal so we have the capacity to show up. To tolerate discomfort. To use our voices. To step outside our comfort zones without collapsing afterward.

And we don’t have to sacrifice our wellbeing to make an impact.

I’m not sharing this from some “healed” place. I’m right here with you too- hurting, learning, resting, and taking care of myself as best as I can to do as best as I can.

This is your reminder that honoring your limits doesn’t make you less powerful. It’s what allows you to keep moving forward sustainably.

You’re allowed to matter too. Rest is part of the work 🤍
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