I have always had a soft spot for anything remotely associated to buffalo sauce and crispy, saucy wings paired together. Buffalo sauce with that unequivocal, buttery and tangy hot sauce kick has always pulled at my heart strings. During my university years, I was low-key obsessed with pub night on Thursdays; not so much for the social buzz but to go out and eat wings in every available flavor with my besties.
Yep, there I was- unexplainably wearing white jeans and pink knit sweaters in the dead of winter.. and, somehow escaping the pub with clean clothes despite a round or two of messy wings. The irony of it all and the impossibility of it all nowadays where a clean shirt with three small munchkins has a lifespan of ~three hours. Four, if I am late for the next meal time.
Fast forward to life 15 years later and I’m still in spicy wing loving mode; except I’ve learned to love my vegetables and have fun remaking the classics with them. Insert cruciferous cauliflower into the equation: AKA the chameleon of vegetables- the one that can do it all and be more than one thing at once. You want healthier mashed potatoes? Cauliflower mash! You want gnocchi without the starchy carbs? DIY Cauliflower gnocchi! You want a thick and creamy smoothie without a banana? Add frozen cauliflower florets! Life-altering versatility, no doubt.
Point is, cauliflower can do anything. But in the spirit of this blog I’m not here to demonize carbs; all foods fit into a daily diet and we go through a repertoire of classics made with healthy swaps. I enjoy these cauliflower wings because they are so damn good- not just because they offer a healthier alternative to the OG wing. It’s so important that we eat food we truly enjoy; that’s where eating better truly starts if it is to be adopted as a lifestyle going forward.
These cauli wings will leave you wanting more because they are:
- Damn Delicious!
- Crispy and crunchy from floret bottom to top
- Offer a barbecue-ish, buffalo sauce that’s all kinds of good
- Are baked, not fried! Healthier and easier clean-up!
- Are air-fryer friendly, too!
- Only a few, pantry-friendly ingredients
So do give them a try and tag me if you make them.. we absolutely love them and these are great with a side of colorful crudités and your favorite ranch or fresh homemade hummus. I also enjoy these with fresh hot pita and creamy labneh along with pickled radishes or turnips on the side.
They are perfect for date-night in, game-day or just ANY day. Trust me.
Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs for added crunch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/3 cup Buffalo sauce
- 2 Tbsp your favorite barbecue sauce to mellow it out and add smokiness
Homemade Lemon Poppyseed Ranch
- 3 Tbsp honey *love runny, wildflower or buckwheat honey!
- 3 Tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp of lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp of full-fat mayo or avocado mayo
- 1 Tbsp of poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425C and a line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Wash and cut cauliflower stem. Break down into florets ~1-2 inches wide.
- Coat cauliflower florets in the eggs first. Combine both types of bread crumbs, garlic powder and paprika.
- Next, coat cauliflower in the bread crumb mixture and spread out on the baking pan.
- Bake for ~20-25 mins turning at the halfway mark.
- While they bake, mix Buffalo and barbecue sauce. You may also add a few drops of Tabasco, or 1 Tbsp of honey to mellow out the sauce further. I like mine pretty fiery!
- Bring cauliflower out of the oven and use a spoon to coat each floret with the sauce evenly on both sides. Place back in the oven and bake for ~8 additional mins. This step makes them next-level good.
By: Aleyda | The Dish On Healthy
