Vegan Wings Recipe: How to Make Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

Vegan wings are a plant-based alternative to chicken wings. These “wings” may consist of veggies, like cauliflower florets or torn pieces of seitan (an alternative protein made of wheat gluten). While the meaty texture of seitan wings makes them a popular option, you can also use gluten-free tempeh (pressed strips of fermented soybean) to make vegan wings.

Whether you opt for vegan chicken nuggets, homemade seitan, or cauliflower buffalo wings, there are many ways to create a plant-based homage to this pub food favorite.

There are multiple ways to make vegan wings. Here are a few styles to try:

1. 1. Select your wing base. Seitan best mimics the texture of chicken wings, but not all grocery stores sell blocks of this alternative protein. To make your own, pick up a bag of vital wheat gluten, a high-protein wheat flour that’s had most of its starch removed, at a health food store. Most recipes for homemade seitan involve steaming a mixture of vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, and various seasonings. Cauliflower florets make great wings because their craggy surface holds onto batter well, and their shape resembles a chicken wing drumette. You can also purchase processed vegan wings in the frozen section of well-stocked grocery stores.
2. 2. Choose the breading. If you choose to go the cauliflower route, you’ll want to give this tender vegetable a crunchy outer coating. For a crispy cauliflower bite, dip the florets in batter, or dredge them in a layer of flour and plant-based egg replacement, and finish with panko breadcrumbs before baking or air-frying.
   
3. 3. Cook on the stovetop, in the oven, or in an air fryer. For a crispy texture and easy cleanup, cook battered vegan wings in a single layer in the oven or an air fryer basket. For a simpler preparation, sear seitan in a frying pan, then toss it with sauce to coat.
   
4. 4. Serve buffalo wings with toothpicks. Meatless chicken wings don’t have bones to keep their shape. Baked cauliflower bites, in particular, will lose a bit of their crunch once tossed in hot sauce. For easier eating, serve with toothpicks alongside.

No matter how you season them, vegan wings are an easy appetizer everyone can love. Here are a few ideas:

1. 1. With buffalo wing sauce: You can find a classic hot sauce for buffalo hot wings at the grocery store, or you can build your own from scratch, using a hot sauce like sriracha or another one of your favorites.
2. 2. With a sweet glaze: For a basic, flavorful glaze, toss the wings in BBQ sauce, or brush them with maple syrup, brown sugar syrup, or fruit jam as they cook.
3. 3. Tossed in spices: For a simple “dry” wing, pan-fry seitan until golden brown, then season with your favorite spices. Add brightness and heat with paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or lemon pepper, or go cheesy with nutritional yeast.
4. 4. With vegan ranch dressing or vegan blue cheese dip: Wings are incomplete without a dipping sauce. Look for dairy-free blue cheese dressing or ranch at the grocery store, or try Yotam Ottolenghi’s tahini sauce recipe, which provides creaminess and tang without dairy. To complete the spread, serve celery and carrot sticks.