Sesame Honey Cauliflower Wings

Cauliflower wings are an awesome vegetarian snack! I first made cauliflower wings when I made vegetarian buffalo wings for the Super Bowl, but I don’t love buffalo sauce, so I came up with a sesame-honey version instead. The sauce is sticky, sweet, and garlicky, and the cauliflower wings are deliciously crunchy. They’re usually gone in minutes. Since they’re so easy to make, you can whip them up any time you need a party snack or a quick vegetable appetizer that will be popular with the kids!

Ingredients

The ingredients for these cauliflower wings are very simple. A head of cauliflower is broken down into florets and dredged in a simple batter, then baked. Then, the wings get glazed with a sweet sesame sauce. It’s so easy to make! You’ll need:

• Cauliflower, 1 large head
• Flour
• Buttermilk (You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tsp of acid to the specified amount of milk.)
• Breadcrumbs to add some crunch (I prefer using panko breadcrumbs)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Mushroom bouillon powder for some savoriness (optional)
• Honey, or you can substitute another liquid sweetener like agave or maple syrup if you want to make it vegan
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Garlic
• Cornstarch
• Powdered ginger (optional)

Making Cauliflower Wings

Cauliflower wings are super simple to throw together. You’ll start by breaking down a large head of cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Try to get them about the same size!

Next, you’ll mix the flour and spices together in a small mixing bowl.

Slowly pour in the buttermilk and whisk to combine. Then add the panko into the batter and stir.

Tiny whisk shoutout!

Dredge each floret in the batter and bake in the oven until crispy. Then, assemble the sweet garlic sauce. Start by sauteing a little bit of garlic in some sesame oil (be careful, sesame oil is strong!) until aromatic. Add the soy sauce, ginger, and honey and stir until combined. Then, you’ll make a cornstarch slurry and mix it into the sauce. Let it simmer until thickened. If you would like the sauce to be thinner or less intense in flavor, feel free to add some water until it is your desired consistency and flavor. Then toss the cauliflower wings with the sauce, and enjoy!

Tips

• If you have a small head of cauliflower, you might want to decrease the amount of batter you make, and increase it if you have a very big head.
• Feel free to add extra flavorings to the batter or sauce if you like! You can also switch the sauce for a different one, or just enjoy the cauliflower wings plain.
• If your cauliflower wings are beginning to burn but are not yet cooked through, you can decrease the oven temperature and bake them for longer.
• Be sure to adjust your sauce to taste!

Sesame Honey Cauliflower Wings

Cauliflower wings, an easy and tasty snack!

Prep Time: 10 min	Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 40 min	Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp mushroom bouillon powder (optional)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey or liquid sweetener of your choice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup + 1 tsp water, divided
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Wash cauliflower and cut into even, medium-sized florets.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and seasonings. Slowly pour in buttermilk and whisk until combined. Lastly, stir in panko breadcrumbs. Batter will be thick.
4. Dredge each cauliflower floret through the batter and place onto the baking sheets.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes, flipping them halfway to ensure even crisping. Keep an eye out for if they look like they are burning!
6. While the cauliflower wings are baking, in a small saucepan, briefly saute garlic in sesame oil until fragrant over medium heat.
7. Add in honey, ginger, and soy sauce and stir until combined.
8. Mix cornstarch and 1 tsp water to form a slurry. Pour into the saucepan and stir until beginning to thicken.
9. Adjust sauce to taste. Add up to 1/4 cup water if you prefer it to be thinner.
10. Toss the baked cauliflower wings in the sauce until evenly coated. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Notes

If you want to make this recipe vegan, use agave or maple syrup instead of honey, and you can swap buttermilk for the plant-based milk of your choice.