Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Panko-crusted cauliflower florets baked until crisp, then tossed in a butter-hot sauce glaze — the vegetarian stand-in for wing night.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Written
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
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Whisk the flour, buttermilk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a thick, pancake-batter consistency.
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Dip each floret in the batter, letting the excess drip off, then press into the panko until fully coated on all sides.
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Arrange in a single layer on the wire rack, spacing the florets apart, and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
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Bake until the coating is deep golden and crisp at the edges, about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
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While the cauliflower bakes, melt the butter with the hot sauce and honey in a small saucepan, whisking until glossy.
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Toss the hot cauliflower in the sauce until coated, then return to the rack and broil 2 minutes, until the sauce sets and starts to blister.
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Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.
Notes
The double coat is what keeps this from going soggy the moment it hits the sauce — the batter gives the panko something to grip, and without it the crumbs slide right off. Space the florets out on the rack, too; crowd them on a flat sheet pan and the cauliflower steams instead of crisping.
Ranch works in place of blue cheese if that’s what’s in the fridge, and broccoli florets take the same batter and bake time if you want a milder crunch than cauliflower gives.