These Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings Are Better than the Real Thing
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If you did a double take when you saw these coated cauliflower bites and thought they were boneless chicken wings, you are definitely not alone. I hope you aren’t disappointed that these aren’t chicken wings, and instead are inspired by cauliflower’s unbounded potential — primarily as a vehicle for crispy coating and sticky sauce.
You don’t have to be a vegetarian (or in this case, vegan) to prefer cauliflower wings to the real deal. These bites are drenched in delicious sticky-sweet sesame sauce and have a satisfying crunch, which is the result of being dipped in batter and baked at 450°F. If it’s what’s on the inside that counts, bear in mind that you’re getting a full serving of veggies while you’re going to town on a whole plate of these. All in favor of a national chain that exclusively serves cauliflower wings?
While you ponder the absolute ingenious nature of my above fantasy, here’s how to make these wings. Cut up one small head of cauliflower into wing-sized florets and preheat your oven. In a bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, unsweetened almond milk, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes to make the batter. Dip each floret into the batter and shake off any drippings, then coat completely with panko breadcrumbs. Place on a lined baking sheet and pop in the oven.
In the meantime, make the sesame sauce using maple syrup, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), sesame seeds, black pepper, and ground ginger. You can either drizzle the sauce over the crispy cauliflower and bake for an additional five minutes or serve it as a dipping sauce on the side. The choice is yours.
→ Get the Recipe: Sticky Sesame Vegan Cauliflower Wings from Jessica in the Kitchen
