Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings in the Air Fryer

Cauliflower is mild, a little sweet, and full of nooks that catch sauce. Coat it in a light batter, crisp it in the air fryer, and toss it in buffalo sauce, and you get a spicy, tangy snack that's fun to eat on game day. These vegan cauliflower buffalo wings in the air fryer are crispy on the outside and tender inside, with no meat and no dairy.

The main challenge with cauliflower wings is sogginess. This recipe solves it with a thick batter, a hot air fryer, and one important rule: add the sauce at the end.

Quick Facts

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 18–22 minutes (in 2 batches for most air fryers)
• Total time: about 35 minutes
• Servings: 4 as a snack
• Difficulty: Easy
• Diet: Vegan, dairy-free

Ingredients

Cauliflower and batter

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 lb / 900 g), cut into bite-size florets
• ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (180 ml) unsweetened plant milk (soy, oat or almond)
• Cooking spray

Buffalo sauce

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) hot sauce (Frank's RedHot style)
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted (or olive oil)
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional, softens the heat)

For serving

• Celery and carrot sticks
• Vegan ranch or vegan blue cheese dip

How to Make Them

1. Prep the cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into florets about 1½ inches wide. Similar sizes cook evenly. Rinse and dry them very well with a towel. Wet cauliflower makes the batter slide off.

2. Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika and salt. Slowly whisk in the plant milk until smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable, like pancake batter.

3. Coat the florets. Add the cauliflower and toss with your hands or a spatula until each piece is coated. Let extra batter drip off.

4. Heat the air fryer. Preheat to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes. Spray the basket with oil.

5. Air fry. Place florets in one layer with space between them. Spray the tops lightly with oil. Cook for 10 minutes.

6. Flip. Turn each piece with tongs. Spray again lightly. Cook 8–12 minutes more, until the coating is golden and crisp and a fork slides easily into the cauliflower. Repeat with the second batch.

7. Make the sauce. While they cook, whisk the hot sauce, melted vegan butter and maple syrup in a large bowl.

8. Toss and crisp. Put the cooked cauliflower in the sauce bowl and toss gently. For extra-crispy wings, put them back in the air fryer for 2–3 minutes to help the sauce stick.

9. Serve right away with celery, carrots and dip.

Tips for Crispy Cauliflower Wings

• Dry florets = crispy wings. This is the most important step.
• Cornstarch makes it crunchy. Don't skip it.
• Don't crowd the basket. Steam gets trapped and the coating goes soft. Cook in batches.
• Sauce last. Saucing before cooking makes the batter gummy.
• Serve fast. They are crispiest in the first 10 minutes.

Common Problems

The batter fell off.
The cauliflower was wet, or the batter was too thin. Dry the florets well and add 1–2 tablespoons more flour.

They're soggy.
The basket was too full, or they sat in sauce too long. Cook in smaller batches and sauce just before serving.

The coating is white and dry in spots.
Those parts didn't get oil. Spray every piece lightly, especially after flipping.

Too spicy.
Add more melted vegan butter and maple syrup to the sauce, and serve with plenty of cool dip.

Variations

• Gluten-free: Use chickpea flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
• Extra crunch: After battering, roll florets in panko breadcrumbs. Cook at 380°F for 12–15 minutes total.
• BBQ cauliflower: Swap the buffalo sauce for your favorite vegan BBQ sauce.
• Garlic parmesan style: Toss in melted vegan butter, garlic powder, parsley and vegan parmesan.
• Oven method: Bake at 425°F on a lined tray for 20 minutes, sauce, then bake 10 more minutes.

What to Serve With Them

These wings are great with celery sticks, carrot sticks and a cool dip. For a full snack spread, add these air fryer snacks without cheese, which are full of ideas that also work for vegan guests.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They will soften.

Freezer: Not recommended. Cauliflower gets watery after freezing and the coating turns mushy.

Reheat: Air fry at 400°F for 4–6 minutes until hot and crisp again. Avoid the microwave; it makes them soggy.

Nutrition Estimate

Per serving (¼ of the recipe, with sauce, without dip):

• Calories: about 210
• Carbohydrates: about 30 g
• Fiber: about 5 g
• Protein: about 7 g
• Fat: about 7 g
• Sodium: high, because of the hot sauce (about 800–900 mg)

FAQs

Is buffalo sauce vegan?

Most classic hot sauces like Frank's RedHot are vegan. Ready-made "buffalo wing sauce" often has butter, so check the label.

Can I make them without flour?

You can skip the batter and just toss the florets in oil and spices, but they won't have a crispy coating.

Can I prep them ahead?

Cut and dry the florets up to 2 days ahead. Batter and cook them just before serving.

Why are my wings not crispy?

Usually too many in the basket or wet cauliflower. Cook smaller batches.

How spicy are they?

Medium. For mild wings, use half hot sauce and half melted vegan butter.

More Recipes to Try

• 30+ Easy Air Fryer Snacks Without Cheese
• Air Fryer Crispy Tofu, No Cornstarch (coming soon)
• Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Crispy Outside (coming soon)
• Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries (coming soon)
• Browse all recipes

A Final Note

Dry florets, a thick batter, a hot air fryer and sauce at the end: that's the whole secret. Make a double batch for parties, because these disappear fast.