I just made Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower Wings that hit like the best Cauliflower Wings Recipes I’ve tried and you won’t believe how crispy and sauce-worthy they get.

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I’m obsessed with these Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower Wings because they get everything I want in a bite: crispy edges, chewy centers, and a sauce that makes you shut up and eat. I love the sassy mix of sweet chili and sriracha slammed into creamy 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise, messy, loud, addictive.

And the star, 1 medium head cauliflower, is peak Cauliflower Vegan, satisfying to tear apart and dunk. You’ll want seconds, no shame.

Trust me. This is the kind of Cauliflower Wings Recipes I make on a weeknight or for friends.

But don’t overthink it. Just eat them.

Fast.

Ingredients

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Cauliflower: crunchy, veggie base that soaks up the sauce like a champ.
All purpose flour: makes the batter stick and gives a light chew.
Cornstarch: makes crust extra crisp.
Plus it helps the batter dry.
More cornstarch: toss if you want a crunchier bite, no fuss.
Plant milk: binds the batter and keeps it totally dairy free.
Baking powder: adds puff and airiness to the coating.
Garlic powder: savory backbone, it’s simple but essential.
Paprika: smoky or sweet warmth, kind of cozy.
Salt: brings everything to life.
Don’t be shy.
Black pepper: subtle heat and little kick.
Panko breadcrumbs: crunchy armor for breaded wings, seriously addictive.
Neutral oil: helps the crust brown and crisp up nicely.
Nonstick spray: saves cleanup and stops sticking, plain and useful.
Vegan mayo: creamy base that makes the bang bang sauce silky.
Sweet chili sauce: sticky-sweet heat, the glue of the sauce.
Sriracha: bright spicy punch.
Use less if you’re timid.
Maple syrup: rounds out heat with mellow sweetness, kind of perfect.
Rice vinegar: adds sharpness and balances the sauce flavors.
Tamari: optional depth and salty umami, good in small doses.
Green onions: fresh, sharp garnish that lightens each bite.
Toasted sesame seeds: tiny nutty crunch and look-good finish.

Ingredient Quantities

1 medium head cauliflower, about 1 to 1.5 lbs, cut into bite size florets

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch, plus 2 tbsp more for tossing if you want extra crisp

1 cup unsweetened plant milk (soy or oat work best)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (use gluten free if needed) for breaded version

2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or avocado) for tossing or brushing

Nonstick spray or extra oil for baking/air frying

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (creamy base for the bang bang sauce)

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce (add less if you dont like it spicy)

1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar

1 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice

Optional 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce for depth

2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment, or heat your air fryer to 400 F. Toss cauliflower florets with 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp oil so they get a thin dry coating; this helps them crisp even if you skip breadcrumbs.

2. Make the batter: whisk together flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and plant milk until smooth. It should be thick enough to coat but still pourable; add a splash more milk if too thick.

3. For breaded wings: dip each floret in the batter, let excess drip off, then roll in panko and place on the prepared sheet. For unbreaded wings: just toss florets in the batter and place on the sheet.

4. Arrange florets with a little space between them. Lightly spray or brush with oil. If using the air fryer, do in a single layer in batches if needed and spray the top.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until edges brown and crisp. In the air fryer cook 12 to 16 minutes, shaking or flipping once, until golden and crisp. If you want extra crunch, broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end but watch them closely.

6. While cauliflower cooks, whisk together the bang bang sauce: vegan mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and optional tamari. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness to your liking.

7. When florets are done, toss them in a large bowl with 2 tbsp neutral oil and 2 to 3 tbsp sauce to coat lightly, then add more sauce if you want them saucier. For a thicker sticky coating toss once more with a little extra cornstarch sprinkled on and a quick bake or air fry for 2 minutes.

8. Transfer to a serving plate and spoon any extra sauce over the top.

9. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot as an app with extra sauce, or over rice for a meal.

10. Leftovers reheat well in the oven or air fryer to keep crisp. Store sauce separately for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Baking sheet (or air fryer basket)
2. Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Whisk
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Tongs or a slotted spoon (for flipping and tossing)
7. Small bowl and spoon for mixing the bang bang sauce
8. Oven mitts or heatproof gloves and a pastry brush or nonstick spray for oiling

FAQ

Can I make these gluten free? Yes, just use a gluten free all purpose flour and gluten free panko or crushed gluten free cereal. Cornstarch is already gluten free so the batter still crisps up nice.

How do I get them extra crispy? Coat florets well, toss them in that extra 2 tbsp cornstarch before battering, and use panko for the breaded version. Bake on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or air fry at 375°F for best results. Brushing or spraying with oil helps too.

Bake or air fry which is better? Air fryer gives faster and slightly crispier results, but baking on a wire rack works nearly as well and is easier for big batches. If baking, preheat oven and space pieces so they arent touching.

Can I make the sauce ahead? Definitely. The bang bang sauce keeps in the fridge up to 5 days and actually tastes better after a few hours when flavors meld. Stir before using.

How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in an air fryer or oven at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes to bring back crispness. Microwave makes them soggy so avoid it unless you only care about speed.

Want to tweak the heat or sweetness? Adjust sriracha for heat and maple syrup for sweetness. Swap sweet chili sauce for more gochujang or hoisin if you want different flavor profiles, just taste and balance with vinegar or lime as needed.

Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower Wings Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour
- 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend (use the same amount, but may be slightly more crumbly)
- Chickpea flour (dense and nutty, use 3/4 cup for every 1 cup and add a bit more plant milk)
- Whole wheat flour (heartier flavor, may brown faster so watch the oven)
Cornstarch
- Arrowroot powder (use equal amount, gives a clear crispy finish)
- Potato starch (great for crisping, use same amount)
- Tapioca starch (use same amount, slightly chewier crust)
Unsweetened plant milk
- Soy milk (works best for binding, similar texture)
- Oat milk (creamy and mild, good for flavor)
- Almond milk (lighter, okay if you add a touch more cornstarch for thickness)
Panko breadcrumbs
- Crushed cornflakes (extra crispy, pulse in a bag to break up)
- Crushed rice crackers or potato chips (super crunchy, use gently)
- Finely ground oats or oat crumbs (denser, good if you want less processed)

Pro Tips

1. Toss the florets in 2 tbsp cornstarch and oil and let them sit 5 to 10 minutes before battering. that little dry coating soaks up less batter and gives way better crunch, especially if you skip the panko or are air frying.

2. If your batter seems too thick after whisking, add the plant milk a tablespoon at a time. you want it thick enough to cling but still pourable, otherwise you get clumpy blobs that dont cook evenly.

3. For extra crunch, double crisp: coat in batter, roll in panko, bake or air fry until almost done, then spray lightly with oil and broil or hit the last 1 to 2 minutes on high/air fry at full temp. watch it closely or it will burn fast.

4. Keep the sauce separate until serving if you like leftovers. tossing right before eating keeps the coating crisp. if you want them stickier, toss, then give a quick 90 second re-crisp in the oven or air fryer so sauce sets without going soggy.

Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower Wings Recipe

Recipe by Sammy Hunter

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower Wings that hit like the best Cauliflower Wings Recipes I've tried and you won't believe how crispy and sauce-worthy they get.

Servings

servings

Calories

711

kcal

Equipment: 1. Baking sheet (or air fryer basket)
2. Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Whisk
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Tongs or a slotted spoon (for flipping and tossing)
7. Small bowl and spoon for mixing the bang bang sauce
8. Oven mitts or heatproof gloves and a pastry brush or nonstick spray for oiling

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower, about 1 to 1.5 lbs, cut into bite size florets
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus 2 tbsp more for tossing if you want extra crisp
1 cup unsweetened plant milk (soy or oat work best)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (use gluten free if needed) for breaded version
2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or avocado) for tossing or brushing
Nonstick spray or extra oil for baking/air frying
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (creamy base for the bang bang sauce)
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce (add less if you dont like it spicy)
1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
1 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice
Optional 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce for depth
2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment, or heat your air fryer to 400 F. Toss cauliflower florets with 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp oil so they get a thin dry coating; this helps them crisp even if you skip breadcrumbs.
Make the batter: whisk together flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and plant milk until smooth. It should be thick enough to coat but still pourable; add a splash more milk if too thick.
For breaded wings: dip each floret in the batter, let excess drip off, then roll in panko and place on the prepared sheet. For unbreaded wings: just toss florets in the batter and place on the sheet.
Arrange florets with a little space between them. Lightly spray or brush with oil. If using the air fryer, do in a single layer in batches if needed and spray the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until edges brown and crisp. In the air fryer cook 12 to 16 minutes, shaking or flipping once, until golden and crisp. If you want extra crunch, broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end but watch them closely.
While cauliflower cooks, whisk together the bang bang sauce: vegan mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and optional tamari. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness to your liking.
When florets are done, toss them in a large bowl with 2 tbsp neutral oil and 2 to 3 tbsp sauce to coat lightly, then add more sauce if you want them saucier. For a thicker sticky coating toss once more with a little extra cornstarch sprinkled on and a quick bake or air fry for 2 minutes.
Transfer to a serving plate and spoon any extra sauce over the top.
Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot as an app with extra sauce, or over rice for a meal.
Leftovers reheat well in the oven or air fryer to keep crisp. Store sauce separately for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.