I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Super Bowl gathering where chicken wings were not part of the feast. Though I skip them since I prefer to spend my calories elsewhere. Now here’s a way for us all to partake in their party popping goodness in a veggie friendly way. These spicy buffalo cauliflower wings are made with cauliflower. They’re boneless too, of course. I heard about some folks doing this, but I needed to try it out for myself in my own culinary style.  They won’t taste like chicken (since there’s no chicken in them), but they are every bit a spicy hot bite. Definitely worth a try!

spicy buffalo cauliflower wings

Makes 6 servings: 5 wings each

Ingredients

• 1 cup plant-based buttermilk (1 cup plain unsweetened soymilk + 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice)
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 pound fresh cauliflower florets (about 30 pieces)
• 2 tablespoons plant-based butter
• 1 or 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (try Frank’s RedHot Sauce for a touch of tradition)
• 1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Vigorously stir together the plant-based buttermilk, flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. One at a time, dip the cauliflower pieces into the plant-based buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess, and arrange on an unbleached parchment paper-lined large baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes. Flip over each piece and roast until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
2. While the cauliflower is roasting, melt the plant-based butter in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the hot sauce, broth, and applesauce and cook while stirring until the mixture is hot.
3. Add the roasted cauliflower to the Dutch oven, gently toss to fully coat the cauliflower with the sauce, and transfer the wings to a serving platter using tongs.
4. Drizzle with desired amount of the residual sauce from the pot and serve immediately. Enjoy as is or alongside celery, carrots, and a small ramekin of blue cheese dressing.

Per serving: 150 calories, 5g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 10mg cholesterol, 970mg sodium*, 24g total carbohydrate, 5g dietary fiber, 5g sugars, 4g protein

Jackie’s Culinary Nutrition Tips!

• When doing a complete veggie swap for chicken, try cauliflower since it has the appearance of little drumsticks. Keeping the visual essence of traditional chicken wings will maintain their party appeal.
• It’s okay to keep the breading; the main caloric overload happens when you fry breaded food, not roast it.
• Don’t feel you need to skip the butter when making wing sauce; go with a plant-based version and, for extra sauciness, pump up the flavorful liquid/moist ingredients, like low-sodium vegetable broth and unsweetened applesauce. The hint of sweetness from the applesauce helps to balance the über “heat” of the hot sauce, too.