These crispy baked bbq cauliflower wings are so crazy good… Don’t be surprised if the entire pan disappears in minutes!
Easy Barbecue Cauliflower Wings
With a delicious crispy texture and sweet barbecue flavor, these secretly healthy wings are always a huge fan favorite.
I’ve tried the recipe out on both vegans and non-vegans, and even the hardcore meat eaters love them and ask for more. So you know they must be good!
Also try these Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
What do you serve with the recipe?
The beauty of these cauliflower bites is that they go well with so many different things.
Craving comfort food? Pair them with this Vegan Mac And Cheese.
They can be a side dish, appetizer, or a healthy snack.
Try serving the sticky bbq cauliflower wings for dinner with spaghetti squash or sweet potatoes (see how to cook sweet potatoes), or alongside Avocado Salad or Sweet Potato Salad while watching Monday Night Football.
If you want to be reaaallly healthy, cut up some raw vegetables, such as celery and carrot sticks, and call it a day. Don’t forget the vegan ranch!
I like to serve the low calorie vegetarian wings instead of french fries or onion rings, with either Veggie Burgers or Black Bean Burgers.
Can you make the wings in an air fryer?
While I sadly do not have an air fryer (should I get one??), a few wonderful readers have tested it out and reported that if you cook the bbq wings in an air fryer at 400 F for 17 minutes, they come out perfect and crispy.
Can you use frozen cauliflower?
This is another idea I haven’t personally tried, but readers say it works. Just be sure to thaw the cauliflower fully by letting it sit out (don’t microwave, which could make it mushy), and absorb excess water with a towel before baking.
BBQ cauliflower wing ingredients
The recipe can be made with just a few ingredients: cauliflower, barbecue sauce, flour (or almond flour for a keto or low carb version), oil or oil spray, onion powder, milk of choice (I like almond milk for vegan bbq cauliflower wings), and optional breadcrumbs.
Feel free to use spicy bbq sauce or add a pinch of cayenne for spicy wings. Or choose original or honey bbq sauce for a mild and kid-friendly option. You can also roast the whole cauliflower or cut it into steaks instead of florets.
More Game Day Snacks
Black Bean Brownies (reader favorite)
How to make bbq cauliflower bites
To make the recipe, start by preheating your oven to 425 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and either spray the cauliflower florets with oil spray or toss with a little oil. This helps the seasonings adhere much better.
Add florets to a large bowl or ziploc bag, and toss with the onion powder and flour. Add the milk of choice – I usually use almond milk, but feel free to choose your favorite. Then add the breadcrumbs (you can also make it with no breadcrumbs if desired), and toss to coat.
Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet, making sure to not crowd the cauliflower. Bake 25 minutes on the center rack.
Combine the barbecue sauce and the oil or butter, then dip the cauliflower in the sauce and bake another 15 minutes. After this time, I like to broil for about 5 minutes for extra crispiness. Serve hot.
Leftover Cauliflower? Make Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
Here are 25 additional easy Cauliflower Recipes.
BBQ Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
- 1/2 a large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- oil or oil spray
- 1/4 cup flour or almond meal
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 3 tbsp milk of choice
- optional 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, finely crushed
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1-4 tsp oil or butter
- optional sesame seeds and scallions to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Either spray florets with oil spray or toss with a little oil. In a large bowl or ziploc, toss florets with onion powder and flour. Add the milk, then the breadcrumbs, and toss to coat evenly. Arrange on the pan in a single layer without crowding. Bake 25 minutes. Combine the bbq sauce and oil or butter (fat helps the sauce adhere to the wings). Dip cauliflower in the sauce. Bake 15 additional minutes. When time's up, I like to broil for an additional 5 minutes (watching carefully so they don't burn). Serve hot. View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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More Cauliflower Recipe Ideas
Illianne le Vegan says
Yummy! I plan to make a ‘hidden’ veggie party and serve a bunch of dishes just like this to friends and family. Among them will be your healthy zucchini brownies, spaghetti squash, cauliflower pizza crust and these wings. Do you know of a good sugar-free BBQ sauce?
I’m always shocked to look at the label on a bottle of the stuff and find up to 16g of added sugar??? Moderation, yes, but the recipe calls for 1/2 cup so I’d like to have at least a low sugar condiment. Thanks:)
SomeoneHelpful says
I’d recommend either making your own bbq sauce or buying a sugar free one.
I like this one from target but you can use any brand you like. This bbq sauce specifically has only 1g of sugar for one serving (2 tbsp) and 15 calories as well 🙂
Marlene says
G Hughes brand is sugar free. Can find in Walmart and some grocery stores. It is delicious.
Sol Sweeney says
Please don’t call them wings, they are not. It denigrates your cool recipe. Should be like buffalo style cauliflower / whatever.
Meat replacement meals, I don’t understand why vegos would use them when there’s plenty of real vego dishes to choose from.
Alim says
OMG exactly! Why can’t people call a spade a spade. BBQ cauli-bites! Sounds very yummy to me.
A. W. says
Nutritional info would be very helpful and greatly appreciated.
A.W. says
So sorry! Just found nutritional info. THANK YOU!!!!!
Liz says
Can I use whole wheat bread crumbs? I can’t find them in the store. If I make them, should I toast the bread and then put it in the blender?? Is there a better way?
Thank you very much!!!
Sara says
This was delicious!! I made a few pieces with Buffalo sauce instead of bbq and they were equally delicious!! This will be a regular lunch prep meal at our house.
Thank you for this recipe!
JENNINE GRASSO says
I’ve been searching for flavorful healthy recipes and this fit the bill and then some. I loved these cauliflower wings! I added cayenne and garlic instead of onion and they had such a nice kick. Thanks for the great recipe!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making them 🙂