Hey there! Let’s chat about these Sesame Cauliflower Wings, shall we? Honestly, I’m pretty excited about them. I mean, who would’ve thought cauliflower could be this exciting, right? But trust me, if you’re looking for vegan appetizers, these babies are a game-changer.
Now, let me give you a bit of backstory. Like many folks, my relationship with cauliflower wasn’t exactly love at first bite. I mean, trying it raw as a kid? Yeah, not the best experience. But fast forward to today, and cauliflower is like my culinary bestie. It’s versatile, nutrition-packed, and when you treat it right, it’s downright delicious.
Getting to Know Cauliflower…
So, what’s the deal with cauliflower anyway? Well, aside from being packed with goodies like Vitamin C, Folate, and Vitamin K, it’s also got a little protein punch, with about 2 grams per cup (source). Not bad for a humble veggie, right?
Tip: If you’re eating it as your main course, you might try sneaking a little extra protein into a different part of your meal, such as adding tofu to a rice dish or salad.
Alright, enough chit-chat. Let’s get down to business: making these Sesame Cauliflower Wings! We’ll start by going over ingredients and equipment, then show you how to cut and roast the cauliflower, then jump into some batter instructions.
Ingredients & Equipment
The only specialty item needed for Sesame Cauliflower Wings is a fryer. You can use a pot with a thermometer instead, but I choose not to do it that way because with my glass cooktop, it can be difficult to get the oil heated to a specific temperature. If you want to purchase a fryer, the Presto Fry Daddy is an inexpensive option that doesn’t take up much space. I’ve had mine for about 7 years now and it still works great. If you want a fryer with a slightly larger capacity, they also make the Presto GranPappy.
Here are some great options for baking sheets and mixing bowls, if you don’t already have them. And if you’re feeling a bit extra, treat yourself to a silicone whisk and baking mats . Trust me, they’re kitchen game-changers!
All of the ingredients should be pretty easy to find at your local grocery store. If you have any trouble finding gluten-free options, Amazon has plenty of gluten-free bread crumb options and King Arthur Flour is a solid choice. I would definitely look for the bread crumbs locally first though, since buying them online can be a bit pricey. Try any Kroger retailers for a good quality budget option.
Preparing the Sesame Cauliflower Wings
Cutting & Roasting the Cauliflower
Now, onto the main event: prepping the cauliflower. Start by breaking down the head into florets. First, rip off any of the big leaves hanging around. Then, grab your trusty knife and cut that cauliflower into halves, then quarters. Lay each quarter down and cut out the core.
Once you’ve done that, breaking apart the florets is a piece of cake. Try to keep the florets around two bites in size. If you’ve got any monsters in there, just give them a quick chop in half.
Once you’ve chopped up the cauliflower into florets, toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet, making sure they’re not too crowded.
Then, pop them in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. You want the cauliflower to be just tender enough, but not too soft because they’ve got more cooking to do later.
While those cauliflower florets are roasting, get started on your batter, breading and sauce, following the recipe below. Once you take the cauliflower out of the oven, let it cool to room temperature before moving to the next step.
Note: The cauliflower can be roasted a day in advance if you’re going to be short on time. The batter and breading can be made in advance as well (store the batter and cauliflower in the fridge).
Battering the Sesame Cauliflower Wings
Start by preheating your fryer (or pot and thermometer) until it gets up to 375 degrees (about 15-20 minutes). Use your hand or a slotted spoon to dip the cauliflower into the batter. Let the cauliflower rest for 15-20 seconds, then let the excess batter run off before transferring to the breading mixture. Coat thoroughly with breading mixture, then let rest for about 20 seconds and coat again.
Tip: For thicker breading, coat with breading mixture, then dip back in batter and coat with breading again.
Keeping the Sesame Cauliflower Wings Crispy
They’ll actually stay crispy longer than you would expect. The bread crumbs help keep the breading from getting soggy as quickly. If you’re serving the sesame cauliflower wings as an appetizer at a party rather than a sit down meal, I would suggest lightly brushing on a small amount of sauce, and serving additional sauce on the side for dipping. They should stay pretty fresh for up to an hour that way. I haven’t tested them any longer than that, because there are never any left!
If you’re planning on eating them right away, they are best served coated in sauce. Just place the fried cauliflower in a bowl, drizzle the sauce over top, then toss until evenly coated, adding more sauce if needed.
Alright, folks, there you have it: Sesame Cauliflower Wings! Give them a try and let me know what you think in the comments below, and don’t forget to tag us on social media at @we_make_pretty. Pair with one of our Strawberry Gin cocktails or a Passionfruit La Croix Hurricane for a flavor experience that’ll knock your socks off. Happy cooking!
Crispy Sesame Cauliflower Wings
Equipment
- Paper towels
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup low sodium tamari
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Batter
- 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
- 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp sriracha
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (fresh ground works best)
Breading
- 1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, Plain
- ½ cup gluten-free flour
- ½ Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Garnish
- White sesame seeds
- Green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wait to preheat fryer until 15-20 before use.
- Cut cauliflower into florets (the size of one or two bites). Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out on baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until slightly tender. Cool to room temperature.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, whisk together tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, grated ginger, sweet chili sauce and toasted sesame oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Once the sauce begins to simmer, add corn starch slurry and reduce heat to medium low. Continue simmering for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat. Sauce will thicken slightly more as it cools.
- To make the breading, whisk together bread crumbs, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- To make the batter, whisk together the plant milk and apple cider vinegar. Let rest for 3-5 minutes before whisking in the sriracha, cornstarch and flaxseed meal.
- Once the fryer is preheated, dip a handful of cauliflower into the batter (do this by hand or with a slotted spoon). Let the cauliflower rest for 15-20 seconds, then let the excess batter run off before transferring to the breading mixture. Coat throughly with breading mixture, then let it rest in the breading mixture for about 20 seconds and coat again. Repeat this entire step for extra thick breading, or move on to frying the cauliflower.
- Place breaded cauliflower in a single layer in your fryer basket (about 2 handfuls of cauliflower) and immediately place the basket in the fryer. Continue frying for about 4 minutes or until golden brown, drain the oil from thte backer, then turn the cauliflower out onto a plate over paper towels. (Depending on the size of your fryer, it should take 2 rounds the fry all of the florets.)
- After all the cauliflower has been fried, and the paper towels have had a moment to soak up the excess oil, transfer the fried cauliflower to a large bowl and drizzle most of the sauce over top. Toss until thoroughly coated, adding more sauce if needed. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sliced green onions and a generous amount of white sesame seeds.
Pin For Later
These Cauliflower Wings look delectable! What would you recommend serving with them?
You can serve them over jasmine rice or with a variety of other appetizers. The flavor is incredibly versatile, so they’ll go with pretty much anything.