These Gluten-Free Cauliflower Wings Are Fried Or Baked To Perfection. The Veggie Wings Are Coated In A Delicious Sweet, Lemony Peppery sauce. A Perfect Plant-Based Summer Holiday Or Game Day Appetizer Or Weekend Dinner.
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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. However, you can find important tips/tricks in the post like how to store, reheat and substitutes.
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For those of you who may not know, we live in Atlanta, Ga. Home of the lemon pepper wet wing. These Lemon Pepper Cauliflower wing are our meat-free take on the classic Lemon Pepper Wet wings Atlanta is known for.
Why Use Cauliflower For A Vegan Meat Substitute?
Because cauliflower’s neutral taste makes it perfect to take on a full range of flavors. Its a sponge for soaking up the sour lemon, peppery and sweet flavors of maple syrup for this zesty tangy glaze. We cook the cauliflower a bit in this recipe so that its a little more tender than the raw edible version but its sturdy structure makes sure it holds up nicely after frying.
The batter is light and fluffy with a slightly crispy crunch to it.
You’ll never miss the chicken, we promise.
These cauliflower bites have a tangy-sweet heat that will leave you wanting more. These lemon pepper cauliflower wings are beautiful to look at; but more importantly, are a symphony of sweet and sour in your mouth.
Ingredients
Cauliflower - one head of cauliflower
Lemons - we recommend fresh lemon juice for the most flavor but can substitute with bottled
Oil for pan frying / Spray oil - we recommend an oil with a high smoke point. We use canola, avocado or peanut oil.
Black Pepper for peppery flavor
Maple syrup for sweetness
Instructions
Step 1: In bowl add lemon juice, maple syrup, black pepper, liquid aminos, and cornstarch. Prepare glaze and set aside.
How To Cut And Core Cauliflower (With Pictures)
Step 2: Firstly to create cauliflower nuggets we do not want to cut the cauliflower down the middle.
Start by removing leafs from stem of cauliflower. With a sharp knife cut around the middle of the cauliflower to remove core.
Pull florets apart. Rinse cauliflower and set aside.
Preparing Battering Station
Step 3: In a bowl, mix ingredients for wet batter. Mix until smooth and thick.
Step 4: In a separate bowl add bread crumbs, coconut flour and mix well.
Step 5: In a medium pot, pour in 1 and ½ cups of oil. Heat oil on medium heat setting.
Step 6: Begin preparing wings by evenly coating cauliflower florets in the wet batter
Step 7: Then coat cauliflower in breadcrumbs mix. Begin frying.
Frying
Step 8: Add breaded cauliflower to hot oil, careful not to crowd. (We recommend testing one piece of cauliflower to ensure oil is hot enough. To also ensure pieces are not to big, if they are you’re cauliflower will still be extra firm and tough to get a toothpick through)
Step 9: Cook florets until golden brown (approximately 10 - 12 minutes)
Baking
If baking, bake at 425 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes depending on size of florets. Flipping halfway through. Use a toothpick to test if done. Recommended if doubling the recipe and a healthier option with less oil.
Step 10: Set on paper towels to drain excess oil
Glazing
Step 11: With cauliflower now on a serving tray, spoon glaze over pieces.
Step 12: You can also put glaze in container with lid. And give a gentle couple of shake to coat pieces and then serve.
Gluten-Free Veggie Wings Coating
We use Bob’s Red Mill’s Coconut Flour for the taste and Gluten-Free Rice Panko Breadcrumbs by Dynasty for the perfect crispy crust.
How To Store
These lemon pepper cauliflower wings will be their crispiest fresh from the pan or oven.
Like most vegetables, cauliflower has a high water content. Unfortunately the longer the wings sit the less crispy they will be.
However popping them back in the oven on 400 for 10 minutes will help restore some of that crunch if you need to make the wings a day before.
You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Fried - full instructions in recipe card below. If you choose to fry make sure your floret pieces are medium (not large or oversized) to help with cauliflower not being done after crust has browned. Use about 1 ½ cup oil in smaller frying pan. Do not crowd pan. Fry about 10/11 minutes on medium to medium low heat, turning about three times. Use a toothpick to test if done. Recommended for the extra crunch we all love.
- Oven - bake at 425 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes depending on size of florets. Flipping halfway through. Use a toothpick to test if done. Recommended if doubling the recipe and a healthier option with less oil.
More Great Summer Holiday’s And Game Day Vegan Appetizer Recipes
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Wings
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Tongs
- Baking sheets
- Mixing bowl
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 medium Cauliflower
Wet Batter
- ½ cup Gluten-free flour
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Water
Breading
- 1 ½ cup Bread crumbs
- ½ cup Coconut flour
Glaze
- ⅓ cup Lemon juice - about 1 ½ lemons
- ¼ cup Maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Liquid Aminos
- ½ tablespoon Cornstarch added to 1 tablespoon water
Oil
- Oil of choice for frying - we recommend an oil with a high smoke point. We use canola, avocado or peanut oil.
Instructions
- In bowl add lemon juice, maple syrup, black pepper, liquid aminos, and cornstarch. Prepare glaze and set aside.
Prepare Cauliflower
- Removing leafs from stem of cauliflower. With a sharp knife cut around the middle of the cauliflower to remove core. Pull florets apart. Rinse cauliflower and set aside
Preparing Battering Station
- In a bowl mix ingredients for wet batter. Mix until smooth and thick.
- In a separate bowl add bread crumbs, coconut flour and mix well.
- In a medium pot, pour in 1 and ½ cups of oil. Heat oil on medium heat setting.
- Begin preparing wings by evenly coating cauliflower florets in the wet batter
- Then coat cauliflower in breadcrumbs mix
Frying
- Add breaded cauliflower to hot oil, careful not to crowd. (We recommend testing one piece of cauliflower to ensure oil is hot enough. To also ensure pieces are not to big, if they are you’re cauliflower will still be extra firm and tough to get a toothpick through)
- Cook florets until golden brown (approximately 10 - 12 minutes)
- Set on paper towels to drain excess oil
Baking
- If baking, bake at 425 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes depending on size of florets. Flipping halfway through. Use a toothpick to test if done. Recommended if doubling the recipe and a healthier option with less oil.
Glazing
- With cauliflower now on a serving tray, spoon glaze over pieces.
- You can also put glaze in container with lid. And give a gentle couple of shake to coat pieces and then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
These nutritional figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe.
Other Vegetables That Are Great For Replacing Meat In Recipes
- Mushrooms are great, try our Portabello Mushroom Fajitas
- Eggplant, we love this quick and simple Eggplant Cacciatore
- Butternut Squash, here's our Spicy Tomato & Black Bean Quinoa Butternut Squash recipe
- Beets, you will not believe how good this Beet Rueben Sandwich is
- Jackfruit, this is a favorite with the kiddos Jackfruit Chicken Nuggets
Pin For Later!
We are in the test kitchen working on the perfect air-fryer version of this lemon pepper cauliflower wings recipe to share with you soon.
Be sure to check out more of our plant-based dinner recipes.
What questions do you have? Leave us your questions/comments below or on Instagram at #thevgnway.
If you give this gluten free vegan recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag and us on Instagram at #thevgnway.
Live Love and Eat Good Food!
The Vgn Way
Adapted from thefoodietakesflight.com
Anonymous
The favor in these didn’t disappoint!!!