Sweet ‘N Sour Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

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Are sweet and sour buffalo wings a thing?
Or, must one choose either sweet 'n sour sauce orrrr buffalo sauce?
I'm not really sure, however, I do know one thing ... it is a very very delicious combination.
A little sweet.
A little sour.
A little spicy.
Of course, if you are not a fan of sweet flavor in your savory foods.. this is probably one recipe you may want to pass on.
However, for the rest of us sweet-and-savory-palate-loving-people, this one's for YOU.
Now, let's be honest here. It's almost Superbowl Sunday. Which means many things, but mostly, it means that you are going to be inundated with vegan cauliflower wing recipes on the internet for the next few weeks...
Fun fact: Americans eat over one billion chicken wings just on Super Bowl Sunday. That's insane.
I wonder how many cauliflower wings vegans eat on Super Bowl Sunday?!
So, what makes *this* recipe unique and different from the rest?
- we're using almond flour to coat the cauli wings so it's automatically gluten free.
- absolutely no oil needed. Yay for that!
- super adaptable to your needs and preferences. Don't like spicy? Leave the cayenne pepper out. Want it sweeter/more sour? Add more agave or lemon juice. You get to be the chef.
- WFPB (whole foods plant based) approved: we're sticking with whole foods and leaving out all the processed junk that is usually found in many cauliflower wing recipes or store bought products.
- we're making our own sweet and sour spicy sauce from scratch - but you can always use a store bought alternative if you'd like.
- simple ingredients most of which you probably already have in your pantry/fridge.
Have I convinced you yet to try these vegan sweet n' sour spicy cauliflower wings?
Make sure to save some extra sweet and sour spicy sauce to drizzle on top of the cauli wings right before you serve them.
Be the change this year and don't contribute to that one billion chicken wing count - instead eat some cauliflower! We also have an easy step by step guide on how to cook homemade cauliflower rice. Trust us, its not that hard to make and makes for a great alternative to regular white rice. And a very healthy alternative to it as well.
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Want to see more game day approved recipes?
Check out these massive loaded vegan nachos.
with love + gratitude,
Jen ♥
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Watch how to make vegan oven baked sweet and sour buffalo cauliflower wings:
Sweet ‘N Sour Spicy Cauliflower Wings

A sweet ‘n healthy spin on traditional buffalo wings – these are made using cauliflower instead.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
Ingredients for batter:
- 1 cup almond flour (110g) – I used this brand from Amazon.
- 1 teaspoon onion powder + garlic powder (5g)
- 3/4 cups of water
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
Sweet ‘N Sour Spicy Sauce:
- 1/4 cup of water (70g)
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar (55g)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (4g)
- 1 tablespoon onion powder (8g)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional – if you don’t like spicy leave out)
- 2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
- the juice of half a lemon (approximately 33g or less than 1/4 cup)
Optional sesame seeds to sprinkle on top for serving.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Add all dry ingredients (listed under batter) to a mixing bowl and whisk. Then add all wet ingredients form a batter, if it seems too watery, let sit for a minute to allow it to thicken up. Dip cauliflower pieces into batter making sure to coat all sides evenly and place on baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 425F for 30 minutes.
- Prepare sweet and sour sauce: Add all ingredients to a blender and combine. Add the sauce to a mixing bowl and gently toss roasted cauliflower to coat with the sauce.
- Place coated cauliflower pieces back into the oven at 425F for another 15 minutes, or until crispy. The longer you leave them in the oven, the drier they will be so keep that in mind.
- Once roasted, sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional) and serve with extra sweet ‘n sour sauce if you have left over. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for one large cauliflower or 1 to 2 small sized cauliflowers.
- If you are making this for a large group (more than 2 people), double the recipe.
Keywords: cauliflower wings, vegan, buffalo, roasted cauliflower, sweet and sour,
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This sounds so fabulous! I love breaking rules when it comes to recipes myself so I really appreciate your initiative 🙂 Sweet, sour and spicy all in one is just my thing! I love making a simple salad dressing from homemade date syrup, cayenne pepper, and apple cider vinegar, so this sauce sounds amazing to me 😀 Cauliflower sure is the best <3 Have a wonderful day 🙂
That simple salad dressing sounds AMAZING!! I’m hooked to that sweet, sour, and spicy combination – so delicious. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂