Southern Fried Cauli Wings
honestly my fav recipe for cauliflower wings
i know at this point we have all have at least heard about cauliflower wings. there are lots of ways to enjoy cauliflower and I am aware deep frying is maybe… not the most creative ? but today i am just looking to satisfy my craving for spicy chicken wings with ranch and some crispy Clawson pickles (they’re the best).
as we know just about anything dipped in batter an deep fried till golden is delicious. i try not to eat deep fried foods too often but you know how it is. from time to time we crave a lil treat and every so often this craving for crispy wings and ranch comes for me. in case that’s you too i have humbly typed this up just for you, my cauliflower wing lovin buddies.
Southern Fried Cauli Wings
yields approx. 4 servings
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
4 - 6 cups of oil for frying
1/4 cup - chopped green onions for garnish
Batter
1 cup - unsweetened plant-based milk
1/2 cup - sparkling water or club soda
1/4 cup - buffalo style hot sauce ( I used Primal Kitchen brand )
2 tbsp - cornstarch
1 tbsp - apple cider vinegar
1 cup - all purpose flour
1/2 tbsp - sea salt
1/4 tsp - chili powder
1 tsp - garlic powder
1 tsp - onion powder
1/4 tsp - black pepper
1/2 tsp - sage powder
1/2 tsp - coriander powder
1/2 tsp - paprika
1/2 tsp - celery salt
1/4 tsp - ground nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp - ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp - cumin
Breading
2 cup - all purpose flour
1 cup - panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp - cornstarch
1 tbsp - salt
1/4 tsp - black pepper
1/4 tsp - garlic powder
1/4 tsp - sage powder
Ranch Dressing
yields approx. 1 cup
1/2 cup - plant-based mayo
1/4 cup - plant-based sour cream
1/4 cup - lemon juice
1/2 tbsp - plant-based Worchester sauce / or soy sauce as a substitution
1 tbsp - freshly chopped dill
1 tbsp - freshly chopped parsley
1 tbsp - freshly chopped chives
1/2 tsp - onion powder
1/2 tsp - dried dill
1/2 tsp - dried parsley
1/8 tsp - paprika
salt + pepper to taste
What you will need:
2 large bowls for the batter and breading
a large pot / rondeau to deep fry in
metal tongs
a whisk
cutting board
chef knife
measuring cups n spoons
a sheet pan with a cooling rack or something comparable to let the fried cauliflower wings drip off the excess oil
Instructions
There is nothing worse than going to make something and realizing you don’t have the stuff ! First things first gather your mise en place grabbing all the needed equipment.
Step 1 - Make the ranch
In a large bowl mix together the plant-based mayo and sour cream along with the lemon juice, Worchester sauce, herbs and seasonings. Give this a good mix and then save in a container and pop in the fridge to set and be used later. I like to store dressings in a mason jar or glass bottle but any food safe vessel will do. Any left over dressing can be enjoyed for about 5 - 7 days after the day its made.
Step 2 - Cut the Cauliflower into bite size florets
Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces. Pieces that are too big may not cook all the way internally and pieces that are too big tend to be harder to eat.
Step 3 - Make the batter and the breading
Grab the 2 large bowls to start measuring out everything for the batter and breading. I like to first measure out the milk and mix that with the apple cider vinegar to sort of allow a “buttermilk” to form while I work on measuring out the other components.
In the bowl for the breading measure out all the dry ingredients and give it a good whisk before setting to the side and moving on to making the batter. In the bowl for the batter start by measuring out all the dry ingredients like the flour, cornstarch, salt and all the seasonings. Mixing that together before pouring in the wet ingredients to avoid over mixing. Once the batter and breading is made and the cauliflower is cut its time to start warming up the oil.
Step 4 - Set up a fry station and start battering, breading and frying
To make this as stream lined as possible I recommend setting up a fry station to be set up for success. On the left of your hot pot of oil you are going to want to have the cut cauliflower florets and next to that the batter and breading. I like to also have a plate to tap off the excess flour before dipping the wing into the oil.
On the right side of the pot of oil you are going to want to have the sheet tray with a cooling rack on it. This is where the fried cauliflower florets are going to go when they come out of the hot oil. Once the fry station is set up you can start dipping each floret into the batter and tapping off ass much excess as possible before dredging into the breading. Tap off as much of the breading excess as you can and carefully drop it into the oil. Depending on the size of the pot used will depend on how many florets can be frying at once. Generally I like to fry maybe 4 or 5 at a time. Use metal tongs or a slotted metal spoon to scoop out the fried cauliflower wings and transfer them to the sheet rack. Give a little sprinkling of salt while they are still hot and fresh and then carry on repeating this process until all florets have been battered and fried.
Step 5 - Plating and serving
I typically make this as an appetizer or as a sort of finger food item for parties so when I plate this I sort of plate it “family style”. I like to use brown parchment paper or sometimes checkered parchment paper on a nice plate before piling on the scrumptious cauliflower wings. Along with some pickle spears, lots of green onions over top and oh yes - the mouth watering ranch dressing.
If you make it, please tag me on Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3