Tender on the inside, and crispy on the outside, these Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings will be your new favorite appetizer! They're completely vegan, and can easily be made gluten-free!
Even if you're not a fan of cauliflower, these teriyaki wings will win your heart! They're savory, meaty, and chewy, yet still taste fresh and wholesome.
These bites are easy to make and can be served to a party as an appetizer, or as a side dish to your weeknight dinner.
For more cauliflower recipes, check out my cauliflower potato leek soup.
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Ingredients & Subtitutions
- Flour. We use regular flour, but gluten-free all-purpose flour will work as well.
- Breadcrumbs. We use homemade breadcrumbs (made with whole-wheat bread), but you can use panko breadcrumbs.
- Milk. We use soy milk, but you can use any unsweetened milk you like.
- Brown sugar. For making the teriyaki sauce. It can be substituted with white sugar if needed.
- Soy sauce. This is the main ingredient in the teriyaki sauce. Make sure to use a sodium-reduced one to avoid making your sauce overly salty. You can also use tamari if you're gluten-free.
- Corn starch. To thicken the teriyaki sauce. Arrowroot starch can work in a pinch.
- Rice vinegar. Adds tanginess and balances out the teriyaki sauce. If you're out of rice vinegar, lime juice can work as well.
- Sesame oil. Adds a lovely flavor and aroma, but can be skipped for an oil-free version.
- Spices like garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings
Start by cutting your cauliflower into florets, then give them a good wash and pat them dry with a clean towel or kitchen paper.
Mix the flour, garlic powder, and milk in a medium bowl until a smooth batter is formed.
Dip each floret into the batter first, making sure that any excess batter has dripped off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all florets are coated.
Place the wings on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through. You know they are ready when the coating is lightly golden.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it starts to simmer, bring the heat down and cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens.
Transfer the wings to a bowl and coat them with the sauce. Top with some toasted sesame seeds and serve!
👩🏼🍳 Petra's Tips
- Let excess batter drip off, you want the wings to have just a thin coating.
- Make sure to whisk the teriyaki sauce constantly once it starts to boil. It tends to burn easily.
- Serve them right after making them. These cauliflower wings are the best right after they're made. They don't stay crispy for long, so make sure not to make them too far ahead.
FAQ
Yes! The air fryer will cook the wings twice as fast, just keep in mind that the texture will be slightly different. Since the oven takes longer to cook, the cauliflower gets soft and chewy on the inside. Whereas, when using an air fryer, it has more of a bite to it.
Adding too much sauce can cause your wings to become soggy. I suggest coating them with ⅔ of the sauce first and reserving the rest if you want to drizzle some more while eating.
If your sauce is too hot, that may also be a problem. In that case, let it cool for 5 minutes before using.
No. This recipe is best when fresh and freezing will completely change the texture. I don't recommend it.
Serving Suggestions
We love to serve these cauliflower teriyaki wings with sesame seeds and chopped scallions as a garnish.
For sides, I recommend pairing them with coconut rice, chili oil noodles, or smoky tofu.
For sauces, try our sriracha mayo, or pair them with vegan ranch dressing.
Storage & Freezing
- Fridge: Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: This recipe is not freezer-friendly.
More Easy Vegan Side Dishes
📖 Recipe
Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings Recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer or oven
Ingredients
For the cauliflower wings
- 1 medium cauliflower head, chopped into florets
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup flour (either all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (we use soy milk)
- 2 cups breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
- Cooking spray
For the teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tablespoon corn starch (or sub with arrowroot starch)
- ⅛ teaspoon Freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven or air fryer to 350F (180C). If using an oven, lay a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
- To a medium mixing bowl, mix flour and garlic powder together. Then slowly pour the milk, stirring constantly to prevent clumps. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 cup flour, 1 ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- To another bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Start coating the cauliflower florets by dipping each one in the wet mixture first, letting any excess batter drip off. Then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all florets are coated.2 cups breadcrumbs
Oven
- Add florets to a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or oil. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for 15-20 more minutes, until golden.Cooking spray
Air fryer
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil or cooking spray. Add florets to the basket in a single layer, then spray them with oil. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Make sure to stop and shake the basket halfway through.
Teriyaki sauce
- In the meantime, make the teriyaki sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan- soy sauce, water, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, black pepper, and chili flakes (optional). Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. When the sauce starts to boil, turn the heat to medium-low and start whisking constantly, simmering the sauce for 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Remove from the heat.½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 2 teaspoon minced ginger, 2 tablespoon corn starch, ⅛ teaspoon Freshly cracked black pepper, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- Add wings to a bowl and pour ⅔ of the sauce. Mix gently. Use the rest of the sauce to drizzle on spots that didn't get coated well. Top with toasted sesame seeds (optional) and serve right away!
Notes
- Fridge: Let cauliflower wings cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container and cover with a lid. Save in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This recipe is not freezer-friendly.
- Oven: Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Add cauliflower wings to a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
- Air fryer: Pre-heat air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray basket with oil or cooking spray, and add the cauliflower wings in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Julia says
We LOVED these!
Petranka says
Amazing!