The Best Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Wash cauliflower and cut into florets. Make sure you have a large cookie tray handy.

In a large bowl, mix flour, almond milk, garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, and hot hatch chile powder until smooth. In a large shallow bowl, pour in 1 cup of the panko bread crumbs.

Place cauliflower in the wet mixture, a few pieces at a time, coating thoroughly. Shake off any dripping batter before placing the pieces into the panko bread crumbs. Coat thoroughly, and place on the cookie sheet.

Repeat until all the cauliflower is breaded, adding more panko bread crumbs to the bowl as needed. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator while you heat the deep fryer and make the sauce.

Heat deep fryer to 375°F. Heat a small saucepan over low heat, and add cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. Stir until butter melts, and keep over very low heat.

When deep fryer is ready, remove cauliflower from refrigerator. Fry in small batches, about 6 to 7 pieces at a time as to not overcrowd the fryer, which could drop the temperature of the oil too low, causing a soggy cauliflower wing.

Fry for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown.

Have a very large bowl handy, and place the freshly fried cauliflower directly from the fryer to the bowl. Quickly ladle just a bit of sauce, about 3 to 4 tablespoons over the top of the cauliflower, and flip once. It’s fine if the cauliflower isn’t fully coated—this will prevent them from becoming very soggy.

Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off any excess oil, and repeat with remaining cauliflower. Replace paper towels if they become saturated with oil. Carefully plate on a serving platter, and serve with your favorite dressing and celery sticks!