Today is a special one, I decided to create a second version of the Spicy Orange Sriracha Chicken Wings that I am also sharing here today, but swapping in veggies for the meat. Let it be known that I hate putting food words in quotes. It’s stupid. I will acknowledge this. But… sometimes it’s the only option. Cauliflower does in fact NOT have wings. I’m aware of this. Maybe if you fed it Red Bull, but otherwise no. OK. Not funny. Sorry. I digress, there really isn’t a good name for these. “Cauli-wings” is tempting, but let’s just be real, I don’t think this is a good choice if we’re talking SEO, google and keywords, do people even use that term? Blah blah. So here we are, another blog post with quotes. I’m rolling with it.
It may seem odd to be sharing, on the same day, a chicken wing recipe, along with a matching cauliflower “wing” recipe. But here’s the reality, I freakin’ LOVE vegetables you guys. They make my soul happy, they make my belly sing and if you are asking me, they are just always the best choice. I’ll eat the heck out of a chicken wing, don’t get me wrong, but if I can have a real-food veggie option, I want that, too instead!
These beautiful cauli-wings are made with two of my favorite things. Homemade marmalade and spicy Sriracha. After making several batches of honey-sweetened orange marmalade this past week, I’ve been wanting to put it on absolutely everything. Savory dishes are not immune from this desire. This sticky, finger-licking good wing sauce, turns your run of the mill cauliflower into the very best treat, for the big game, next to an ice cold beer. A great way to sneak veggies into the mix, these will turn even the meatiest of meat fans into a veggie lover!
[print_this]Spicy Orange Sriracha Cauliflower “Wings” {Vegetarian with Vegan Option, Gluten-free, Paleo}
serves 4-ish
- 1 large head organic cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon melted ghee, butter or olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup Sriracha hot sauce (use more or less, depending on your desired heat level)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or other granulated sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- sea salt, to taste
Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop the cauliflower into 1.5 – 2 inch pieces. In a medium size bowl, combine the almond flour, water, tapioca starch, garlic powder and salt and mix until smooth. Dip the cauliflower into the batter and coat each piece thoroughly.
Place the battered cauliflower onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. In meantime, in a small sauce pan, over a medium-high heat, add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a medium-low. Allow to slowly simmer, stirring constantly to avoid burning, until the sauce reduces down and thickens a bit, about 8-10 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and set aside until the cauliflower wings finish.
When the cauliflower is done, remove it from the oven and gently toss it in the Spicy Orange Sriracha mixture. Place the cauliflower back on the parchment lined baking sheet and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until it becomes crispy. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro and chives or scallions. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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13 Responses
I can’t wait to try this! My son is trying out going veg so I think I’ll add this to the Super Bowl menu for him (and me… since I love cauliflower:)
Thanks Beth!!
THESE LOOK SO GOOD. I want a whole tray. Please deliver asap.
I have become slightly obsessed with the idea of cauliflower “wings” and cannot wait to try these. Recently I made a breaded cauliflower Chinese-type thing and it was great, but I think your recipe would be perfect this weekend while I’m not really watching the superbowl hahah (:
Me too. I love them. These are perfect for commercial watching, too 😉
Um, move over Cauliflower buffalo wings cuz I want a plate of these!
Yah!! The new way to eat your cauli-wings 😉
BETH. These are seriously amazing. I don’t get too into the Super Bowl, but I am tooootally making these for myself while I pretend to watch the game. Also, laughing out loud at the “maybe if you fed it Red Bull” comment. 😉
Your recipes are absolutely the best. I keep saving them and saving them. I hope for a recipe book someday. I always prefer a book to online recipes but yours are the exception.
We have absolutely the same palate. Thank you for so much creativity. You are the best.
Just made these… Wondering if the batter is correct? Mine was quite watery, and did not stick on the cauliflower as a result. Was 1 cup water correct?
Yes 1 cup is correct. What kind of flour did you use? Did you also include the starch? If it’s too watery you can try adding additional flour to thicken it.
I did 3/4c almond flour and 2 tbsp tapioca starch.
This looks really good. What is tapioca starch? Can it be bought at a grocery store of is it s specialty item?
I was perusing the net and found your site (YAY!). I just pinned your breakfast muffins on my Pinterest page and then noticed this post. Since I just bought 2 heads of organic cauliflower, I thought that this would be great to make over the weekend. I don’t have tapioca starch but was wondering if I could use arrowroot powder (of which I have an abundance-thank you, Amazon) instead. Have you ever subbed arrowroot for tapioca?