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Vegan Cauliflower Hot Wings with Lime

Gluten-free, vegan “hot wings” made from crisp-baked cauliflower tossed in a fiery cayenne-lime sauce. The ultimate BBQ appetizer—serve with ranch for cooling!
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 4th of July, Cauliflower Wings, Gluten Free, Spicy, Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 110kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Rubber spatula
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Small bowl
  • Knife and cutting board

Ingredients

For the wings

  • 1 medium head cauliflower cut into bite-size florets
  • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup brown rice flour

For the cayenne-lime sauce

  • 1–3 tsp cayenne pepper to taste*
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp honey or agave use agave for vegan

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk flax seed, water, and hot sauce. Let stand a few minutes to thicken.
  3. Whisk in almond meal and brown rice flour until smooth. Add cauliflower and toss with a spatula to coat evenly.
  4. Spread coated florets on the baking sheet, spacing well. Bake 10 minutes, tossing once halfway.
  5. Meanwhile, stir together cayenne, chili powder, paprika, lime juice, olive oil, and honey/agave in a small bowl.
  6. Drizzle sauce over baked cauliflower and toss thoroughly on the pan (or in a bowl) until evenly coated. Return to oven 7–10 minutes until edges are crisp.
  7. Serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping.

Notes

*Heat level: use 1/2–1 tsp cayenne for mild, 2 tsp for hot, 3 tsp for very hot. Make-ahead: bake, cool, and refrigerate; reheat at 425°F for ~10 minutes to re-crisp. Not gluten-free? Substitute 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for the almond meal + brown rice flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1.1mg