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March 22, 2021

Chipotle Ranch Cauliflower Wings

by Slow Down Company

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– vegan – gluten free optional – oil free – low fat –

I know, I know. The internet is saturated with thousands of different cauliflower wing recipes, making it almost impossible to choose which one to try! After many trial and errors, I think I may have perfected the best crispy cauliflower wings, but I know I may be a little biased ;). However, there’s a few reasons I think these chipotle ranch cauliflower wings will stand out among the rest:

  1. These wings have a double layer of crunch. We will start with a chickpea flour batter that provides the first layer of crunch while also lending to a thick, tender center. Then we will dip the wings in panko breadcrumbs for that extra crispiness. Seriously, you will hear the crisp as you are eating these bad boys.
  2. The homemade vegan chipotle ranch sauce packs a punch of flavor on it’s own. It has the perfect balance of spicy, sweet and tangy.
  3. Lastly, these chipotle cauliflower wings are vegan, oil free, low fat, and gluten free (if using GF panko), so they will fit beautifully in a high carb, low fat, healthy vegan diet!

chipotle ranch cauliflower wings

How to get the best crispy cauliflower wings every time:

It took me several attempts to perfect these chipotle ranch cauliflower wings, so here are my best recommendations so you don’t have to go through the same trial and error that I did:

  • Invest in a silicone baking mat or an oven-safe cooling rack. A common challenge with cauliflower wings is achieving a crispy bottom. There are a couple ways to combat this. My most tried and true method is to invest in a silicone baking mat if you don’t have one already. The silicone mat will get the bottom side crispy, no flipping required! If you don’t have one, I recommend placing an oven-safe wire cooking rack on top of a baking sheet. This will allow for air flow on the bottom side of the wings so they can crisp up. If you don’t have either of these options, using parchment paper is the next best option.
  • Remove excess batter from the florets. If there is a pool of batter around the cauliflower florets after placing them on the baking sheet, this means you are not knocking off enough of the excess batter on the side of the bowl (this happens less frequently if you’re also using the panko breadcrumbs). 
  • Use the double layer of crunch method. Use the double layer method by first dipping the cauliflower in the chickpea batter then in the panko breadcrumbs. The extra crispiness makes a huge difference. When dipping the florets in the panko breadcrumbs (optional), you may notice the breadcrumbs get wet and clumpy and you will have a harder time coating the florets. I recommend only adding some of the breadcrumbs to the mixing bowl at a time, and adding more as you go. If you don’t have panko breadcrumbs, you can still make these chipotle ranch cauliflower wings without them.
  • Bake, sauce, then bake again. For these wings, we will partially bake the florets until crispy, then use a basting brush to brush on a generous amount of sauce, then bake again. The basting brush will coat the wings in the perfect amount of sauce. Oversaturating the wings in sauce can leave them soggy. Baking the wings after brushing on the sauce will make the wings extra crispy.

chipotle ranch cauliflower wings

Cooking essentials:

  • A baking sheet
  • A silicone mat, an oven-safe wire cooling rack OR parchment paper
  • Several mixing bowls
  • A basting brush

Substitutions:

  • Chickpea flour (also known as besan or garbanzo flour): the flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour or almond flour.
  • Plain soy milk: you can use any plain nondairy milk of choice. I prefer soy milk for it’s health benefits and it’s creaminess.
  • Pure maple syrup: can be substituted with equal parts agave nectar, date syrup, coconut sugar or cane sugar.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: can be substituted with regular breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can crush nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts) in a food processor and use them as a breading.

chipotle ranch cauliflower wings

If you love these cauliflower wings, I think you will love some of my other favorite game-day type snacks too:

  • Garlicky Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos (Vegan)
  • Cauliflower Buffalo Wings (Gluten + Oil Free!)
  • Potato + Veggie Enchiladas (Vegan + Oil Free)
  • Easy Layered Burrito Bake
Chipotle Ranch Cauliflower Wings
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Chipotle Ranch Cauliflower Wings

Recipe by Slow Down Company Course: SnacksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • Wings
  • 1 head of cauliflower (5-6 cups)

  • 1 cup plain soy milk (or nondairy milk of choice)

  • 3/4 cup chickpea flour

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs (optional)

  • Chipotle Ranch Sauce
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened, plain nondairy yogurt

  • 1 tbsp chipotle sauce

  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

  • 1/2 tsp white vinegar or ACV

  • 1/2 tsp dried chives

  • 1/4 tsp dried dill

  • 1/4 tsp dried parsley

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, an oven-safe wire cooling rack, OR parchment paper and set aside. If using parchment paper, grease lightly with cooking oil (see tips above on how to get the best crispy cauliflower wings for more guidance).
  • Prepare the ingredients. Cut the cauliflower into nugget-sized pieces, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk, chickpea flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper until there are no lumps. In a small mixing bowl, add just a small amount of the panko breadcrumbs, if using. The reason we don’t want to add all the breadcrumbs at once is because they start to get wet and clumpy after repetitively dipping the cauliflower in them. As you use up the breadcrumbs in the bowl, continue to add more.
  • Dip the cauliflower florets. Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl with the chickpea batter and toss to evenly coat all the cauliflower in batter (depending on the size of the bowl, you may need to do this in a couple batches). One by one, take a piece of cauliflower and remove some of the excess batter by tapping it a couple times against the side of the bowl. Dip the cauliflower into the panko breadcrumbs and coat evenly, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remainder of the cauliflower.
  • Bake! Bake the cauliflower until they start to get browned and crispy, about 25-30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the chipotle ranch sauce by simply whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Sauce them up. Remove cauliflower from the oven. Use a basting brush to generously brush the sauce on the florets. You’ll want to give them a pretty thick coating. Then pop the cauliflower back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Enjoy as is or with extra dipping sauce.

Notes

  • The nutrition information includes the use of panko breadcrumbs and all the chipotle ranch sauce.
  • To reheat, place back in the oven on 350 F for 10-15 minutes. They will get a little dry the second time around so I recommend brushing on more sauce before placing them in the oven.
  • These wings are best on the first day, but can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.

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Nutrition Facts

4 servings per container

Serving Size1 servings


Calories309

  • Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
  • Total Fat 4.1g 7%
    • Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%
  • Sodium 596mg 25%
  • Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
  • Total Carbohydrate 55.4g 19%
    • Dietary Fiber 8.9g 36%
    • Sugars 11g
  • Protein 14.3g 29%

    * The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

    Yum

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    2 comments

    • Anonymous
      March 22, 2021
      Cauliflower is one of my absolute favorites! Keep bringing on the great recipes!
      Reply
      • Vita Pura Health
        March 22, 2021
        Thank you!
        Reply

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Bianca Soucy, Certified Health Coach

    me

    Hey there! I’m Bianca. I have a passion for creating simple, yet nourishing meals with local and seasonally available ingredients. I’m always dreaming of a slow, easy-going lifestyle – one where a homecooked meal can bring us all together. You can learn more about me by clicking here.

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