Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

The BEST Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings (Baked + Crispy!)

I think it’s safe to say that I’m now officially obsessed with cauliflower. Especially these Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings! I know, I know… for someone who’s never been the biggest fan of cauliflower this is shocking! After making the Spicy Cauliflower Wings with Maple Glaze, I knew I had to come up with some different variations. I’d been craving a dish with an Asian flare, so these seemed like the perfect move to make!

So what are baked sweet and sour cauliflower wings exactly? I’m glad you asked! Sweet and sour cauliflower wings cauliflower wings are made using fresh florets of cauliflower. They’re then coated in a seasoned mixture of panko and regular breadcrumbs, then baked in the oven to get crispy! The finished product is tender on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. Finally, the cauliflower is tossed in the best and most simple homemade sweet and sour sauce. YUM!

This is the perfect recipe for Meatless Monday and gives you those “takeout vibes,” only much cheaper! Oh, and the leftovers will taste better too! More about that below 🙂

Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

How to Make Cauliflower Wings

Making sweet and sour cauliflower wings is super easy and requires pretty few ingredients. You’ll start by cutting up your fresh cauliflower into florets. I prefer smedium sized pieces, as they seem to have a good cauliflower/breading ratio. Once your cauliflower has been cut, you’ll want to round up all of your ingredients to prepare your dipping bowls.

Your first bowl will be your wet bowl where you’ll combine your unsweetened almond milk, all-purpose flour, soy sauce and salt + pepper. In your second bowl, combine the ingredients for the breading.

The recipe suggests using a mixture of both regular breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs. For a little extra crunch, you can certainly opt to use all panko instead. I was running low on panko, so I decided to use a combination (#QuarantineLife).

Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

Once your bowls are prepared now the fun part begins! Before you begin dipping, be sure to have a baking pan lined with foil and sprayed with olive oil ready so that you can place the cauliflower that’s been breaded on it. Now that your two bowls have been set up, you can toss a handful of the cauliflower pieces in bowl one, coat them using a spoon or your hands, then transfer them to bowl two and coat each piece with the breading mixture.

Once each piece has been coated with the panko mixture from bowl two, add them to a foil lined baking pan that has been sprayed with oil to avoid sticking. Toss them in the oven and bake them for 22-25 minutes!

Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

Can Sweet and Sour Cauliflower be Made in the Air Fryer?

Absolutely! To make these crispy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings in the air fryer, you can place them in a single layer along the bottom of your air fryer basket. I like to line mine with foil, then spray it with a little oil to ensure they don’t stick. If you have an air fryer rack accessory, you can use that to create a second layer overtop of the first. Finally, spray the breaded cauliflower with a light layer of oil and cook them on 400° for about 12 minutes. While they’re cooking, you can put together your Sweet and Sour Sauce.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce from Scratch

Making sweet and sour sauce is really simple! Just a few basic ingredients whisked together and you’re all set! You’ll start by sautéing the minced garlic in a little bit of oil until it’s fragrant. Once fragrant, begin whisking in all of the remaining ingredients (except the cornstarch mixture, we’ll add this last). Once everything is combined, slowly mix in a little of the cornstarch mixture at a time in order to get it thickened to your liking. You may not need the entire mixture (I used a little more than half). Because the sauce comes together so quickly, you may find it preferable to leave it on a low heat to keep warm while your cauliflower wings are still cooking.

Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

What do I Serve with these Cauliflower Wings?

If you’re looking for something to pair with these Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings, I’ve got a few suggestions!

You could even serve these sweet and sour cauliflower wings as an appetizer for a gathering. Just think of them as wings with a dipping sauce!

Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

How Do you Cut Cauliflower?

I’ve. found that the best way to cut a head of cauliflower into florets is to simply take it one step at a time. It’s really tough to get it wrong! Here’s what I do to prep for making these sweet and sour cauliflower wings:

  • Remove the leaves from the bottom area of the cauliflower
  • Turn the cauliflower head on its side and cut off the bottom stem
  • Cut the cauliflower in half, then in quarters
  • Begin cutting florets into the desired size you would like for your cauliflower wings to be (I prefer smedium pieces for a good cauliflower/breading ratio)

I know you’ll love these baked Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings! They’re easy to make, crispy and delicious! Plus, they can be reheated in the air fryer so they make for great leftovers! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Hungry for more? Follow me on PinterestInstagramTwitter, and Facebook!

Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings
Print Pin
5 from 15 votes

Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Wings dipped in a simple homemade Sweet and Sour sauce!
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Keyword Cauliflower
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head of white cauliflower cut into medium-sized florets
  • chopped green onion for garnish optional

Bowl #1

Bowl #2

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450°
  • In one medium-sized bowl, whisk together the ingredients for Bowl #1. Set aside.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the ingredients for Bowl #2. Set aside.
  • Grab 6-8 pieces of fresh cauliflower and toss them into Bowl #1. Use a spoon (or your fingers) to coat each piece.
  • Transfer each piece into the breading mixture (bowl #2), then move to a foil-lined baking pan sprayed with oil to avoid sticking.
  • Repeat until all cauliflower has been coated, lightly spray the breaded cauliflower with oil, then transfer to the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes.
  • Air Fryer Cooking: Place the cauliflower in a single layer along the bottom of your air fryer basket, spray each piece with a little oil and cook them on 400° for about 12 minutes.
  • While the cauliflower is baking, begin making the sweet 'n sour sauce by sautéing the minced garlic in a small sauté pan with a few drops of a neutral oil or water. Sauté until fragrant.
  • Add in the agave, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar and salt. Whisk to combine. Lastly, add in the cornstarch and water mixture slowly while simultaneously whisking the mixture. Note: may not need all of it depending on how thick you want it to be. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a very low to keep warm until ready to use.
  • Once the cauliflower is finished cooking, remove them from the oven and drizzle with the sweet and sour sauce or use as dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

 
These wings can easily be reheated in the air-fryer on 400° for 8-10 minutes.
 
It is normal for the sweet and sour sauce to thicken as it cools or when refrigerated. When reheating, add in 2-3 tsp of water, reheat for 30 seconds in the microwave, then stir to combine. 
 
Easy Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings

16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made these the other day. Tweaked the recipe a bit by just using Japanese panko bread crumbs instead of two kinds. Added a few more seasonings. They were demolished. I will be doing it this way now instead of fried

  2. 5 stars
    I’m horrible at chopping up cauliflower heads. Thank you for the step by step guide. This recipe worked well on my air fryer.

  3. 5 stars
    These look like the perfect vegan snack! I will definitely be making these this week.

  4. 5 stars
    This is a great idea to serve even non-vegans as a healthy appetizer.

  5. These look perfectly done! I’ve been looking for a cauliflower wing recipe for so long! I can’t wait to make these.

  6. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to serve this as a side dish or appetizer for my friends and family!

  7. 5 stars
    I popped these in my air fryer and they came out so crispy and delicious! Making them again ASAP!

  8. 5 stars
    I love cauliflower wings and this recipe was SO good! Will for sure make this again!

  9. 5 stars
    This recipe was so much fun to make and I was so shocked as to how crispy they were! I may never go back to chicken wings because these cauliflower wings were just so good!! Definitely making this recipe again and again for years to come!

  10. 5 stars
    There is a Korean place by me where I get Cauliflower Tots and have always wanted to know how to make them. This healthier baked version I am so glad I tried. SO good!

  11. 5 stars
    This meal was perfect for today’s Meatless Monday Meal! I loved the flavor of the sweet and sour sauce! Thanks for the recipe!

  12. Loved this for our Meatless Monday dinner. The “wings” were easy to make and the sauce was perfect.

  13. 5 stars
    We made this cauliflower for “meatless Monday.” It was incredibly delicious! The kids have been asking for me to make it again. Super crispy and flavorful.

  14. 5 stars
    I love morphing veggies into my favorite meat snacks. The crunch on these cauliflower wings can’t be beat and the flavor was so on point.

  15. 5 stars
    This recipe was delicious and incredibly satisfying! I love using cauliflower in place of chicken! Great job!

  16. 5 stars
    Girl, I used to wear some cauliflower buffalo wings out! I never even thought to try a different flavor, but I’m glad I did! This recipe is. On. Point!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




*