My 2 Favorite Plant Based Wing Recipes

Gosh, wings are so good. Now I know you might be asking yourself, “Jess, really… wings?” but yes. You heard me right! The problem I have with them though is the stringy chicken. I’m just not a fan. So I guess basically I just like the idea of dipping something hot and spicy into ranch. Anyway, because I always TRY to do some better-for-me options - and especially always experimenting with plants - I thought I’d give some plant-based wings a try to see if they fit the bill. 

Well, I’ve got some of the best wing recipes for you to try out! There’s a restaurant near me that recently launched mushroom wings and it had me thinking that I needed to make my own at home! Until I heard about this new wing style, I’ve always used cauliflower to make my “wings”. Anyway, without further ado - here are my current favs!

Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

This healthier alternative to comfort food is the recipe for you if you’re craving wings, but are wanting to stick to a healthier lifestyle. Don’t forget to pair these wings with carrots and celery for that good crunch! Give me all the veggies! I love that this recipe is baked rather than fried, but you can tailor pretty much any recipe to your specific needs. As far as kind of hot sauce - You can use store-bought Buffalo Hot Sauce (The New Primal is my FAVORITE but Frank’s Red Hot will work too) or whatever hot sauce you have on hand!

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (can use gluten free too)

• ½ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk

• 1 tsp paprika 

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/2 cup buffalo hot sauce (see note above)

• 1 tbsp melted vegan butter 

• 1 tbsp lemon juice 

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then a cooling rack on top.

2. Chop up the head of cauliflower into bite-sized pieces that make sense for wings. 

3. Mix the flour, almond milk and spices in a large mixing bowl until they are fully combined. 

4. Add the chopped cauliflower to the flour mixture, making sure each cauliflower piece is coated with the mixture and then spread it evenly across your pan set upt. 

5. Bake the cauliflower for about 20-25 minutes (until brown on the outside). 

6. Separately, take the butter, lemon juice and hot sauce and combine in a small sauce pan over medium heat until warm. 

7. When your cauli comes out of the oven - pour this mixture completely over the baked cauliflower. Let it cool and enjoy!

Vegan Buffalo Mushroom Wings

I know mushroom wings might sound a little weird, but trust me, they’re pretty awesome! To make these, you’ll be using oyster mushrooms which are super tender, have a great texture, and amazing flavor. This recipe is from Two Market Girls and they suggest frying the mushrooms for this recipe, but as mentioned before, you can tailor this to your own personal eating habits! I have made some minor changes for myself, below.

Ingredients: 

• 250g oyster mushrooms

• Avocado oil (for frying)

• 3/4 cup buffalo sauce

• 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour (for batter)

• 1 ⅓ cups vegetable stock (for batter)

• ¼ cup vegan yogurt (for batter)

• ½ tsp pepper (for batter)

• ½ tsp salt (for batter)

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose or gluten-free flour (for dredge)

• 1 tsp onion powder (for dredge)

• 1 tsp garlic powder (for dredge)

• ½ tsp mustard powder (for dredge)

• Pinch of salt and pepper (for dredge)

How to: 

• First, you’ll start by ripping the mushrooms into your desired wing size. You’ll then mix together the batter ingredients and then toss the mushrooms around in that. In another bowl, you’ll combine all dredge ingredients and set aside.

• Remove wings from the batter and place into the dredge to coat. Place each wing on a wire rack until all are placed and coated. 

• To fry them, heat up your vegetable oil in a plan and one by one place mushrooms in the oil until crispy. Set the wings aside to cool and preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. The spicier the better… right? Add your mushrooms to a large bowl and pour buffalo sauce on top and bake these for another 10 minutes.

• Serve and enjoy!

What’s your fav way to enjoy wings!? Share with me!