These Baked Orange Cauliflower Wings are better than takeout! Enjoy crispy cauliflower tossed in a sweet and savory orange sauce. The recipe is vegan and completely Gluten-Free!
If you’re looking for a delicious Chinese-style orange chicken recipe made with cauliflower instead, this is it! It’s a healthy spin on a popular favorite and I promise, you won’t miss the meat at all!
Cauliflower is an excellent substitute for chicken! It is hearty, takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with, and, if done right, can have the perfect crispy crust and tender inside! Trust me, I’ve experimented and my Buffalo Cauliflower Wings are the best!
How to make Orange Cauliflower Wings
Take 1 large cauliflower head and cut it into small bite-sized pieces. I like to leave the stem so they resemble chicken drum wings when they are done.
To make Orange Cauliflower Wings Gluten-Free:
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the mixture for the batter. I use King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. If you are not sensitive to gluten, you can use regular flour like this one: King Arthur All-Purpose Flour.
After the batter is made, take each piece of cauliflower and toss it in the batter until all sides are evenly coated. Not only does the batter help create a crispy crust, but it is also packed with tons of flavor!
Place the battered cauliflower wings onto a baking sheet, leaving space in between each piece so they do not stick together. I like to use a silicone baking mat to line my baking sheet for easy clean-up later. Transfer the cauliflower to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
While the cauliflower is in the oven, prepare the orange sauce.
Vegan Orange Sauce Recipe
This delicious Orange Sauce is:
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- and Soy-Free!
Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “How can I make Orange Sauce without Soy Sauce??”. I am going to let you in on the best-kept secret: Coconut Aminos! It is the best soy sauce replacement! It’s healthier than soy sauce and is completely gluten-free!
To Make the Orange Sauce You Need:
- Orange juice
- Water
- Brown sugar
- Coconut Amino
- Pure maple syrup
- Rice vinegar
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- Cornstarch
Once you make the sauce and the cauliflower has roasted for at least 20 minutes, it’s time to finish making the glorious sticky, crispy, flavorful baked orange cauliflower wings.
Using tongs, grab the cauliflower piece by piece and dip them in the orange sauce, making sure all sides are evenly coated.
Place the coated cauliflower on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 425°F. Then, turn the oven to a high broil and broil the cauliflower for 5 minutes, until a crispy golden crust is formed.
Serve with rice or quinoa and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this Baked Orange Cauliflower Wings Recipe (Gluten-Free & Vegan)! If you try it, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram! I love hearing from you!
Want more Cauliflower Recipes? Try These:
- Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Gluten-Free Cauliflower Crust Pizza
- Jalapeno Cilantro Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Tots | Air Fryer or Baked
Baked Orange Cauliflower (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 Large Head of cauliflower
- 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (optional)
Batter
- 1 cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (can sub regular flour)
- 3/4 cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Orange Sauce
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Coconut Amino (can sub soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1.5 tbsp Fresh Minced Ginger
- 1 tsp Avocado Oil (or cooking oil of choice)
To thicken the orange sauce (cornstarch mixture)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or more as needed to thicken the sauce
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F
Orange Baked Cauliflower Wings (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
- Take 1 large cauliflower head and cut it into medium sized florets
- In a bowl, stir together the mixture for the batter. You want the batter to be thick, but not so thick that the cauliflower won’t get properly coated. If it appears too thick, add in an additional 1-2 tbsp of milk to thin it out slightly.Take each piece of cauliflower and toss it in the batter until all sides are evenly coated.
- Toss the cauliflower in the breadcrumbs
- Add the cauliflower to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I like to use a silicone baking mat to line my baking sheet for easy clean-up later.) Transfer the cauliflower to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. While the cauliflower is in the oven, prepare the orange sauce.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. This helps the batter set and the cauliflower to get crispy.
- Add the cauliflower to a bowl and coat with the orange sauce.
- Place the coated cauliflower on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 425°F. Then, turn the oven to a high broil and broil the cauliflower for 3-5 minutes, until a crispy golden crust is formed.
- Serve with rice or quinoa and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
TO MAKE THE ORANGE SAUCE
- In a small ramekin, whisk together cornstarch and water. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the cooking oil over medium-low heat. Then add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to prevent burning the ingredients.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except for the thickener/cornstarch and water). Allow the mixture to heat through for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasiionally
- Add the thickener and whisk until it is fully incorporated and the sauce begins to thicken, about 4-5 minutes.
- The sauce is now ready to use!
Notes
- To Make the Batter: I use King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. If you are not sensitive to gluten, you can use regular flour like this one: King Arthur All-Purpose Flour.
- I like to use a silicone baking mat to line my baking sheet for easy clean-up later.
Nutrition
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Prep time takes way longer than stated. Batter is too thick and orange sauce is too thin. Spent 2 hours in the kitchen to make a below average meal. Definitely skip this one
Hi Ashley, you are right. This recipe is one of my first and it definitely needed some tweaking. I tested it again this morning and made some adjustments. I’ve updated the recipe card with better measurements and instructions. Thanks for the feedback!
You state second baking after orange sauce for 10 minutes and elsewhere it states 15 minutes plus 5 minutes broiling. Which is right?
Bake for 15, broil for 5 minutes
Not easy to make. Proportions are off. Recipe was a disaster
Hi Jim, sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you. Thank you for providing feedback!
This recipe looks delicious! I’m not seeing the coconut aminos in the sauce ingredients that you spoke of in the article. How much should one add to make the sauce? I definitely will be making this!
Hi Lori! Thank you for letting me know! I just updated it with the measurement: 1/2 cup coconut aminos. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂