Spicy Korean Cauliflower Wings

Korean-style cauliflower wings, battered and drenched in a spicy, tangy glaze gochujang maple glaze and baked until caramelized. Spicy and finger-licking good.

I’ve made many different versions of cauliflower wings but this Korean-inspired one is my new favorite— they’re reminiscent of BBQ wings but spicier and funkier, with just the right amount of heat. The magic lies in the sauce, a sweet tangy glaze made of gochujang (Korean chili paste), maple syrup, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, and ginger.

The cauliflower florets are drenched in a simple batter of flour + liquid (gluten-free option in notes below) and baked until golden brown and crisp. Then they’re coated in the gochujang glaze and baked a second time until the exterior caramelizes to a sticky, glossy crisp.

Gochujang is a fermented chilli paste that comes in a tub, typically made of glutinuous rice flour, soybeans, and gochugaru (red pepper flakes); you can typically find it in the international section of a grocery store, in an Asian grocery store, or online here.

I included two dipping sauce options, one a creamy ranch dip and the other a yogurt-based one (I personally prefer the yogurt— the tanginess really cuts through the heat and saltiness of the wings).

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📖 Recipe

Spicy Korean Cauliflower Wings (Vegan)

Korean-style cauliflower wings, battered and drenched in a spicy, tangy glaze gochujang maple glaze and baked until caramelized. Spicy and finger-licking good.

• Author: Hannah
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 50
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 3 1x
• Category: Sides & Appetizers
• Method: Cook
• Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cauliflower + Batter

• 1 small to medium head of cauliflower
• ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup all-purpose flour or rice flour*
• ½ tsp gochugaru (red pepper flakes, optional)

Maple Gochujang Glaze

• ¼ cup gochujang paste**
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
• water to thin (if necessary)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F (232C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove leaves from cauliflower and cut into bite-sized florets.
2. Whisk all batter ingredients together in a mixing bowl, adding water slowly at a time until it achieves the desired consistency– the batter should be pourable, but thick enough to stick on the cauliflower. Dip each floret into the mixture and coat evenly, and shake to remove excess. Arrange florets on baking sheets (they shouldn’t be touching) and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from oven.
3. While florets are still baking, whisk together sauce ingredients. Dip each baked floret into the sauce until coated, shake well to remove excess, and place back onto the baking sheet. Reduce heat to 400F (200C), and bake florets for an additional 12-15 minutes until caramelized.
4. Remove from oven and let cool, then garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately, with optional dipping sauces (see below).

Notes

• If using rice flour (for gluten-free option), you may need to add a bit more water to the batter.
• YOGURT dip: whisk together 1 cup vegan yogurt + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon sea salt
• RANCH dip: whisk together 1 cup vegan mayo +  1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + ½ cup unsweetened dairy milk + ½ teaspoon garlic powder + ¼ teaspoon sea salt + 2 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley