Spicy Fried Cauliflower Chicken | Vegan Soul Food Sunday {recipe + video} (2024)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ⅓ cup hot sauce Crystals, Louisiana, or your favorite brand
• 1/4 cup unsweetened and plain non-dairy milk soy, oat, almond, or other
• 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
• 5 cups vegetable oil vegetable, safflower, or canola
• 1 large head of cauliflower cut into large florets

• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the flour, arrowroot powder, salt, cayenne pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Old Bay, and nutritional yeast together until combined.

• Combine the hot sauce, non-dairy milk, and Dijon mustard in another bowl and whisk until smooth.

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven, soup pot, or fryer over medium heat until it reaches 350° F. Line a baking sheet or dinner plate with at least two layers of paper towels and set aside.

• Using both of your hands, dredge the cauliflower. Use one hand to dip a cauliflower floret into the wet mixture carefully. Drop the floret to the flour mixture. Using your other dry hand, turn the floret to coat it completely in the dry mixture. Repeat these steps, dredging the cauliflower for a second time. Continue this process with the rest of the cauliflower florets, moving the dredged florets to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet if needed.

• Carefully add cauliflower florets to the oil, adding only enough that all of the vegetables are fully submerged in the oil. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, gently turning the vegetables as they fry, until the pieces are golden.

• Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the fried cauliflower to the paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet.

• Let the temperature of the oil return to 350°F. Fry the remaining cauliflower as directed. Remove the florets from the oil, drain on the plate of paper towels, and serve hot with your favorite sauces!

Storage Directions

• Refrigeration: Leftover vegan chicken tenders keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• Freezing: You can freeze leftovers, though they may lose some crunch in the freezing and thawing process. To best preserve it, freeze the vegan cauliflower chicken spread out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 1-2 hours, or until frozen to the touch. Move to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator until thawed through.
• Reheating: Warm the vegan chicken in an air fryer preheated to 375°F for 3-6 minutes or an oven preheated to 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy.

Recipe Pro-Tips

• Use both hands to dredge. Use one hand to dredge the vegetables in the dry mixture and the other for the wet mixture. Though dredging can be messy, this will help keep the process as neat as possible, saving you from needing to stop to wipe off or wash your hands.
• Add a thermometer to the pot when frying. The secret to perfectly fried food is frying in oil that is consistently at the right temperature of 350°F. Much hotter and the florets will burn; any lower and they will get soggy. A candy thermometer that can attach to the side of the pot can make the temperature monitoring process easier. Otherwise, check the temperature of the oil regularly throughout the cooking process and adjust the heat as needed.
• Fry the cauliflower in batches. Add enough of the florets to the oil so that they all can be fully submerged as they cook. This will help them to fry evenly. Fry the remaining cauliflower in subsequent batches.