Vegan Fried "Chicken"
Crispy oven-baked cauliflower florets in a boldly spiced flour crust — all the crunch and southern-fried flavour of classic fried chicken, entirely plant-based. Marinate the florets overnight, then bake for about 25 minutes and serve with hot sauce and vegan garlic sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into medium-sized florets (frozen cauliflower works too, but let it thaw first)
For the marinade:
- ¾ cup milk non-dairy, unsweetened
- 3 Tbsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
For the flour mix:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour, such as Schar Mix It Universal or Farina
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp cumin powder
Other ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp oil for drizzling
- 1 Tbsp parsley chopped, for serving
- hot sauce and vegan garlic sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the marinade, toss to coat, and let them sit overnight in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the flour coating.
- Take a marinated cauliflower floret and dip it in the flour mix, shake off the excess, and place it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with all the florets, then drizzle with oil.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and nicely roasted.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley, with hot sauce and vegan garlic sauce for dipping.
Notes
Despite the name, these are baked rather than deep-fried — the hot oven gives you the crunch without a pan of oil. Start the marinade the night before: the overnight soak is what gives the florets their flavour and helps the coating stick. Serve them straight out of the oven while the crust is at its crispiest; leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge and re-crisp in a hot oven or air fryer.