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Roasted in a sauce of gochujang, soy sauce and honey, these Korean Cauliflower Wings come out perfectly crisp and caramelized, with just a touch of heat and sweetness.
While I love me a good old Cheesy Cauliflower Bake, this Instant Pot cauliflower or this Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower, adding a little spice and caramelization is never a bad thing in my book.
Made with spicy Korean chili paste and sweetened with a touch of honey, this cauliflower is LIFE. For real. I just stood over the pan and picked the caramelized bits of sauce right off the baking sheet. I don't even care.
Using gochujang in your recipes is a game changer - we used it in the glaze for these air fryer frozen meatballs and it was FIRE. It's also one of the main ingredients in our all time favorite gochujang chicken!
If you're looking to spice up that holiday dinner a bit, or even add a little vegan fun to game days, these Korean Cauliflower Wings are for you. Serve them with Korean purple rice for a whole vegan meal!
Or you can just stand over the pan and eat them. It's ok, I won't tell.
Ingredients
You can buy a whole head of cauliflower and cut it up, or buy it already cut (most stores have this). You can also use frozen cauliflower in a pinch, but it may come out a little mushier.
The main ingredients are soy sauce, honey, gochujang and rice vinegar. The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Rice Vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented rice. It has a slightly sweet and tangy flavor and I just love it. Buy Rice Vinegar (affiliate link). I use rice vinegar to make quick pickled veggies for these Shrimp Tacos.
Get a full introduction to Korean Pantry Staples.
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a Korean chili paste made from fermented soy beans, glutinous rice, chili peppers and salt/sweeteners. It is very pungent with a deep umami flavor and can range from mild to extremely spicy. I'm addicted to it and want to use it on everything (like these super delicious Spicy Pork Bulgolgi Tacos or these Korean Rice Cakes).
Buy Gochujang (affiliate link).
**Gochujang is made with chili peppers, so it can be very spicy. Typically, there are milder options all the way up to fiery hot burn your ears off spicy. I lean towards the milder versions because I am a baby. However, even the milder versions pack a pretty good amount of heat.
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Step By Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.
Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and coat with the melted coconut oil.
Spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
While the cauliflower is roasting, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a uniform sauce is formed.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and add the the bowl. Mix well to fully coat the cauliflower with the sauce. You may need to wait a couple minutes for the cauliflower to cool before tossing.
Place cauliflower back on the baking sheet and roast for another 15 minutes, until crisp and caramelized.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot.
How to Serve Korean Cauliflower
- Serve it on top of steamed rice (white, brown, jasmine, wild, etc.) to make a rice bowl;
- Serve it in lettuce cups like these Chicken Lettuce Wraps;
- Serve it with ranch dressing (make Homemade Ranch Dressing);
- Eat them off the tray with your fingers.
Expert Tips
- Substitute frozen cauliflower for fresh. Note that it may come out softer than the fresh cauliflower.
- Use a mild gochujang if you prefer less spice. However, this is a spicy dish by nature, so even a mild chili paste will still have some heat.
- If the cauliflower is not caramelized, place it under the broiler for a couple minutes. Just be sure you watch it to make sure it doesn't burn - the honey will burn quickly!
Tools Used
Did you make this spicy Korean Cauliflower Wings recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know what you think!
Recipe
Korean Cauliflower Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower (about 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- ¼ cup gochujang
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.
- Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and coat with the melted coconut oil.
- Spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a uniform sauce is formed.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven and add the the bowl. Mix well to fully coat the cauliflower with the sauce. You may need to wait a couple minutes for the cauliflower to cool before tossing.
- Place cauliflower back on the baking sheet and roast for another 15 minutes, until crisp and caramelized.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot.
Expert Tips:
- Substitute frozen cauliflower for fresh. Note that it may come out softer than the fresh cauliflower.
- Use a mild gochujang if you prefer less spice. However, this is a spicy dish by nature, so even a mild chili paste will still have some heat.
- If the cauliflower is not caramelized, place it under the broiler for a couple minutes. Just be sure you watch it to make sure it doesn't burn - the honey will burn quickly!
Nutrition
Tina
I don't like the flavor and I can't taste the cauliflower at all.
Danielle
I'm so sorry you didn't like it. Do you typically like the flavor of gochujang?
Emily
I have made this twice and both times it comes out soggy and the sauce is runny. The flavors or so good though! Can you give me some advice on what I could be doing wrong?
Danielle
I would def make sure your're using fresh (not frozen) cauliflower. You may want to try increasing the heat to 500F and decreasing the cook time by 5 minutes. I also just tweaked the recipe a little bit so the sauce wouldn't be as runny. I hope that helps and I'm sorry it's coming out that way for you!
JoMomma
I tried this recipe and, while my guests liked it, it lacked any crispness.
Do you have any suggestions on ensuring a non-mushy texture?
Thanks!
Danielle
If it came out soggy, I might reduce the final cook time to 5-8 minutes to prevent it from over cooking. Hopefully that works!
Thao @ In Good Flavor
This looks incredible!! It is a mouthful of flavor! I've got to try this out with my daughter, who I know would love it. She loves to dabble in vegetarian and vegan cooking.
Danielle
Thanks Thao! You should totally try it!
Alyson B
Amazing flavour and texture! I ended up only cooking for 10 mins once the sauce was on. Also used convection.
Danielle
So glad you liked it!
Ben Myhre
I think these look freaking great. But I also have seen enough of your recipes (and ate at some of the restaurants you like) to know that you have great taste in food. Thanks for sharing this recipe and I will be trying this one... my vegetarian wife will appreciate it.
Danielle
Thanks so much Ben! I'm glad you like the recipes and I sure do like to eat at good restaurants! Hope you guys like this one 🙂
Sheri
I had these at a restaurant last week and went searching for a recipe. Thanks Danielle!
I made them last night. I made them exactly as per your recipe with one exception - I exchanged one tablespoon of stevia powder for the honey as I am currently following a keto plan. The taste was great though the sauce did not thicken as indicated in picture or as at the restaurant.
Any suggestions on thickening without the sugar in the honey?
Danielle
Hi Sheri! I'm sorry your sauce didn't thicken. The sugar does aid in the thickening and caramelization. You could add 1-2 tbsp. of cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and water mixed in equal parts) to the sauce and they will likely help to thicken it as it cooks. I also know that xantham gum is used by some people following certain diets, but I am not an expert in this. I hope the cornstarch works out for you!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Wow, these sound absolutely incredible! I love that they get caramelized around the edges, delicious!
Danielle
The caramelized edges are the best part!!
Michelle
Oh wow! I'm seriously drooling over these. They look amazing and I can't wait to try them!
Danielle
Thanks Michelle!
Lauren Vavala | Delicious Little Bites
This recipe is right up my alley! I am a cauliflower addict and ever since my first taste of Gochujang, I have been looking for it everywhere! Pinning!
Danielle
Gochujang is seriously one of my favorite ingredients to use now! Thanks Lauren!
Healthy World Cuisine
Great idea for game night and sneakily a little healthy. We love when roasted cauliflower gets those little crunchy ends, so good. Just pinned!
Danielle
The crunchy parts are the best 🙂
Katherine Hackworthy
This looks like a delicious dish, with wonderful flavours and that touch of spice. A lovely idea for a weekend meal that is easy to make and tasty to enjoy.
Danielle
Thanks katherine!