Name: Cauliflower Nashville Hot “Chicken”
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower; 4 flax eggs; 0.5 cup almond milk; 2 tablespoons hot sauce; 1 cup flour; 0.5 cup cornstarch; 1 tbsp baking powder; 2 teaspoons salt; Oil for frying; 0.5 cup vegan butter; white sandwich bread; 2 tablespoons hot chicken rub; pickle slices

Cauliflower Nashville Hot “Chicken”. Yep, I went there. I figure that I’m going to equally praised and ridiculed for this recipe. But, I’m okay with it because it’s DELICIOUS!! And seeing as I never want to see chicken meat again after getting backyard chickens and falling in love with them, I thought that I would create my very own vegan/vegetarian version of Nashville’s Hot Chicken. In all honesty, I’m SUPER proud of how well this recipe turned out! It makes me want to have a party just so that I can make this for a bunch of friends!

Dinner

45 m

American

Food with Feeling

May 5, 2026

Foodwithfeeling.com

Cauliflower Nashville Hot “Chicken” cover

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Cauliflower Nashville Hot “Chicken”

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Cauliflower Nashville Hot “Chicken”

1 head cauliflower

4 flax eggs

½ cup almond milk

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 cup flour

½ cup cornstarch

1 tbsp baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

Oil for fryingI used vegetable oil and needed about 4 cups. You want enough so that the cauliflower is at least halfway covered when in the pot.

½ cup vegan buttermelted

white sandwich bread

2 tablespoons hot chicken rub

pickle slices

Instructions

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Instructions

Chop up the head of cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the flax eggs, almond milk, and hot sauce.

In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt.

Heat your oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. To test that it's ready, drop a bit of the batter (wet ingredients mixed with the dry ingredients) into the pot. Once it floats to the top, the oil is ready.

Prepare a place for the fried cauliflower to rest after it comes out of the oil. I've found the best results by places a wire rack over top of a baking sheet and then placing a paper towel under the rack to collect some of the oil.

Working in batches, dip the cauliflower pieces in the wet mixture, then dip each piece fully in the flour mixture. I do this TWO times per piece of cauliflower but you can also just do once.

Gently place the cauliflower into the pot in a single layer. Fry for about 4-5 minutes on each side. It's done when the breading just begins to brown. While one batch is frying, prepare the next batch.

Place the finished pieces on the wire rack to cool down.

Once all of the cauliflower is fried, prepare the spice mix by whisking together the spices and the melted butter in a small bowl. Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and drizzly the butter mixture over top. Toss to combine.

Serve the Hot Cauliflower on the bread and topped with the pickle slices.

ENJOY!! (and have a good drink nearby!!)

Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Maximize Breading Adhesion 🥬
Pat cauliflower florets completely dry and let them sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before breading to ensure the coating adheres perfectly and creates maximum crispiness when fried.
Flax Egg Perfection ⏱️
Mix flax eggs with almond milk at least 15 minutes before use to allow proper thickening, creating a superior binding agent that holds the breadcrumb coating securely during frying.
Oil Temperature is Critical 🌡️
Maintain oil temperature between 325-350°F using a thermometer—too cool results in greasy texture, too hot burns the coating before the cauliflower cooks through.
Double-Dredge Technique 🍞
Dip breaded florets back into the flax egg mixture for 10 seconds, then coat again with the flour mixture to create an extra-crispy, restaurant-quality crust that rivals traditional fried chicken.
Hot Sauce Application Strategy 🌶️
Brush the hot sauce mixture onto warm cauliflower immediately after frying while they're still steaming—this allows the spicy coating to penetrate and caramelize slightly for authentic Nashville heat and flavor depth.