This sub idea started off with me wanting to remake my cauliflower wings from an old video. My photography and videography skills have improved sooooo much since the early days, but you know what? The recipes still hold up! These are SO good.
I decided that I didn’t want to just stop at the wings though – and Greg suggested we put them on a sandwich. Genius! We grabbed some freshly baked sub buns from the bakery and got to work on a summery sub recipe that is packed with veggies, yet still hearty and filling. I don’t know about you, but in the summer I love sandwiches. The winter? Not so much. Stay away from me with any sandwiches. But summer is when my sandwich cravings really hit, and this one really hit the spot!
I think my favourite part is the fresh corn salsa. It’s literally just sweet summer corn, herbs and onion, but adds so much summery flavour to this already delicious recipe. We finish it off with a cashew ranch sauce that I loooove (exhibit A, B and C) and it adds so much creaminess and good flavour!
How to make cauliflower wings…
Good news! There is a video tutorial on how to make the wings, so I’ll pop that here.
These cauliflower wings will surprise even the pickiest meat-eaters! They are also much cheaper than heading out to wing night, and won’t leave you feeling so groggy and bloated. And on a summer sandwich? Perfection.
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Smoky Cauliflower Wing Sub with Corn Salsa
- Yield: 2 6-inch subs
Description
Oven-baked smoky cauliflower wings, packed into a fresh sub bun, layered with greens, corn salsa and homemade cashew ranch.
Ingredients
Subs:
- 2, 6-inch sub buns, cut in half
- handful of mixed greens (optional)
Smoky BBQ Cauliflower Wings:
- 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup nondairy milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce of choice
Corn Salsa:
- corn from 1 ear of shucked fresh corn, about 1 cup (see note)
- 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup finally chopped onion
- fresh lime juice, optional
Cashew Ranch:
- 1 cup raw cashews + 1/2 cup water (use raw sunflower seeds if allergic)
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Add nondairy milk and water and whisk until smooth.
- Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven, toss in the BBQ sauce, then bake another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the corn salsa by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and squeezing some fresh lime juice overtop. Set aside.
- Prepare the cashew ranch by adding all ingredients to a high speed blender and blending until smooth (see note). Set aside.
- Assemble the subs: Spread a layer of cashew ranch onto the inside of the sub buns. Divide the cauliflower wings into each bun. Add a smahandful of greens, some corn salsa and finish with a drizzle of cashew ranch.
Notes
I like the taste of fresh (raw) sweet corn, but you could also boil it first for a few minutes, or use frozen corn, defrosted and drained.
If you don’t have a high speed blender that can blend nuts smooth, boil the cashews for 10 minutes to soften them before attempting to blend.
