Football season is back, and for many people, that signals a weekend of fun, beer, and a heck of a lot of wings. In fact, during 2023’s Super Bowl weekend, Americans ate a record-breaking 1.45 billion chicken wings, according to the National Chicken Council. But wings don’t have to be made from animals. If you want to enjoy the game without snacking on chickens, there are many ways to make vegan wings—cauliflower and tofu are two of our favorite wing alternatives, for example. And there are also plenty of delicious vegan sauces to pair with them, too. From classic ranch to sticky Coca-Cola, check out 11 of our favorite vegan sauces for wings below.
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What are vegan wings made of?
There are many, many different ways to enjoy vegan wings, but one of the most popular plant-based alternatives is, without a doubt, cauliflower, which can be battered and baked or fried to create a satisfyingly crispy coating, before it is dipped in the sauce just like a regular wing.
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But if you prefer a meatier texture, you could also opt for tofu, for example, which can be pressed, marinated, and fried to create a texture similar to chicken. Seitan—which is chewy and meat-like—is another popular ingredient for vegan chicken wings. Other delicious vegan wing ingredients include tempeh, jackfruit, and oyster mushrooms.
The best (vegan) sauces for wings
After you’ve chosen which vegan wings you want to try, you need to find the best sauce. Find some of our top picks below.
1 Ranch
With its creamy texture and tangy flavor, ranch is a go-to choice for many wing lovers. While it’s usually made with eggs and dairy, it’s easy to find vegan ranch alternatives on the shelves. Check out brands like Daiya, Kite Hill, Primal Kitchen, and Whole Foods Market, for example.
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2 BBQ
When it comes to wings, you can’t go wrong with sticky, smoky, sweet BBQ sauce. This nostalgic, comforting sauce, which comes in many different varieties, is usually vegan, too (just watch out for versions made with honey!).
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Dustin Harder
3 Buffalo
Originating from Buffalo, New York, buffalo sauce is a bold, tangy sauce with a spicy kick and a vibrant color. It’s not always vegan, so make sure to check the ingredients before you buy. Alternatively, it’s easy to make from scratch!
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Trilogy Sanctuary
4 Green sauce
Green sauces like pesto, spicy chimichurri, and salsa verde are not traditional sauces for wings, but they are a delicious option if you want to do something a little bit different this game day. Check out this recipe for cauliflower wings and spicy pesto dipping sauce, for example.
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5 Marinara
Marinara—which is made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and olive oil— is usually served with pasta and pizza, but this rich and sweet sauce also makes a tasty pairing for wings. You can make it yourself (find out more here!) or you can easily buy it from most stores (nearly all marinara sauces are vegan).
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6 Hot sauce
If you like things extra spicy, arguably, nothing goes better with wings than a super hot sauce. Great news: options like Tabasco, Louisiana hot sauce, Cholula, and Frank’s RedHot are all vegan-friendly.
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Caryn Jeanne Carruthers
7 Tahini
This creamy, nutty sesame seed-based sauce, which is a staple across the Middle East and the Mediterranean, is usually used in dishes like baba ganoush and salads, but it makes a tasty dipping sauce for wings, too. Plus, because it’s made with just a handful of simple ingredients (mainly sesame seeds and oil), it’s easy to whip up from home, too.
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8 Blue cheese
The clue is in the name, but this ultra-creamy, rich sauce is made with crumbled blue cheese, like gorgonzola or stilton. But, if you’re craving its pungent, tangy flavor, it is possible to find vegan versions from brands like Simple Truth and Daiya.
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Earthly Provisions
9 Hot honey
Hot honey is a gooey, sweet, and spicy blend of honey and chili peppers. It’s not vegan, of course, on account of the honey, but it is easy to make a very similar delicious version using syrups like agave or maple, to create a sticky, flavorful sauce for your plate of wings.
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Sam Turnbull
10 Queso
Queso and nachos are, of course, a match made in heaven. But queso and wings are another dreamy combination. The rich, creamy texture of the queso complements the savory, crispy wings beautifully. While it’s usually made with dairy, there are many easy ways to make vegan queso yourself, using ingredients like cashews and nutritional yeast.
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Shanika Graham-White
11 Sticky Coca-Cola
If you thought Coca-Cola was only good for drinking, the recipe below is here to prove otherwise. It turns out that Coca-Cola-infused sauce is a deliciously sweet, spicy, and sticky accompaniment for vegan wings. Double up with some ranch to get that delicious creamy, cooling texture, too.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
