spicy-cauliflower-vegan-burger — A crispy spicy vegan KFC-style burger made with panko breadcrumbs and cauliflower

**prep time** 15 mins **total time** 30 mins **serves** 4

These vegan crispy KFC-style burgers are really are easy to make, look just like the real deal, and the secret ingredient is cauliflower! Both vegans and meat-eaters can enjoy the burgers in their own right as they’re packed with flavour.

Cauliflower has recently become a staple that I regularly cook with. In terms of a meat substitute cauliflower it’s such a wonderful option because it takes on flavour, crisps up really nicely and still holds a bit of bite (unlike some other plant-based vegan burger options which can turn mushy).

Cauliflowers are high in fibre, packed with antioxidants, high in choline which is essential for brain development and rich in sulfur that may support gut health.

This cauliflower burger is crispy, spicy and really hits the spot if you’re craving some kind of crispy fried burger (KFC-style). Plus you’re getting the benefits of all the goodness that’s packed into cauliflowers.

The trick to making them is, after removing the leaves and stem, root down, cut the sides of the cauliflower off first as these parts will crumble away as they aren’t attached to the root. Save these pieces of cauliflower for another meal.

Then slice the cauliflower downwards towards the root into three large chunks, like cutting bread. If your cauliflower is large, you can then slice these in half (as shown above) to fit perfectly into your bun. Or if you’re using a smaller cauliflower this may already be the right fit for a burger bun.

Next is to coat each cauliflower slice in the batter. Get yourself three bowls to do this, one filled with your batter, another the panko breadcrumbs and a final one with water to clean your fingers. Repeat with each slice until all of them are coated for perfect cauliflower burgers! Having the water bowl to dip your fingers will make it a lot less messy!

When deep frying make sure to use vegetable oil and fry on a high heat without burning the oil, and don’t be shy with the oil. If you cauliflower slices are quite thick like mine, you can turn them on their sides or tilt the frying pan to make sure each part is properly fried.

For a healthier, non-deep fried alternative you can bake these burgers in the oven and simply drizzle some oil on them before putting them in.

Serve the cauliflower burgers on whatever you like. I chose some soft sesame burger buns, red cabbage relish, vegan mayo (or you can use vegan aoili) and some fresh romaine lettuce.

ingredients

One small to medium cauliflower
1 cup flour
1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup non-dairy milk)
1 heaped tsp mustard (if you don’t like mustard, use vegan mayo)
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper
1-2 tsp cumin powder
1-2 tsp paprika
1-2 tsp chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
1 cup panko breadcrumbs*

method

Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and place root side down on a chopping board and cut off the ends of two sides. Set aside the bits that crumble off for another recipe. Cut the remaining cauliflower into three-four thick slices.
Add the flour into one bowl, the breadcrumbs into another and some water in a third. Mix together the spices into a small bowl and distribute half into each the flour and the breadcrumbs. Adjust the amounts according to how spicy you like it. Add half of the spice mix into the flour bowl and the other half into the panko breadcrumb bowl.
Add the mustard and water (or water and milk if using) into the flour and whisk until smooth.
First, dip a cauliflower slice into the batter coating all over. Now dip into the panko breadcrumbs, evenly coating across all sides. Place on a plate. Dip fingers in the water bowl to start fresh as this gets messy, and repeat until all cauliflower slices are covered.
Add about 1cm deep of vegetable oil in a frying pan on high heat, and cook the cauliflower slices for about 5 mins on both sides, or until golden brown. To get the sides of the cauliflower if it’s a thick slice, tip the frying pan or turn the cauliflower on its side.
If you’re toasting the buns, do this now, and then slice and begin loading up your burgers! Start with lettuce, then top with your cauliflower burger. Next load up with toppings of your choice, but I went for a healthy dose of pickled red cabbage and large dollop vegan mayonnaise. And voilà, there’s your burger!
Serve your spicy cauliflower burger with a side of chips or wedges and salad. Try my Oven Roasted Chips With Guacamole or Curried Chips.