Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
on Feb 01, 2024, Updated Apr 03, 2024
These Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower bites are a spicy, crispy, and flavorful appetizer or healthy snack! Perfect for serving with ranch dressing.
Why You’ll Love this Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- easy to make: with just a few pantry ingredients and a head of cauliflower, you can make this finger licking good appetizer!
- as spicy as you want it: craving a spicy cauliflower wing? Use a hot buffalo sauce for more heat, or a mild buffalo sauce for less heat.
- crispy and tender: crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the air fryer is perfect for cooking these cauliflower bites!
If you are looking for a delicious way to eat more veggies, well look no further than this buffalo cauliflower recipe!
These little bites of cauliflower are breaded then air fried until deliciously tender crisp. Dip one in ranch and the flavor is over the top!
This is another one of those recipes that made me love my air fryer. It has seriously become one of our most used appliances in our house.
More Air Fryer Recipes
You can find the full ingredient amounts and instructions at the bottom of this post in the recipe card, but here is what you will need.
Buffalo Cauliflower Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower: cut into bite sized pieces
- water
- flour
- spices: salt, garlic powder, and onion powder
- buffalo sauce: any level of heat that you like
How to make buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer
Step 1: Wash and cut cauliflower into small florets. Size is important here, as we want them to be nice and crispy. Larger florets will not cook as evenly.
Step 2: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the water, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir to combine. This will be our cauliflower bite breading. Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl, and stir/toss to coat in the flour mixture.
Step 3: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Use a slotted spoon to drip off excess batter and add the cauliflower florets in an even layer, being sure not to over crowd.
You may need to work in several batches. Air fry the cauliflower bites at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes, shaking half way through.
Step 4: Toss the air fryer cauliflower with the buffalo sauce. Air fry the cauliflower bites at 400 degrees for an additional 5-7 minutes, until crispy.
Tip for Success
- cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets: size is important when making buffalo cauliflower. The florets should be small and similar sized to ensure that they cook evenly and do not burn.
- do not over crowd: Only cook your cauliflower in an even layer in the air fryer. You will need to work in batches to do this.
- watch closely while air frying: Different air fryers can cook more quickly than others. Watch closely towards the end of cook time to avoid burning
Best dips for buffalo cauliflower
- ranch dressing: these cauliflower bites are perfect dipped in cool creamy ranch dressing
- blue cheese dressing: another classic favorite that pairs perfectly with buffalo sauce
How to serve buffalo cauliflower bites
- With vegetables: crunchy vegetables like celery, carrots, cucumbers, snap peas, and bell peppers would all be delicious paired with buffalo cauliflower
- In a wrap or soft taco: these would make delicious cauliflower tacos! Pair with a cool and creamy coleslaw or with ranch and romaine lettuce.
- With a dipping sauce: serve alone as an appetizer with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
How to store
- in the refrigerator: store leftover cauliflower bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- in the freezer: we do not recommend freezing buffalo cauliflower.
- how to reheat: Reheat in the air fryer until heated through for best texture.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower FAQs
Cool and creamy flavors work best with buffalo cauliflower. Ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, and coleslaw are all delicious choices.
Buffalo cauliflower is made of cauliflower florets tossed in a water and flour mixture, baked or air fried until crispy, and tossed with buffalo sauce.
We do not recommend freezing buffalo cauliflower as the texture can become too mushy when thawed.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegetarian Meatloaf
- Vegan Orange Chicken
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Best Vegetarian Enchiladas
- Teriyaki Cauliflower
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Buffalo sauce
Instructions
- Wash and cut the cauliflower into small florets. Size is important for optimal crispiness. See images in the post for size comparison
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the water, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and stir to combine.
- Add the cauliflower florets, and stir/toss to coat
- Place the cauliflower in the air fryer basket in an even layer using a slotted spoon for the excess batter to drip off. You will need to cook the cauliflower in two batches, as you only want to add it in an even layer without overlapping or overcrowding the cauliflower
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes, shaking half way through
- Toss the air fryer cauliflower with the buffalo sauce
- Air fry again at 400 degrees for an additional 5-7 minutes, until crispy
- Serve with ranch or dressing of choice for dipping
