These Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites make the BEST appetizer or game day snack! They are crispy, juicy and flavorful. You won’t be able to get enough!
This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower is the ULTIMATE game day snack. It’s sassy, ​​flavorful, and crunchy, the kind of finger food that packs a ton of flavor into a single bite. If you still need snack shots for next weekend’s Super Bowl, here’s mine: do it!
This recipe is based on the baked buffalo cauliflower I shared last fall. After posting it, I heard from so many of you asking for an air fryer version. I’m so glad I tried one because this air fryer buffalo cauliflower might even be better than the oven version (which was already delicious). The air fryer just makes it that much crispier! Devour the florets alone (warning: they’re seriously addictive!) or top them with a creamy dipping sauce. This vegan ranch is amazing.
Recipe ingredients for buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer
To prepare this Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe, start by breaking a head of cauliflower into large flowers.
Then you make a dough out of it All-Purpose Flour, Cornstarch, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt and Water. The cornstarch is the secret to making the cauliflower nice and crispy!
After air frying the cauliflower, brush it over buffalo sauce. I like to make a homemade one with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, melted butter, garlic powder, paprika, and honey. For a vegan alternative, substitute regular butter for vegan butter and use agave instead of honey!
Don’t forget the vegan ranch dressing for serving! For a complete Buffalo Wings experience carrots And celery sticks are fun too.
The full recipe with measurements is below.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Tips
- Really top that cauliflower! The batter is what gives the cauliflower its crispy, “fried” effect, so you want to get it into every nook and cranny of every bud. As you add the cauliflower to the thick flour mixture, stir well to ensure the florets are completely coated.
- Do not overfill the basket. If it’s too full, the cauliflower will steam instead of getting browned and crispy. Arrange the florets in a single layer, leaving a little space around each one. If necessary, work in batches. I need two batches to make this recipe in my air fryer.
- Turn it over carefully. If you turn the cauliflower after the first few minutes of cooking, it may want to stick to the air fryer basket. That’s OK! If you use a spatula to loosen the cauliflower from the basket, you can turn it over without ripping off its crispy casing. To minimize sticking, you can also lightly grease the basket with cooking spray before adding the cauliflower.
- sauce it twice. For the best buffalo flavor, you need to sauce these cauliflower bites twice: once halfway through cooking and once just before serving. Don’t hold back here! Turn the florets while you apply the sauce to coat them on all sides.
- eat it right away This buffalo cauliflower tastes best hot from the hot air fryer when it is still nice and crispy. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days but will lose some of their crispiness. If you’re making this recipe for a party or game day, I recommend air frying the cauliflower just before serving.
More favorite air fryer recipes
If you love these air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings, next try making one of these fun air fryer snacks:
Air Fryer buffalo cauliflower
serves 4
- â…” Cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ Cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea-salt
- ¾ Cup Water
- 1 Head cauliflower, about 2 pounds, broken into large florets
- buffalo sauce, for brushing
- Vegan ranch, for diving, optional
-
Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder, and salt. Add the water and stir smooth. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat.
-
Lift the cauliflower florets out of the batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Arrange them in a single layer in the Airfryer basket, leaving some space around each flower. Do not overfill the basket. Work in batches as needed.
-
Air fry for 9 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and carefully turn the florets with a spatula. Spread with some buffalo sauce. Air roast an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is dark and crispy on the edges.
-
Remove from the air fryer and brush with additional buffalo sauce. Serve with vegan ranch for dipping if desired.