Description

This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower recipe offers a delicious, crispy, and spicy alternative to traditional buffalo wings. Using an air fryer, cauliflower florets are coated in a flavorful batter and cooked to golden crispiness, then tossed in a tangy buffalo sauce. Perfect as a vegetarian appetizer or snack, it pairs well with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.

Ingredients

Scale

Cauliflower and Batter

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour for a gluten-free option)
1/2 cup water (or almond milk for a dairy-free option)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Buffalo Sauce

1/2 cup buffalo sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon melted butter (or vegan butter for dairy-free)

Optional Garnish and Serving

Fresh parsley, for garnish
Blue cheese or ranch dressing, for dipping

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Instructions

Prepare the cauliflower: Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, making sure to remove the thick stems for even cooking.
Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, water, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Adjust water quantity to achieve a thick but coatable batter consistency.
Coat the cauliflower: Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, ensuring full coverage. Shake off any excess batter and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, avoiding overcrowding.
Air fry the cauliflower: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Cook the coated cauliflower for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to promote even browning. The florets should become golden and crispy.
Prepare the buffalo sauce: While the cauliflower cooks, mix the buffalo sauce with melted butter in a small bowl until well combined.
Toss in buffalo sauce: Once cooked, transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and gently toss with the buffalo sauce mixture until each piece is coated evenly.
Serve: Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired, and accompanied by blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with chickpea flour.
Use almond milk instead of water and vegan butter instead of regular butter for a dairy-free option.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket to ensure the cauliflower crisps evenly.
Shaking the basket halfway through cooking helps maintain even crispness and prevents burning.
Customize the spiciness by using a milder or hotter buffalo sauce as per preference.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Air Frying
Cuisine: American